The Anatomy of an Outdoor Planter

As you can imagine the engineering of a lightweight outdoor planter should not be taken lightly. In fact when you think about it we want a lightweight object to support a heavy load that needs to stand up to harsh environmental conditions like UV and high traffic commercial areas. It almost sounds like an impossible task, in the past we have seen more traditional materials used such as clay and more recently metals such as corten steel and aluminum. These materials have their drawbacks such as being porous, poor corrosion resistance, limited design options and of course weight. So in a perfect world our ideal large outdoor planter would be lightweight, durable and have a wide range of design options.

The holy grail of the large outdoor container is to make it as light as possible and still make it tough enough to handle a rigrous commercial environment, the only real solution is fiberglass. Fiberglass has a long lifecycle, is waterproof and lightweight.  Not all methods of fiberglass construction is equal, the overall durability of the end product depends on the material used and how it is manufactured. The vast majority of container manufacturers opt for high speed low strength construction because it is more cost effective, this approach is more environmentally harmful and is best suited for indoor residential applications.  To yield the highest strength to weight ratio IAP utilizes the highest quality raw materials and we build our containers by hand to insure they meet the highest standards. This process is slower and more time consuming but in the end you get the best possible results that are needed for outdoor commercial use.

So when we talk about durability we break it down by lifecycle, how long will it last? As you can imagine we have all done this, buy something that was not intended for it's use, so what happens we have to replace it much sooner than we anticipated and as a result end up wasting money and time.  If you are running a business that means down time and a lower net operating income.  If you select the right product from the start you are able to avoid these pitfalls and increase the likelyhood of a longer period of time that is trouble free. To insure longevity we start with a robust fiberglass form that is reinforced with steel, to be sure that you have a long lasting finish we create our Fusion finishes from real metal that is resistant to fading and scratching.  Who would have thought that so much thought and innovation would be needed for an outdoor container? We have spent the time and energy to insure you have a lightweight, durable and beautiful container that you can enjoy for years to come.

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