Choosing the Right Outdoor Furniture

Now that it's spring again, you may be thinking about updating your venue's outdoor furniture. The choices and styles seem endless so here are some tips and observations to help you make the best choices for your outdoor furnishings, based on safety and durability as well as style and cost.

Probably the best benefit that one can get from making the right choice is not just with the fact that it can be aesthetically appreciated, but also with the fact that it can also save money in the long run.

There are a wide range of choices from rustic wood material and designs, to the contemporary and sleek designs made of aluminum and seats made of a mesh of vinyl-covered polyester fiber.

Aside from the material of choice, another consideration is the amount of time and effort that needs to be spent for the maintenance of the outdoor furniture.

Take for example those made of aluminum can be easily washed and maintained by regular cleaning by hosing it with water, soaping and rinsing it and the more tedious process of varnishing or weather-proofing outdoor furniture made of wood.

One of the most common materials for outdoor furniture made of wood is teak, which is also commonly used for boat building for being the material of choice for ship decks and other boat-related applications.

Teak is generally weather proof and drenching it with water does not cause any harm to it, and usually ages to weather by appearing silvery grey in colour, which gives it a sturdy and rustic look.

Teak does not generally require a great degree of maintenance due to its natural durability, however, if one opts to preserve its golden brown colour, all one needs to do is sand the furniture with a standard furniture quality sandpaper or abrasive and apply teak oil at least once a year.

For those made of plastic, usual maintenance requirements is to be wash it with warm and soapy water and brushing it with a nylon brush to remove grease and grime, especially those situated close to an outdoor barbecue grill or removing dried up soil particles which usually sticks to the furniture material after the rain.

Outdoor furniture made of plastic-based wicker material, on the other hand, need to also be cleaned regularly by hosing it down with water to remove dust and dirt that may accumulate in between the cavities of the wicker material but use less soap on it since it could harden the material making it brittle and breakable as time goes by.

However, for those made of genuine wicker, it is best to avoid using water to clean it since the wood-based wicker mesh has the tendency to absorb water and cause it to cause the furniture to not last longer than expected.

For outdoor furniture made of steel or cast iron, it should be painted or coated with a colorless varnish or gloss to prevent water from getting into contact with the metal and avoid corrosion, making it to last longer and retain its durability.

Some manufacturers use powder coating material on metal furniture to provide it protection from all kinds of weather.

Powder coating provides for a much thicker weather-proofing protectant that is thicker and more protective than usual metal paint use to touch up or finish metal furniture.

Choosing the right outdoor furniture will help you understand how it is important to make the right choices that will get to save you all the effort and money that you can afford and sustain.

Questions to ask yourself

Is the furniture manufactured in the Australia, or in a foreign country?
What are the specifications?
Does the furniture have sufficient bracing and design to withstand hard, commercial use?
Does it have definite safety features, especially at the moving parts of chaise lounges?
What are the materials?
Are the frames and parts made of heavy duty commercial grade materials?
Is all the hardware stainless steel?
Do sled base style chaise lounges have adequate skid plates to protect the sled bases from damage due to dragging?
Do chaises and chairs made with legs have high quality nylon glides?
What is the warranty, and is it a commercial use warranty?
What are the exclusions?