Oh, I get this question a lot—and honestly, I love answering it because I’d be asking the same thing if I were in your shoes. Living in a neighborhood with a ton of graffiti means you need outdoor furniture that doesn’t become a permanent canvas, and yes, our benches are absolutely designed with that kind of real-world mess in mind.
Let’s break it down honestly. Most of our outdoor benches are built from solid, high-quality timber—typically acacia, teak, or a dense pressure-treated pine depending on the collection. Here’s why that matters for you: wood is one of the most forgiving materials when it comes to sanding and refinishing. Unlike metal benches with baked-on powder coating that’s a nightmare to strip, wood lets you just sand away the surface layer, graffiti and all, and start fresh. It’s almost meditative if you’re into that sort of thing.
The process is straightforward. If someone tags your bench, you’ll want to start with a medium-grit sandpaper—around 80 to 100 grit—to cut through the paint or marker ink along with the top layer of aged finish. Don’t be shy; you’re not going to hurt the wood. Once the graffiti is gone, switch to a finer grit like 150 or 180 to smooth everything out and blend the area with the rest of the seat. A random orbital sander makes it quick work, but honestly, a sanding block and some elbow grease do the job just fine on a flat bench slat. After wiping off the dust, you apply a fresh coat of outdoor oil, stain, or sealant to protect the wood and match the look you want. That’s it. The whole thing might take you an hour from start to finish, plus drying time.
What if your bench has some curved details or is a backless design? Still easy—just fold the sandpaper to get into corners. The timber we use isn’t veneer; it’s solid throughout, so you don’t risk sanding through a thin decorative layer like you would with cheaper furniture. I’ve had customers who’ve refinished their bench three or four times over the years, and it still looks gorgeous because good wood just keeps on giving.
One thing to keep in mind: if you’re dealing with a metal bench frame or armrests (some models combine wood seats with powder-coated steel legs), that part isn’t meant to be sanded. If those get tagged, your best bet is a graffiti remover spray that’s safe for painted metal. But the main seating surface? Pure wood, fully sandable.
My personal tip: after refinishing, consider applying a slightly tinted outdoor oil rather than a heavy film-forming varnish. The oil penetrates deep and makes future touch-ups even easier because you can spot-sand and re-oil without fighting a flaky layer of old varnish. And if graffiti is a constant battle, you might even keep a small kit handy—a piece of sandpaper, a rag, and a small bottle of your chosen finish. That way you can clean up a fresh tag in 20 minutes flat and barely think about it.
So yes, our benches are pretty much the opposite of high-maintenance when it comes to graffiti. Sand, wipe, oil, done. If you’ve got a specific bench model in mind and want to double-check the material breakdown, just ask—I’m happy to dig into the specs for you. But unless you’re looking at an all-metal piece, you’re in luck. You’ve got this!