Forms+Surfaces launches the Float Bench

The Float Bench is a simple, timeless design that adapts to many seating scenarios, from streetscapes to university and corporate campuses to healthcare settings and more.

Float Benches are 72″ (1820mm) long and available backed or backless, with integral end armrests and an optional center seat divider. Vertical slats running perpendicular to the length of the seat create a clean, crisp look.

Float’s uncluttered style is matched by high-performance materials and versatile configuration options.

Bench frames are corrosion-resistant aluminum with a durable powdercoat finish. A wide range of powdercoat colors makes it easy to tailor Float to site-specific needs, whether it’s aligning with branding or wayfinding themes, reflecting the personality of a space, or quietly blending into a setting. 

Float’s design options expand with a choice of high-performance hardwood slats: either FSC® 100% Cumaru or domestically sourced FSC® Mix Credit Thermally Modified Red Oak.

Float backless bench with Thermally Modified Red Oak

FSC® Mix Credit Thermally Modified Red Oak is new to the F+S line and a standard option for Float. Harvested and processed in Pennsylvania, home to our Pittsburgh-based headquarters and Float manufacturing facility, it offers a sustainable, durable solution for projects interested in domestically grown hardwoods. The thermal modification process uses heat, steam and time to transform the wood on a molecular level into a highly durable outdoor material that resists insects, moisture, and other environmental impacts. The wood’s overall durability and lifespan are multiplied many times, without the use of chemicals or anything else manmade. The thermal modification process turns the wood a deep brown. Float’s FSC® Mix Credit Thermally Modified Red Oak slats have a natural oiled finish, which allows the wood’s color to stand out. Over time, the wood will weather to a pewter grey and can be oiled if desired to maintain the deeper brown appearance.

Float backless bench with Thermally Modified Red Oak

FSC® 100% Cumaru hardwood has long held a prominent spot in our materials mix and we use it across our Site Furniture line. Offering outstanding weatherability, its inherent hardness and strength make it incredibly durable. It’s naturally resistant to moisture, fire, insects and decay and performs exceptionally well over time, even in the most demanding outdoor environments.

Float backed bench with Cumaru hardwood

Float’s FSC® 100% Cumaru hardwood slats have a natural oiled finish that enhances the wood’s rich color. The wood will weather to a silver grey. Re-oiling at regular intervals, if desired, can help retain the inherent color.

Float backless bench with Cumaru hardwood
Float backed bench and Float backless bench with Cumaru hardwood

With either wood, in any color or configuration, Float is a versatile, durable match for public settings of all kinds. To learn more about Float, pull up a seat and explore the Float Bench product page. 

Forms+Surfaces is a WLA Sponsor

About Damian Holmes 3253 Articles
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). He is a registered landscape architect (AILA) working in international design practice in Australia. Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. Connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianholmes/