Frequently Asked Questions 

Some cast-iron products come pre-seasoned ( Lodge logic) but many need to be seasoned/reseasoned over time in order to maintain the no-stick surface and avoid marking product.

To season a cast iron product:

  • Clean product well and dry completely
  • Coat surface that needs to be seasoned with a thin layer of vegetable oil or shortening
  • Place item upside down in a 375-degree oven and bake for 1 hour cool in the oven

Proper maintenance of your cast iron cookware will allow for optimum performance and product release and help avoid discolor marks on baked product.

Pin firing is a widely used manufacturing process that allows china manufacturers to provide a fully glazed foot rather than a polished foot.

This process has the future china product going through the kiln on a mini stand which rests the greenware on “pins” so when glazed it does not stick to the kiln surface.

This process creates “pin marks” which reflect where the china rested while going through the kiln. These are completely normal, are fully vitrified, and completely non-porous.

Some examples of “pin marks” are displayed below.

General Care

  • 70% of damage/loss occurs at the dishwasher table
  • Ensure dishwasher table has sufficient space to store dirty items
  • All washing equipment should be maintained and checked regularly
  • Check stock regularly
  • Storage facilities should allow for stock rotation to prevent overuse
  • All items should be separated into type prior to washing
  • Avoid overloading trays or trolleys

China Care

  • Ware should be washed within 45 minutes of removing from the table
  • Pre-rinse before washing, temperature should not exceed 109° F
  • Avoid contact between china, dinnerware and metals
  • Abrasive cleaning aids should not be used. (i.e. scouring pads, steel wool)
  • Minimize handling to reduce glaze abrasion
  • Do not stack more than 15″ high
  • In order to reduce abrasion, do not slide items across each other
  • Rotate your stock to prevent uneven wear

Welsh Slate

Most products are dishwasher safe with the exception of those which have material bases. All products can be wiped clean using soap and warm water. Light scratches can usually be rubbed out using a damp cloth.

Serving Suggestions

To enhance the richness of the slate a gentle coating of mineral oil can be applied before serving the food onto the slate. Welsh Slate is ISO14001 Certified and has stringent environmental policies in place.

Melamine Care

Washing: Delfin melamine is commercial dishwasher safe. Do not use harsh or abrasive cleaners, steel wool. or metal pot scouring pads to remove food or stains. For best results, use only non-abrasive scrubbing pads or plastic bristle scrubbers to remove dried food. Do not use chlorine bleach or chlorine based sanitizing solutions when caring for melamine products.
Only use sanitizers developed for commercial use. A qualified chemical specialist should recommend the proper cleaning solution to use with melamine products.

Temperature: Delfin melamine products can withstand heat up to 248° F (120°C). Do not use in an oven or microwave.

Condition: Use of serrated knives is not recommended on melamine products. Proper care and maintenance will ensure the lifespan of your Delfin melamine products.

Flatware Care

  • Flatware should be washed separately from dinnerware
  • Wash as soon as possible to prevent pitting from acidic food deposits
  • A pre-soak in warm water is recommended to loosen food particles
  • Make sure your cleaning agent is void of any abrasive or corrosive qualities
  • Use upright baskets to prevent scratching and to aid drying
  • Do not overfill the upright flatware baskets
  • If using a low temperature dishwashing system, carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid staining or corrosion
  • On completion of the wash allow the flatware to air dry, hand dry if necessary
  • Always insure the flatware is completely dry before storing
  • Store flatware in a dry place away from the cooking area.

