What’s the Best Garden Furniture Material?

So you may not be asking yourself about the best garden furniture material right now, but this is the best time to start planning for the warmer months and grabbing garden furniture bargains too.

Today’s post digs a little deeper into what makes the best kind of garden furniture material, what you should look for and what to watch out for too.

Garden furniture has moved on in leaps and bounds in the last few years and there is a whole array of styles available in a wide variety of materials.

Whilst it’s not considered that there is a best material, there are questions to be asked when selecting the most suitable type of furniture for your needs.

What to Consider When Choosing the Best Garden Furniture Material

Environment  – are you coastal where the salty sea air can have an impact on certain types of furniture? Is your garden windy & exposed where anything too lightweight could blow over? Is the furniture going around a swimming pool where chlorinated water could splash.

Lifestyle – Are you a busy family with little darlings who are likely to have sticky fingers, crayons and crumbs?  Do you like to entertain? Or are you the quiet type who likes time relaxing and reading?

Surroundings – Do you want your furniture to blend effortlessly into your cottage garden or do you want to make a statement in your terrace with bold angles and clean lines?

Maintenance – Do you have time to maintain your furniture or do you just want to use it with as little input as possible?

As you can see, so many questions need to be asked to ensure your furniture fits your criteria.

Types of Material

Teak  –  Teak is a type of hardwood most suited to garden furniture due to its density and high oil content which keeps it naturally lubricated. Wood is a natural product, all natural products deteriorate, or age over time, so teak furniture will always weather to a silver grey colour.

This will not affect the performance or durability of the furniture.  It is possible although not essential to use a timber treatment to try to protect the timber but these can change the colour. Wood is good for windy locations due to its stability.

Stainless Steel – There are two grades of Stainless Steel are used for garden furniture, 304 standard grade for inland or 316 Marine grade which is more suitable for areas subjected to salt or chlorine.

Regular washing with clean water will be required to remove any deposits which will build up over time. Follow with an application of Stainless Steel protector which will apply a thin layer of Teflon for protection.

Most stainless steel furniture comes with Textilene sling style seats, which is relatively maintenance free, quick drying and comfortable.  Smart and angular with a modern elegance, it sits very well on an apartment balcony.

Powder Coated Aluminium – This is a very popular choice as it is lightweight, rust resistant, easy to move around and very low maintenance, and because the aluminium is painted it is available in a range of colours to suit your surroundings.

Care should be taken when stacking the chairs as with any painted surface, it can be chipped if knocked.

Synthetic Weave –By far and away the most popular and versatile garden furniture on the market currently.  Woven over a powder coated aluminium frame to create stability and available in a wide variety of colours. The weave is constructed from Polyethylene using recyclable materials can be smooth or rough as if to give the appearance of natural rattan.

It can be exposed to the harshest of elements and will not fade, rot, rust or degrade in any way.  Easily wipeable for everyday spills and just an occasional good clean with hot soapy water and a brush, or a domestic pressure washer is all that is required. Occasionally you may want to give it a quick vacuum to remove any debris which may find its way into the weave.

In summary the best garden furniture material is the one that suits you, your family and where and how you live.  Whatever your choice is – enjoy!

Further reading:

Indian Summer Garden

Behind the Scenes with Love Chic Living Summer 2018

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Images: Courtesy of Garden Furniture and Interiors

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