Having comfortable outdoor furniture for your patio will make a great difference to your lifestyle, allowing you to get more out of the warmer months of the year. With many different styles and budget ranges to choose from, there is something available to suit everyone.
If you are shopping around for the perfect furnishings for your patio, consider the following tips.
Defining Your Style
In most cases, you will likely want to go for something that complements the style of your home and the rest of your furniture. If you wish to copy a more rural or traditional style, wooden or wicker garden furniture might be the best option. For a more urban style, you may prefer to go for something more modern and chic.
Considering that you will probably be keeping the same furniture for many years, it is important that you buy something that you are likely to stay happy with rather than experimenting with something completely new.
However, you can often still modify your garden furniture in the future by giving it a new finish or buying different cushions and accessories for it.
Choosing a Suitable Material
The most expensive garden furnitures tend to be made of tropical hardwoods such as teak or eucalyptus. These materials have a quality feel about them and are also extremely tough in the face of the elements. Such woods are highly resistant to water, fungal decay and many other things which can spoil other materials if not looked after properly.
Wicker Patio Furniture
Wicker furniture is also a popular choice. Although wicker furniture can be expensive, you can find some great looking wicker furniture on clearance if you know where to look.
While wicker is traditionally made from the woven stalks of any of around six-hundred species of palm, it is more common these days to be made from synthetic material. Although it rarely looks as authentic as natural wicker, synthetic wicker is much more durable and has an average life expectancy of about twenty years. It also presents the advantages of being cheaper and requiring less maintenance.
Natural wicker furniture should be stored indoors when not in use. Fortunately, however, it is relatively light and easy to use.
Metal Patio Furniture
Metal patio furniture comes in a variety of different styles ranging from old-fashioned eighteenth and nineteenth century country house styles to more modern and urban styles. Metal is often the material of choice for those who want something which is durable in the face of all weather and requires minimal maintenance. Such furniture is usually made from wrought iron or steel.
While both of these materials are extremely durable, it is important to maintain them to ensure that they are protected from rusting. Metal furniture often comes with stone, marble or glass surfaces to give it a high-quality feel. Another option is aluminium furniture. Aluminium is particularly durable since it does not rust. However, it tends to be significantly more expensive.
Plastic Patio Furniture
For those on a tight budget, plastic patio furniture is also an option. Plastic garden furniture sets are among the cheapest options available, and while they tend to be flimsy and rather cheap-looking, they are durable and does not require any maintenance other than the occasional clean.
Maintaining Your Garden Furniture
No matter how high quality your garden furniture is, you will still need to be committed to looking after it properly in order to maximize its lifespan. With tropical hardwoods such as teak, it is important to apply a suitable oil over all surfaces once every couple of years in order to protect the furniture and bring out the colour.
However, it is very important to use the right sort of products otherwise you could end up damaging the furniture. When buying oils or stains for wooden furniture, be sure to read the instructions on the tin to find out what it is suitable for.
Metal generally doesn’t require much maintenance unless the paintwork starts to chip. With iron or steel furniture, any exposed metal will start to rust. To prevent this from happening, touch up any such areas with a rust-proofing primer followed by a top coat matching the colour of the furniture.
For all outdoor furniture, particularly wooden furniture, it is a good idea to keep it under cover during periods of bad weather and throughout the winter months when you won’t be using it. You can review this article if you want to know more on what you can use to cover your patio furniture.
Regardless of which type of furniture you choose, you can find some great patio furniture deals out there.
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