Steak Knife Care

  • For best performance, handwashing is recommended for all knives
  • Wood-handled knives: wash knives with warm water and mild detergent. rinse well and dry thoroughly, oil handles with mineral oil as needed
  • ABS (resin) handled knives: low temperature dishwasher safe. not recommended for high temp dishwashers that exceed 165F/75C (extreme temp change can cause handle to crack)
  • Stainless Steel knives: dishwasher safe
  • Avoid long washing cycles and use a soft cloth to dry

Things to avoid:

  • Soaking knives; they should be cleaned immediately to prevent damage
  • Using abrasive cleaners. scouring pads. oven cleaners or cleaners containing chlorine bleach or citric extracts
  • Cutting on hard surfaces such as stone, metal or glass

Glassware Care

  • Clean glasses in a glasswasher not a dishwasher when possible
  • Use properly sized compartment glass racks
  • After washing remove basket and leave to cool down and dry
  • Never carry glasses in bouquets
  • Never use glass in place of ice scoop
  • Never use glass to carry or store flatware
  • Never let the beer tap come in contact with the glass

Stemware Care

  • Do not handle the stemware when hot
  • Use white cotton gloves or 2 cloths for polishing
  • Polish the bowl first followed by the stem and then the base
  • Do not hold the glass by the stem or the base when polishing the bowl
  • Hold glasses by the stem to avoid fingerprints on the bowl

Round

  • 30″ Round Seat 2-3 People

  • 36″ Round Seat 4 People

  • 42″ Round Seat People

  • 48″ Round Seat 6 People

  • 54″ Round Seat 7-8 People

  • 60″ Round Seat People

  • 66″ Round Seat 9-10 People

  • 72″ Round Seat 10 People

Square

  • 24″ Square: 2 People

  • 30″ Square: People

  • 32″ Square: 4 People

  • 36″ Square: People

  • 42″ Square: 8 People

  • 60″ Square: 8-12 People (12 is “little” tight)

Rectangular

  • 18 60 Seminar Seat 2 (1 Sided)

  • 18 72 Seminar Seat (l Sided)

  • 18 96 Seminar Seal (l Sided)

  • 30 48 inch Rectangles Seat 4 People

  • 30 72 inch Rectangles Seat 6 People

  • 30 96 inch Rectangles Seat People 
    (Cap the ends to make 10)

Standard table height is 29″ – 30″.
Cafe/Bar height is 41″ – 42″

For banquet dinners and other functions when people will sit on both sides of the table, 30″ is the most common table width.

 
Creative napkin folds add the finishing touch to any table-top setting. Our step-by-step directions will have you and your waitstaff busy folding in no time at all! Try a new fold each month; your customers will love it. DuraLast™ & SoftWeave™ fabrics offer the ideal hold for any fold. Click on any of the napkin images to view a larger version of that image and click on the diagram to see how to view a larger image of how to accoplish each fold. View Creative Napkin Folds (PDF).

Pyramid

  1. Fold napkin in half diagonally
  2. Fold corners to meet top point
  3. Turn napkin over and fold in half
  4. Pick up at center and stand on base of triangle

Goblet Fan

  1. Fold napkin in half.
  2. Pleat from bottom to top.
  3. Turn napkin back 1/3 of way on right (folded) and place into goblet.
  4. Spread out pleats at top

Bird of Paradise

  1. Fold napkin in half and in half again
  2. Then fold in half diagonally with points on the top and facing up
  3. Fold left and right sides down along center line, turning their extended points under
  4. Fold in half on long dimension with edges facing out
  5. Pull up points and arrange on a fabric surface

Cardinal's Hat

  1. Fold napkin in half diagonally
  2. Fold corners to meet at top point
  3. Turn napkin over with points to the top; fold lower corner 2/3 way up
  4. Fold back onto itself
  5. Bring corners together, tucking one into the other
  6. Open base of fold and stand upright

Lady Windermer's Fan

  1. Fold napkin in half
  2. Starting at bottom, accordion-pleat 2/3 way up
  3. Fold in half with pleating on the outside
  4. Fold upper-right corner diagonally down to folded base of pleats and turn under edge
  5. Place on table and release pleats to form fan

Rose

  1. Fold all 4 corners of open napkin to center
  2. Fold new corners to center
  3. Turn napkin over and fold all 4 corners to center
  4. Holding center firmly, reach under each corner and pull up flaps to form petals
  5. Reach between petals and pull flaps from underneath

