Buying guide

Portable, In-Ground or Surface Mount: Choosing How Picnic Tables and Benches Are Mounted

What each mount means, which Brazos tables and benches come in which mount, what ships in the crate and what your crew or installer provides. Every table and bench is sold portable, three also come in-ground, and none is sold as a surface-mount version.

By Brazos Site Supply ·

46 in round table, in-ground, in Black. Illustration.
46 in round table, in-ground mount: one central post set below grade. Illustration.
6 ft bench with backrest, in-ground, in Black. Illustration.
6 ft bench with backrest, in-ground mount: two straight posts set below grade. Illustration.

Site furniture is usually mounted one of three ways. A portable table stands on its own frame. An in-ground table stands on posts set in concrete below grade. A surface-mount table is bolted to an existing slab. Which one fits depends on whether the furniture should ever move, and on what the ground is.

In the Brazos catalog, every table and bench comes portable, three models also come in-ground, and none is sold as a surface-mount version. Here is what that means for a site plan.

The three mounts

Portable, in-ground and surface mount
Mount How it stands Can it move? What the site provides Brazos models
Portable On its own steel frame, free-standing Yes: crews can mow around it, rearrange it or clear the site A firm surface such as gravel or concrete Every table and bench
In-ground On posts set below grade: one central post under the round and square tables, two straight posts under the bench No: it stays where it was set An installer or crew sets the posts in concrete footings sized to local code and site conditions 46 in round table, 46 in square table, 6 ft bench with backrest
Surface mount Bolted to an existing concrete slab or pad No The slab and the anchors None

Which models come in which mount

The in-ground versions weigh more crated and cost the same or a little more than the portable ones.

In-ground models with their portable versions
Model Portable In-ground In-ground colors Crated, portable / in-ground
46 in round table, expanded metal $649 $689 Black, blue, green 237 / 277 lb
46 in square table, expanded metal $649 $679 Black, blue, green 244 / 284 lb
6 ft bench with backrest, expanded metal $339 $339 Black, blue, green, red 111 / 130 lb

Prices are per unit before freight and tax, as listed on each product page when this guide was published; the product page always shows the current price.

Portable only: the 6 ft and 8 ft rectangular tables in both surfaces, the perforated 46 in round and square tables, all three ADA models, the backless bench and the perforated bench.

Receptacles: the two 45 gallon slatted receptacles, open and with a door, ship with ground-mounting hardware in the crate, and their product pages say the mounting method is confirmed in your quote. The other receptacles' product pages list no mounting hardware.

When to choose each

In-ground suits places where a table or bench should never move: school grounds, day-use areas, trail rest stops, and open lots where portable furniture could walk off. See the in-ground tables and benches.

Portable suits places where crews mow around furniture, rearrange it for events or clear the site now and then: pool decks, event lawns, seasonal sites.

Fixed to a slab: the catalog lists no surface-mount kit or anchors for any table or bench. If your site needs furniture fixed to concrete, say so in your project quote request before you order.

A site can use both mounts: in-ground round tables and benches along a trail, portable rectangular tables in the pavilion. One point to plan around: the ADA models are portable only. In an in-ground seating area, the accessible positions come from a portable ADA table set on a firm, level surface where the accessible route arrives, and the project's architect or the authority having jurisdiction confirms the layout. The ADA planning guide has the details.

What ships, and who installs it

  • Tables and benches ship crated by freight truck from Texas to the curb. The trailer deck is 48 in off the ground, so unloading needs a dock, a forklift or a liftgate ($75). Parks, schools, churches, campgrounds and job sites take the limited-access rate, $100 over the base freight, liftgate included.
  • Tables and benches bolt together on site. We do not install.
  • In-ground posts go in concrete footings. Post depth and footing size depend on your soil, frost depth and local code, so your installer sizes them for the site. The spec sheet on each product page gives the in-ground dimensions and weight but not post size or embedment depth; ask for those in your project quote request, and have the installer confirm footing requirements before site work starts. Concrete and site work are not included.
  • Online checkout takes orders up to 700 lb, crated weight: two in-ground 46 in tables, or five in-ground benches at 130 lb each. Larger orders go through a project quote at the same prices. Orders of $10,000 or more ship free to Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas; other states pay freight, priced to the delivery ZIP.

A short checklist

  1. Mark which areas must stay put (in-ground) and which must move (portable).
  2. Check the ground: a firm surface for portable furniture; for in-ground, have underground utilities located and the footings sized by your installer.
  3. Place portable ADA tables where the accessible route arrives.
  4. Decide how the truck is unloaded: dock or forklift, liftgate, or limited access (freight and delivery).
  5. Send the list as a project quote if it is over 700 lb, includes 8 ft tables, or is paid by purchase order or tax exempt.

Choosing a surface too? See expanded metal vs perforated metal picnic tables.

Models in this guide

Shop All Products

Prices per unit before freight and tax. Add to project puts the model in your project list, where you can check out online up to 700 lb or send the whole list as a project quote.

Adds one in Black, in-ground, at $689. Other colors are on the product page.

Adds one in Black, in-ground, at $679. Other colors are on the product page.

Adds one in Black, in-ground. Other colors are on the product page.

Adds one in Black. Other colors are on the product page.

Adds one in Black. Other colors are on the product page.

Adds one in Black. Other colors are on the product page.

Questions buyers ask

Is there a surface-mount kit for Brazos tables and benches?
No. Tables and benches are sold portable or in-ground, and the catalog lists no surface-mount kit or anchors for them. If your site needs furniture fixed to a slab, say so in your project quote request before you order.
How deep do in-ground posts go?
That depends on your soil, frost depth and local code, so your installer sizes the footings for the site. Post size and embedment depth are not on the spec sheets, so ask for them in your project quote request.
Is installation included?
No. Portable and in-ground models ship crated to the curb by freight truck, and your installer or crew assembles and sets them. Concrete and site work are not included.
Which colors come in-ground?
The in-ground 46 in round and square tables come in black, blue or green; the in-ground bench comes in black, blue, green or red.
Do in-ground models count toward quantity prices?
Yes. An in-ground table counts with every other table toward $25, $50 or $75 off each at 5, 10 or 25 units, and the in-ground bench counts with the other benches, $10, $20 or $30 off each.

Ready to price your site?

Send the list as one project quote with the delivery ZIP and how the truck is unloaded. Purchase orders and tax-exempt orders go through a project quote. Orders of $10,000 or more ship free to Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. First reply within one business day. Or call (214) 216-2296.

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