The Best Materials for Outdoor Furniture

We all love remodelling or renovating our homes. Creating something new and making changes around you is always exciting. Whether you’re painting the walls, polishing the stairs, planting something in the garden or buying new furniture, you need to devote yourself to it and enjoy the process. Buying new outdoor furniture requires a lot of research and tons of comparisons. You need to educate yourself on every outdoor material there is and find out which is the best one to use for the weather conditions in the area you live in.

Teak

Teak is an amazing hardwood. With its golden brown colour intertwined with some reds and greys, it’s a sight that everyone would like to have in their yard or patio. It is quite popular among furniture makers and buyers all over the world. And what makes it popular are its durability, beauty, low maintenance and strength.

By far, teak outdoor furniture is the best choice for any climate. It can withstand extreme weather conditions, such as constant rain, heavy snow, extreme heat and sun exposure, without cracking or splintering, so we can easily say that this material can handle it all. Because of its density and close-grain, teak is one of the woods that’s easiest to work with. With the right knowledge and equipment, you can shape it and create almost anything you want, tables, chairs, benches, flooring, and (surprisingly) some people use it to make sunglasses and bikes.

One of the most desirable features of outdoor furniture is for the material not to wear out easily. Because it’s rich in natural oils and resin, teak has a high resistance to rotting, termites, moisture, acid damage and many insects. So, logically, for boat builders and furniture makers, teak will always be the first choice.

Another thing that teak patio furniture enthusiasts love about it, is its amazing honey-brown colour. When left undisturbed and with no maintenance at all, teak can turn into a beautiful greyish patina that fits perfectly in any kind of surroundings, no matter if it’s inside or outside. Speaking of maintenance, teak outdoor furniture, requires the least amount of care. It just needs a bit of oiling once in every 3 to 4 months, and maybe some brushing down and cleaning, which you can do with just warm water and soap.

The only two downsides of using teak for outdoor furniture, or any furniture at all, is its affordability and availability. Yes, teak can be expensive and maybe a big investment, but considering that it can last between 50-75 years, we all know that it’s a good investment to make, keeping in mind that it might be the only one we’ll do in the next 70 years when it comes to furniture.

Teak is a highly desired material, but it’s not available all the time on the market, and it’s not easy to find like any other timbers out there. Because it takes about four decades to reach its harvesting capacity, full strength and durability, teak is almost always limited for purchase. Some of the countries that it grows in have created laws and restrictions about cutting and growing teak, so they can preserve it.

Aluminium

If you are fond of metal outside furniture, the best option would probably be aluminium. When compared to other metals, aluminium is very versatile, light, won’t rust and it’s recyclable. Despite it being light, it’s strong and durable. Most often it can be formed and transformed into any shape and any design you want, meaning that you have a lot of options for size and looks.

The fact that aluminium is light, is a double-edged sword. The good thing is that you can easily remove, move and transfer it around, anywhere you want. Even small children could do it without a problem. But, because it’s hollow-frame and so light, it’s vulnerable to strong winds. So keep in mind, if you live in a windy area, maybe choose cast aluminium, which is heavier and with the same quality as the hollow frame.

When it comes to maintenance, it’s quite easy and inexpensive to keep it up. Even though the material on its own is water-resistant, experts recommend putting on a polyester water coating for more solid protection against the weather conditions such as rain and heat and keeping the colour. A more suitable option would be to store it indoors or keep it covered during the winter periods so it can last for many, many years to come.

Aluminium is also simple to clean. You’ll just need warm water and mild soap. And if you want to refresh the colouring, you can do it with paint coating or even fill out any visible scratches with wax.
Synthetic Resin
Synthetic resin is probably the prettiest of them all. Always woven in a wicker weave, synthetic resin furniture is stylish and pleasing to the eye with its aesthetics. It can take many different forms, shapes and sizes so it could fit in every backyard, patio, garage, or even indoors.

The most common synthetic materials used to make synthetic resin are PVC, nylon and polyethylene. But when you consider buying this kind of furniture, be sure to buy HDPE or High-Density Polyethylene, because it’s stronger, more durable, can withstand heat and most importantly, it doesn’t emit any kind of chemicals. If it’s not HDPE, then it’s probably just PVC and that can make your furniture crack and lose its colour in a very short amount of time.

Cleaning synthetic resin furniture is easy as 1, 2, 3. All you need is half an hour two times a year. That will take care of the cleaning process and keep the furniture as good as new all the time.

Polypropylene

Polypropylene, also known as olefin, is the most common fabric used in outdoor furniture. This material is highly durable, stain-resistant and quick drying. It is also weather-resistant and can stand up against sunlight, heat, rain, mould and humidity. Because it’s made of plastic by weaving the plastic fibres together, it is incredibly durable and easy to clean. You can use any type of household cleaner and even bleach. It is most commonly used for covers, umbrellas, cushions and outdoor awnings.