Rosebud

  1. Fold napkin in half diagonally
  2. Fold corners to meet at top point
  3. Turn napkin over and fold bottom 2/3 way up
  4. Tuck corners inside cuff at base of fold and stand
  5. Turn one layer of point down and set on base

Candle

  1. Fold napkin in half diagonally
  2. Fold corners to meet at point
  3. Fold bottom point 2/3 way to top and fold back onto itself
  4. Turn napkin over bringing corners together, tucking one into the other
  5. Peel top two corners to make crown; open base of fold and stand upright

Bishop's Mitre

  1. Fold napkin in half diagonally
  2. Fold corners to meet at top point
  3. Turn napkin over with points to the top
  4. Fold lower corner 2/3 way up
  5. Fold back onto itself
  6. Bring corners together, tucking one into the other
  7. Open base of fold and stand upright

Atrium Lily

  1. Fold napkin, bringing bottom to top
  2. Fold corners to
  3. Fold bottom point up to 1" below to
  4. Fold point back onto itself
  5. Fold down each point at top and tuck under edge of folded-up bottom; fold one layer of top point and tuck under base fold
  6. Turn napkin over and tuck left and right sides into each other
  7. Open base and stand

Clown's Hat

  1. Fold napkin in half, bringing bottom to top
  2. Holding center of bottom with finger, take lower right corner and loosely roll around center
  3. Matching corner, until cone is formed
  4. Turn napkin upside down, then turn them all around; turn and stand on base
Click here for the Carlisle Table Covering Wizard
ABS 
AcrylonitrileProvides heat stability, chemical resistance, and aging resistance.
ButadieneProvides low-temperature property retention, toughness, and impact
StyreneAdds luster, Rigidity, and processing ease.
 

The combination of the above items makes ABS a very tough material, especially around various acids and chemicals and where the product must withstand abuse. Dark colors will blanche out in moisture and high heat. Used in coffee mugs, oval trays, and compartment trays.

 

AcrylicNoted for its clarity, rigidity and scratch resistance. There are four types of Acrylic
ExtrudeLeast chemical resistance of all Acrylics.
Injection
Molded
Poor chemical resistance. Used in sneeze guard shields.
Continuous
Cast
Fair chemical resistance. Used in thermoformed product that will have food contact.
Cast
Cell
Good chemical resistance. Used in thermoformed product that will have food contact.
 

Acrylic has extremely high weatherability without yellowing or deterioration over long periods of time. It has poor chemical resistance at elevated temperatures.

 

Heavy
Valox

Used where the weight and fell of ceramic is desired. Good in cold temperature use because of its rapid heat transfer, which is similar to ceramic, Has good high resistance (350F distortion temperature) and can be used in a microwave, but not recommended for foods with high sugar and grease contents. Excellent impact resistance, but surface hardness not as good as SAN.

 

Polycarbonate

It has extremely high impact resistance and toughness, glass-like transparency and broad use temperature limits. It has good stain resistance, excellent surface, stiffness, and good chemical resistance. Is used in spoons, pebble bowls, pitchers, and Petal Mist dinnerware. This material is also used in some microwaveware. Its temperature use ranges from 0F to 275F.

 

Polyethylene,
High Density
Extremely chemical resistant, impact resistant, Not as rigid as SAN, used for material handling containers and storage containers where rough handling will occur. It is good in low-temperature applications (-50F). Used in bread and bun baskets, Bains Maries, and storage containers.
Polyethylene,
Low Density

Excellent chemical resistance, toughness, impact resistance, and stress crack resistance. Low-temperature use is -40oF.

 

Polypropylene-
Copolymer
It is more rigid and more scratch resistant than polyethylene.
It is very chemical resistant, durable and tough. Storage containers and Bains Maries have excellent contact clarity and have better low-temperature impact than Homopolylene. It is also used in Poly-tuf crocks for cold temperature use.
Polypropylene-Block
Copolymer

Same characteristic as other polypropylenes, but is slightly more flexible and has a much better impact. Used in dish racks.

