Garden Furniture Buying Guide

We all enjoy eating al fresco during the balmy summer months with family and friends, in fact, along with barbecues it features heavily in our social calendar. Buying garden furniture depends on three factors, how much you wish to pay, the type and style of furniture and what you wish to use your furniture for.

You will find below a few pointers to help you with your garden furniture buying decision.

Things to take into consideration are;

How Much You Wish to Spend

The same rule applies to garden furniture as to most home purchases, the more you spend, in general, the better the quality you will receive. This is not to say though that cheaper options should be avoided. If you are on a budget though look out for those special offers where sets have been dramatically reduced, often, these may be end of lines or a retailer may wish to sell them due to overstocking. You will though find sets which cater for all budgets.

Types and Style of Garden Furniture

When deciding on the type of garden furniture you require one of the first things to consider is how many people you will need to seat in comfort, just the family or family and friends and the how much garden or patio space you have available for your furniture set. Tables come in different shapes for different requirements but generally they will either be square, round, rectangular or oval. Choose the shape that best suits your space, for example, if you have a long narrow garden then you would be better off with either an oval or rectangular table for example.

Garden furniture sets can be made from many different materials each one has their plus and negative points, the choice often comes down to aesthetics hence the vast choice available. The main types available though are listed below.

Plastic

There is a huge selection of plastic furniture available to the consumer. Plastic furniture also comes in a huge range of styles and designs. They are extremely durable and easy to maintain and clean and can generally be left outside the whole year round. Because of this they are very practical and generally cheaper than other garden furniture, ideal if you are on a budget or want something fairly maintenance free. Due to their lightweight nature though it is recommended that they are secured during adverse weather.

Aluminium and Powder Coated Furniture

Aluminium furniture is becoming a very popular purchase for garden furniture for a number of reasons. Aluminium furniture is light weight and very stylish. This type of garden furniture does not rust so it is very easy to maintain and generally really durable. The majority of aluminium furniture is supplied with a toughened glass surface which again is practical and stylish. Due to the lightweight nature of the furniture they are not ideal in exposed windy areas and it is recommended that they are stored away during adverse weather and to remove parasols from glass topped tables when unattended. Powder coated aluminium is also used in furniture which gives the aluminium a smooth coating which can be in different colours and makes the furniture easier to clean. Aluminium furniture really does make a stylish statement for any garden or patio setting and must be first on your list if this is an important criteria.

Wooden Garden Furniture

Wooden garden furniture has always been the number one choice for garden furniture due to its natural appearance. It blends naturally into any garden setting and comes in many different types of wood and styles. The majority of wooden furniture is solid and weighty and is suited to more exposed gardens but should still be protected during adverse weather. Wooden furniture though will require maintenance. Wood is a natural product and will change over time, this may include fading or colour changes within the wood, small cracks or marks may appear but this only adds to the character of the furniture and is perfectly natural and therefore does not warrant a fault in the wood. The wood will require treatment on regular intervals with a good quality wood preservative for the particular type of wood in question. This is usually every 6 to 12 months and is required to keep the furniture in its best condition. If the furniture is left outside uncovered all year round or the furniture is under shade and/or trees or is subjected to a lot of water drenching then treatment intervals may need to be decreased, maybe every 3 months or as required. When treating the furniture make sure that the treatment is applied evenly and by following the manufacturers instructions. Wood is a beautiful product that can give many years service but will require looking after, no two wood pieces of furniture are the same. Remember, wood is a natural product and will age.

If left untreated for some time wooden garden furniture can become shabby looking or stains may appear in the wood, if this is the case, clean with a light soap solution and allow to dry, you can then give the furniture a light sanding to remove any marks, cracks can also be filled with a proprietary wood filler and sanded down, once sanding is complete the furniture can be re-treated as required to bring the furniture back to life.

Cast Iron

Cast iron furniture can be a great choice due to its weight for furniture which is left out all year round. It comes in many designs but is usually more traditional with intricate metal work detail. They are easy to keep clean but can be prone to rust and will at some point need to be re-painted. Using a special paint with a rust preservative will provide longevity for the furniture. Some sets are powder coated which will also help to prevent rust from forming prematurely.

Rattan and Wicker Furniture

This type of furniture provides a natural looking alternative to wooden furniture , rattan/wicker will add a certain style to any outdoor space especially patio areas with its distinctive appearance. It is generally lightweight and easy to move around. It is prone though to fading in direct sunlight and due to its lightweight nature is not ideal for windy conditions.

General Furniture Maintenance

All garden furniture whatever it is made out of will require maintenance at some point. It is important to look after your garden furniture properly to retain its appearance and to prolong its working life. All furniture will require cleaning so follow any instructions carefully, generally all will require cleaning with a soap and water solution on a regular basis.