aluminum bleachers A family of four cheers on their favorite football team while sitting in aluminum bleacher

College baseball. High school track. Little league. Fall sports. Spectators for all those sports need a place to sit and in the next few months it's going to be a scramble to get those aluminum bleachers up and ready.

Top ten tips to know when ordering aluminum bleachers

  1. Order early. Generally, experienced manufacturers know how to keep up with the demand and supply so shipping is not a problem. But things happen. There might a shortage of aluminum planks or other unforeseen circumstances that is out of manufacturers control. Murphy' law. Anticipate delays. Just ask the Chicago Cubs.
  2. Custom Bleacher Orders. The advice to "order early" is critical when it comes to custom bleachers. Because customization is involved, there's no way to give an exact estimate of lead times when it comes to these types of projects. Every project is different with different requirements. Call early.

    5-row portable aluminum bleachers Portable bleachers are smart option if you need bleachers for different events in different locations.

  3. Park Express Quick Ship. Conversely, some standard units such as 3 or 4 row aluminum bleachers can be shipped super fast, in as little as 3 business days. Keep that in mind as well.
  4. Large bleachers. For bleachers that are 5-rows, figure two weeks for lead times.
  5. Larger bleachers. For bleachers that are 10 and 15 rows, then you can anticipate 3-4 weeks for lead times.
  6. There are exceptions. If your project requires sports bleachers in a shorter time frame, it doesn't hurt to call. Some times accommodations can be made.
  7. Shipping can vary. For standard bleachers, they will be ship unassembled via LTL carrier. The bleachers are shipped in bundles - seat boards in packages of 5, footboards in packages of 5, understructure framing is bundles of 3 and all hardware comes boxed.
  8. Custom Bleacher Shipping Requirements. However, for custom bleacher orders, different shipping arrangements may be required, such as the use of a flat-bed truck. That's another reason to order custom bleachers EARLY!
  9. Installers. Some bleachers can be assembled by staff or local construction companies. There are professional aluminum bleachers installers, but as you can imagine, they can get busy this time of year.
  10. Order Now - Keep In Reserve. Order now or early even if you don't need the bleachers right away. Shipment can be put on hold until the appropriate date. But at least you will have the comfort of knowing your order was processed and your bleachers are ready and waiting to ship.

5 row elevated sports bleachers Five row elevated sports bleachers with stairs and safety handrail

We are not just talking about sports bleachers either. Perhaps you need additional outdoor bleachers for graduation or other events. A smart option would be to buy portable bleachers, that you move from one facility to the other or from one field to the other.

And whatever you decide, make sure you purchase aluminum bleachers that are compliant with International Building Codes. Every year, quite a few people get injured on bleachers and you certainly don't want to be held liable for poorly built bleachers.

Whatever you do, if buying sports bleachers is on your project list for 2017, don't hesitate. Before you know it, an umpire is going yell "Play Ball" and you certainly want to be sure your facility has correctly installed, safe seating where fans can cheer their favorite players.

Note: In fact, it's smart to prepare your Spring orders early for any commercial site furnishings or park supplies. The Park Catalog does have several items that can quick ship in just 1-3 days as part of our ParkExpress program.