 

Polystyrene,
High Heat
A rigid styrene that has good clarity. Used where rigidity and Polystyrene, clarity are desired, but chemical resistance is not required. Has higher heat High Heat resistance than general purpose styrene. Used in sugar caddies and tip trays. Is a brittle and low impact material similar to SAN.
Polystyrene,
High Impact 
 This is a polystyrene with rubber added to give greater impact resistance. It is not as rigid and brittle as SAN and is not chemical resistant
. Used in tortilla servers. Used in tortilla servers.
SAN Used where chemical resistance, toughness, and gloss are required. Gives an excellent china-like appearance. Used for table top service where chemical resistance and appearance are important. Also, has good clarity but has a slightly bluish tint. Used in Continental and Crystalline pitchers, tumblers, Classic crocks, deli crooks, octagonal crocks and some mugs. BPA Free
Thermoset
Resins
 
Melamine Excellent dinnerware materials with china-like appearance. Has the best scratch resistance of the dinnerware materials with china like appearance. Has the best scratch resistance of the dinnerware materials,  along with good chemical resistance, good impact resistance (will break) and broad-use temperature limits. Not recommended for microwave use.
 Polyester 
- BMC
Best material for high heat applications up to 400°F. Good rigidity, chemical resistance and excellent for microwave use. This is a strong material but may break if dropped on a hard surface. Can get a range of colors with little difference in cost. Black is a poor color and white
will yellow when exposed to temperatures near 400°F. Used in polyglass covers.
 Polyester 
- Slurry
 Used in fiberglass trays. Very durable with good depth of color.
Good decoration capabilities.

 

Metal marking appears as a greyish stain on dinnerware and is caused by contact with Stainless steel ( flatware, worktables, sizzle platters, platecovers, dish machine doors, etc.) that either has not been cleaned properly or is of a softer grade SS.

Metal marking is NOT from the dinnerware but rather is caused by a piece of dinnerware having the film from dirty stainless steel transferred to it. Most often this occurs by sliding the plate over an SS work surface, but it also can come from softer SS as used in knives, metal accessory pieces, or from any SS transferring the film. Often an inexperienced dish person will be caught using SS scrubbies to remove stuck on food which will also cause metal marks.

Under most conditions, this washes off in the rinse but on occasion the film remains on the dinnerware and adheres to it when the water evaporates, essentially baking it on. In many cases, it collects in scratches in the glaze, or on the foot of the piece.

In ALL cases metalmarks can be removed by using a product like lemoneze, or dip-it from Ecolab, or by using a mildly abrasive cleaner like soft scrub. Clean the product using a WHITE scrubby and the marks will readily come off.

End Grain Cutting Boards features the end pieces of wood rails approximately 1-1/2" x 1-3/4" that are glued together into a traditional square pattern. During cutting or chopping, the end grain wood fibers absorb the impact of the knife blade, allowing your knife to stay sharper and your board surfaces to stay smoother. Edge Grain Cutting Boards features full length wood rails approximately 1-3/4" wide that span the entire length of the board. Edge Grain Cutting Boards features a uniform thickness and true flat cutting surface.

Before you begin, check your local codes and be sure to comply with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).Take the square footage of your area and divide by the space allowance per seat to determine potential capacity.  Deuce seating and wall spacing maximize the most space, although diagonal seating also saves floor space.

  • Allow 18" per seat from edge of table to back of chair.
  • Allow 48" between squared tables with chairs back-to-back; leaves 12" to push out.
  • Allow 24" between corners of diagonal tables for customer access with no aisle.
  • Allow 30" between corners of diagonal tables for customer access with a narrow aisle.
  • Allow 60" between squared tables with chairs back-to-back for a 24" service aisle.

Note: the ADA requires a 36" clearance for aisle for dining areas; 5% of the total dining space should be accessible to wheelchair users.

