Blog posts from January, 2016

We’ve carried a 4ft x 24” plastic folding table for a number of years now. All of our rectangle plastic folding tables with the exception of our 4ft table were 30 inches wide but due to table mold limitations, we weren’t able to get manufacturing rights for a 4ft x 30 inch plastic folding table. I’m sure some of you have noticed that our 4ft x 24” tables have been placed on sale for the past few months – and that is for a very good reason – we officially have 4ft x 30” plastic folding tables in stock!

Available in both our Toronto area warehouses and Vancouver warehouses, our 4ft x 30” plastic folding tables have the same commercial grade strength that our other tables have. Durable and strong, the top is made of light-grey high-density resin with the legs powder-coated grey and made of 17 gauge (1.4mm) steel tubing. They can be used indoors or outdoors and you have the peace of mind knowing there is a 2 year warranty against material or manufacturing defects.

Chiavari chairs come with either a fabric cushion, vinyl cushion or vinyl plywood base cushion to make the chair more comfortable for seating. They come in black, white and ivory colours. The vinyl chiavari chair cushions have Velcro tabs to secure the cushion from slipping and a zipper at the back to take the cover off for cleaning.

Yesterday I tested out ScotchGard Fabric and Upholstery Protector on Fabric Chiavari Chair Cushions. Today I’m going to test a Rust-Oleum product called Never Wet Outdoor Fabric Protector on our vinyl chiavari chair cushions. I chose this product instead of ScotchGard because ScotchGard’s Fabric and Upholstery Protector is specifically not good on plastic, suede, leather and carpet. Never Wet is supposed to work on plastic, suede, leather and carpet. Below are the steps I took to test the product along with my results!

For a baseline – here’s what red wine looks like when it is spilt on a vinyl chiavari chair cushion that has not been treated with any protector:

1. Purchase Rust-Oleum Never Wet Outdoor Fabric Protector.

I went to Home Depot to purchase this but Canadian Tire would also have it.

2. Found a box to protect the area around the cushion.

3. Found a new, never been used, clean white vinyl cushion

4. Tested the spray to get a feel for the pattern

5. Sprayed the cushion with Never Wet 12” – 16” away, making sure no pooling occurs

6. Allowed to dry for 24hrs.

7. Spilt red wine on the cushion

8. Left a very faint stain

9. Took a small bit of goo gone to the stain – and it’s all gone.

At this point I think I would leave it up to a party rental company whether they choose to treat their vinyl cushions or not. The pros of this method include the stain can successfully be removed. The cons of this method include the cost for labour and the Never Wet, and the wait time associated with drying.

Chiavari chairs come with either a fabric cushion, vinyl cushion or vinyl plywood base cushion to make the chair more comfortable for seating. They come in black, white and ivory colours. The fabric chiavari chair cushions have Velcro tabs to secure the cushion from slipping and a zipper at the back to take the cover off for cleaning.

One issue that party rental companies (and any other company that owns chiavari chairs for that matter) face with fabric chiavari chair cushions is staining. While fabric cushions can be taken off and washed, there always comes a time when a party rental will encounter a set in stain that just won’t budge. And, there’s also the pain of putting the fabric cover back on the cushion – not as easy as it sounds. Because this is an issue faced, I brainstormed how to prevent stains from occurring in the first place and thought I would test out ScotchGard Fabric and Upholstery Protector on the cushions. Below are the steps I took to test the product along with my results!

For a baseline – here’s what coffee looks like when it is spilt on a fabric chiavari chair cushion that has not been treated with any protector:

1. Purchase ScotchGard Fabric & Upholstery Protector.

I went to Home Depot to purchase this but Canadian Tire would also have it.

2. Found a box to protect the area around the cushion.

3. Found a new, never been used, clean white fabric cushion.

4. Shake the spray can

5. Spray the cushion with Scotchgard 6” away, overlapping the spray in a slow sweeping motion

6. Allowed to dry for 6hrs.

7. Spill coffee on the cushion

8. Left a Small Stain – but repelled almost all of the coffee

9. Sprayed remaining (unstained area) with another coat of scotchgard and let sit overnight

10. Spilt coffee on the area coated with 2 coats of Scotchgard

11. Here’s what the cushion looks like after the coffee is mopped up off the area with 2 coats of Scotchgard

There is a very faint stain on the area covered with 2 coats of ScotchGard but it is much less invasive then the untreated fabric or fabric treated with 1 coat of ScotchGard.

At this point I think I would leave it up to a party rental company whether they choose to ScotchGard their fabric cushions or not. The pros of this method include the stain is way less noticeable and doesn’t seep into the cushion insert. The cons of this method include the cost for labour and the ScotchGard, the wait time associated with drying and it doesn’t protect the fabric enough to prevent washing.

I plan on doing a subsequent test next week by washing this cover to see whether Scotchgarding the stain means it is easier to wash out then the untreated fabric. Check back for the update!

Caterers, banquet halls and restaurants are notorious for prepping food ahead of time – for a large scale event that requires a lot of preparation a couple days ahead of time or preparation for a lunch or dinner rush. Regardless of the event size, melamine bowls and platters are often used to aid in preparation for prepping buffets, hors d’oeuvres and salads and understanding their temperature ranges helps ensure the material lasts as long as possible.

Melamine is a synthetic resin that is used to form durable, break-resistant dinnerware, serving platters, and serving bowls. Melamine serveware can look almost identical to porcelain or be dyed to look like wood, marble, slate or stone.

Melamine platters or bowls would work equally well as melamine works well in a temperature range of 2°C – 93°C (35.6°F - 200°F). Anywhere below zero degrees melamine platters and bowls will get quite brittle and breakage will more easily occur. If your commercial refrigerator operates within that temperature range, you’re completely safe to use melamine platters and bowls in your prep work.

As 2015 recently came to a close, I decided to pause and reflect on this year’s blog content. Too often we focus solely on the future and don’t take stock in the past. Understanding what was most popular, helps us to strategize new kinds of content that might strike a chord with readers.

To wrap it up, here are the most popular posts of National Event Supply’s Blog from 2015 based on unique views.

1. The Best Tent Manufacturers in Canada
2. Where to Buy Wedding Linens Direct in Canada
3. How much do Chiavari Chairs Cost to Buy in Canada?
4. How much weight can plastic folding tables hold?
5. Who are the Best Restaurant Equipment & Supplies Stores in Toronto, Ontario

In case you didn’t see it, I’ve put together a blog feedback request from you guys on what you would like to see on National Event Supply’s blog. Your greatly appreciated feedback has the chance of winning one in 5 $10 Starbucks gift cards.

I’m also open to any requests you may have so don’t be shy. If you have any specific requests or questions, just let me know.