ITEM TYPEFINE DININGFAMILY /
RESTAURANT
BAR SERVICE
Juice1  1/21  1/21  1/2
Long Drink / Highball1  1/21  1/21  1/2
Cooler / Beverage333
Rocks333
Double Old Fashioned333
Water333
Wine Large1  1/21  1/21
Wine Small11  1/21  1/2
Beer333
Martini1  1/21  1/21  1/2
Margarita1/211  1/2
Flute131/2
Shot Glass1/21/21/2
Dessert Dish1  1/21  1/21/2
Carafe1/21/21/2
Pitcher1/21/21/2
ITEM TYPEHOTEL / FINE DININGFAMILY / RESTAURANT
Teaspoon54
Dessert / Soup Spoon22
Table Spoon1/41/4
Iced Tea Spoon1 1/21 1/2
Demitasse Spoon2-
Boullon Spoon22
Table Fork33
Salad / Dessert Fork1 1/21 1/2
Cocktail Fork1 1/2-
Table Knife22
Butter Knife1 1/21
Keep your Boos ® cutting board sanitized by simply washing it with hot soapy water after each use and dry it with a clean paper towel or let it air dry. If you want to sanitize the board more thoroughly, use a diluted mixture of chlorine bleach or vinegar solution that consists of one teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach in one quart of water or a one to five dilutions of vinegar.
Do not soak or submerge the board in water, for this will disrupt the moisture content and cause the rails to split. Woodcutting boards are NOT dishwasher safe.
A minimum of once a month (depending upon the use and household conditions), apply an even coat of Boos® Mystery Oil to all surfaces of your wood cutting board using a cloth or disposable towel. Allow the Mystery Oil to fully penetrate through the wood fibers overnight, then wipe off any excess oil. Apply additional oil to any visible dry spots or for any other necessary reasons. For additional protection, it is recommended to use Boos Block® Board Cream to seal the top of the wood surface in conjunction to the Mystery Oil. Apply an even coat of the Board Cream using a cloth or disposable towel. Allow the Board Cream to penetrate the wood surface overnight, then wipe off any excess cream. Our Boos Block cutting boards ship from the factory with a Boos Block ® Cream Finish (with Beeswax). When the cutting board becomes dry and lighter in color, you know that the time has come to re-oil your board. NOTE: Use only John Boos ® Mystery Oil or Boos Block ® Cream when oiling your cutting board. An quick alternative would be to use mineral oil only. DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF COOKING OIL ON YOUR WOOD CUTTING BOARDS. THIS WILL DAMAGE YOUR BOARDS. With a minimum amount of care and maintenance, you can lengthen the life of your Boos ® Board by many years.
Store your wood cutting board on end to dry if it is damp. If your cutting board is already dry, store it flat in a dry area away from extreme hot or cold temperatures.
Lemon or lime juice with a little salt will go a long way to reducing odor. Sprinkle your Boos ® cutting board with kosher or table salt. Cut a lemon or lime into quarters and use these quarters to rub the salt into the board, squeezing juice onto the board as you go. Let sit for 2-3 minutes and then wipe the cutting board clean with a damp cloth. Use a clean paper towel to remove excess water or let the board air dry by standing it on end.
Sprinkle kosher or table salt on your cutting board and then use a damp sponge or paper towel to rub the stained or discolored area. The salt will absorb stains, flavors, and odors. For stubborn stains, try sanding down the area with a fine grit sand paper. It is very important to sand with the grain of the wood, never against the grain. This sanding process exposes a brand new wood work surface. Once sanding is complete, it is recommended to oil your cutting board with John Boos ® Mystery Oil and/or  Boos Block ® Board Cream with Beeswax. This product protects the board and controls its moisture content, keeping it from drying out, cracking or splitting.
A scientific study conducted by Dr. Dean Cliver, Ph.D has proved that maple cutting boards inhibit bacteria growth, while plastic boards have been scientifically proven to harbor bacteria inside the cut grooves.  Also wood cutting boards are known to be easier on your expensive knife blades.
Although Boos ® Hard Rock Natural Maple cutting boards DO NOT harbor bacteria, it is a good habit to use separate cutting boards for different types of food prep. For example, use one for raw meat, poultry, or fish, and another for cooked or ready-to-eat foods such as salad, vegetables, and breads. This will ensure protection against cross-contamination and will prevent the spreading of certain food borne bacteria such as E-Coli.
Chef Lite products are made using layers of natural wood paper sheets impregnated with phenolic resin fused together through a balanced pressure-temperature process. Natural wood paper as its base material combined with phenolic resin provide extra strength and resilience in a lightweight form as dishwasher-safe cutting surface alternative. Chef Lite cutting surfaces are approved by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and offers long service and sanitation under the toughest conditions of use.
In-depth instructions on the care and maintenance of stainless steel. Covered are the tools and cleansers recommended. Other vital information about stainless steal is included in this document pdf. Download Stainless Steel Care & Maintenance Instructional PDF.
When referring to the gauge (GA) thickness of stainless steel, the lower the number the thicker the stainless steel. For example, 14GA is a thicker quality stainless steel than 16GA while 16GA is a thicker quality stainless steel than 18GA.
Cutting a butcher block top exposes unprotected hardwood. This needs to be refinished immediately. Failure to do so could lead to cracking of the top. Once you have made a cutout in the top, you should coat the exposed area with EZ-DO poly gel or a silicone acrylic clear caulk. EZ-DO gel is available from your John Boos dealer, the caulk is available at most hardware stores. The EZ-DO poly gel or caulk should be spread evenly with a putty knife the full thickness of the cut portion. EZ-DO poly gel or caulk should also be spread one inch wide around the face side of the cutout perimeter. The bottom side of the top should have a three inch wide spread of caulk around the cutout perimeter. Allow EZ-DO poly gel or caulk to dry. Run a bead of caulk around perimeter of cutout where sink ring will rest. Once sink and ring are in place, wipe off excess caulk squeeze out from ring with a damp cloth. For other concealed cutting alterations apply caulk to unprotected area of cutout only. For areas above dishwashers apply caulk to bottom side of countertop that is overhung from the front of the dishwasher. The caulk should be applied with a putty knife and spread three inches past the unit’s width on either side. All exposed edges that have been altered should be refinished w/oil or EZ-DO poly gel.
The wood in a John Boos butcher block top has been kiln dried to a 6% moisture content. During times of high humidity it tends to absorb moisture, which will cause it to expand in width. During low humidity (winter months) it will contract back to its original dimension. When installing a butcher block, allowances need to be made for the seasonal changes. Some cabinet manufacturers slot the top mounting bolt holes. If your cabinets have this feature, be sure the mounting bolts are centered in the slot to allow for both expansion and contraction. If the wood or metal mounting brackets are not slotted, allowance can be made by drilling the hole through the counter approximately 3/8” oversize, and using a washer under the head of the bolts. Attach countertop to counter base using 1/4” lag bolts. The length will vary on the application, but a good rule of thumb is to use a bolt long enough to penetrate one half the top’s thickness. Use one bolt per foot to attach the top widthwise. Use a minimum of four bolts on both ends. Use one bolt per every two feet to attach the length on both sides.
Warpage of a kitchen countertop occasionally occurs, if one surface expands at a greater rate than the other side. Since the moisture content of the wood used in producing butcher block countertops is tightly controlled, a warped top can be easily corrected. Placing the block onto your cabinet base, it can be drawn down to a flat condition by using 3 or 4 bolts across the width. On an oiled butcher block top the warped condition can also be corrected by covering the convex side with mystery oil and plastic, and then rubbing oil into the concave side of the board repeatedly. This evens out the moisture content of the counter top, and will bring it back to its flat condition.
Minor splits may occur at the ends of your kitchen countertop, if it was cut for installation and the end not properly resealed. If you notice this condition, the cracks should be immediately filled with a matching color wood filler, sanded smooth, and refinished with Boos ® Mystery Oil or Cream.
A diagram on the proper procedures of overhang installation on kitchen countertops can be found here. Overhang Instructions Diagram PDF.
Here you will find a variety of Edge Detail Styles that we offer for our Boos Block ® Countertops. Edge Detail Styles - Kitchen Countertops.

Proper care and maintenance of your G&A furniture will help add longevity to the product as well as keeping it looking new. We will discuss the proper treatment for your furniture by category.

Wood Chairs/Barstools/Wood Table Tops

Use only warm soapy water to clean wood chairs, wood barstools and wood table tops. A mild soap such as dish washing liquid is preferred.  Do not use de-greasers, cleaning chemicals or a mixture of water and bleach/ammonia. Those chemicals will harm the seal-coat which is applied as a final protector of the wood’s surface. Avoid using any citrus based products as the citrus can dissolve the clear coat and/or stain. Below, is a picture of a wood table top that was cleaned with chemicals.

There are products that will safely clean wood surfaces which are readily available. Murphy’s Oil Soap or similar products are recommended.

Always dry the furniture after cleaning.

To ensure that chairs and barstools are structurally sound, they should be checked on a regular basis. Make sure that bolts and screws are tightened. Also, be sure the glides are secure and replace any that are worn.

If chairs and barstools are turned over for floor cleaning, be careful not to damage the rear posts on the table edges.

Wipe dry any liquid spills on tables immediately. Use coasters under glassware, pitchers, etc. to prevent ‘sweat’ rings from forming.

Do not place any hot items directly on the table to include carafes, plates, and small skillets, etc. Heat shielding mats will work only to 250 degrees which is harmful to the table’s surface. Consider trivets to protect table surfaces.

Metal Chairs/Barstools

Metal chairs and barstools should be cleaned with warm soapy water only. Again, as with wood products, a clear coat is used to protect the surfaces and this will be eroded with the use of chemicals. After using the water solution, dry the chair to prevent rusting. For particularly tough stains, you can use a commercial cleaner like 409. After the stain is removed, rinse with warm soapy water and dry thoroughly.

Aluminum Chairs/Barstools

Aluminum chairs and barstools can be cleaned with warm water. If they are installed near a pool or salt water, hosing them down on a weekly basis will prevent pitting of the aluminum which can occur in these environments.

Table bases

Again, warm soapy water is the cleaning agent which should be used to clean table bases. Dry the base after cleaning.

Check table glides to make sure they are secured to the base. Adjust them so the table is level.

Outdoor tables

The warm soapy water is the solution that should be used for cleaning.

Outdoor tables should not be exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods of time.

Our Aluminum TA series should be dried thoroughly after cleaning. These table must be stored right side up: not sideways on its edge or upside down, especially when it rains.

Refrain from using stemmed glassware on our ST Series of tables. They can cause damage to the surface.

The short answer:

18 refers to 18% chromium content, and the other number refers to the percentage of nickel content. There is no difference between 18/8 and 18/10. It's purely marketing. 18/0 however, has no nickel content, which means it won't keep its silver-like shine over the years.

The long answer:

The numbers 18/0, 18/8 and 18/10 refer to the percentages of chromium and nickel in the stainless steel alloy. The "18" refers to the chromium content, which gives flatware its rust-resistance properties, and the "8" or "10" refers to the nickel content, which gives it its silver-like shine and some rust-resistance. There is a lower quality flatware commonly available called 13/0 or 13 Chrome, which simply has 13% chromium content.

These numbers are merely "nicknames" for the lay person to use, and are only used for marketing efforts by flatware manufacturers. When a manufacturer purchases stainless steel from a steel mill, they purchase stainless steel Grade 304, which has a range of 18-20% chromium, and 8-10% nickel content. Grade 304 in flatware is usually at the lower end of that range. To keep the cost down, steel manufacturers will make grade 304 with 8.2% nickel, which clears the legal hurdle of calling it 18/10. What does all this mean? It means that there is no difference between 18/8 and 18/10 stainless steel in flatware. The difference between the two is purely a marketing effort.

18/0 however, is a different story. It's made from the "Grade 400 series", which contains no nickel.

Proud Member of these Associations
MAFSI
Connecticut Tourism Coalition
Connecticut Restaurant Association
Massachusetts Restaurant Association
Copyright © 2023 Spence Wells Associates Privacy Policy