Garden Lawn and Patio

When the weathers fine and you got time on your hands there is nothing better than sitting outdoors and enjoying the day. To get the most out of the experience you need some good garden furniture. But there is so much choice with garden furniture it can be tough to know what to go for. What’s going to give you the good service whilst being convenient and hassle free? Whats stylish, robust, maintenance free?

Often with garden furniture the best place to start is by deciding what type of material you want the furniture made from and deciding just how much furniture you want. Do you want a set, individual items, chairs only, recliners, swings or sofas. It’s worth considering do you want to use the furniture year round, outdoors and perhaps in a conservatory, how much storage room you have and what budget your likely to have. With these considerations in mind you can begin to look at what furniture will be best for you.

In general there are four main types of materials used to construct garden furniture and they all have different characteristics and benefits. The main types of garden furniture materials are plastic/resin, metal, wood, and wicker.

Plastic/resin garden furniture – benefits from being durable and easy to maintain, is light weight and therefore easy to relocate around the garden or patio. Being man made means a wide variety of style choices are available to suit many tastes. Plastic garden furniture is often available at budget price but doesn’t lend itself well to indoor use and unless you’ve got cushions your going to get sweaty behinds using some styles of plastic furniture. Great for leaving outdoors all year.

Metal – cast iron or wrought iron, both durable long lasting materials but can require maintenance if paint work becomes chipped or damaged. Easy to clean, and with a wide variety of styles meaning they can be used indoor or outdoor. Often metal furniture looks spindly as manufacturers seek to keep weight down and keep furniture easy to move around. Can be cumbersome, but guaranteed to give long service if maintained appropriately, usually expensive compared to plastic furniture and range of styles more limited, also great for leaving outdoors all year if maintained.

Wood furniture – Teak, mahogany, pine are all used extensively in wooden garden furniture. Due to its organic nature wood furniture carries a warmth and inherent outdoors style to it. Expect hard wood furniture such as teak and mahogany to last up to 25 years without treatment and pine 10 years. Easy to look after, move around the garden and a vast array of crafted styles mean furniture from this group can be great indoors and outdoors. Hardwood furniture usually requires a significant budget but softwood furniture can be purchased at rates similar to plastic furniture. Hardwoods can be left outdoors without fear of rot or decay, but softwood will need storage.

Wicker – Wicker tends to be a process rather than a material, but the materials used are significantly different to materials in other categories. Wicker furniture can be made from rattan, a natural vine, cane, bamboo, reed, sea grass, or man-made materials to give the effect of rattan or cane. Generally speaking for outdoor use you want man made rattan furniture but if you have storage such as a conservatory and only intend to take your furniture outdoors when the weather is fine then all the traditional wicker materials can make great garden furniture. Available in extensive traditional and modern designs, lightweight and easy to maintain, wicker furniture offers a good mid level material between plastic and teak.

The Gibranta arm chair is part of a coordinating collection that includes a 2-seater bench and a coffee table. Pair the pieces in the Gibranta collection with the hardwood pieces in the Anderson bar collection or the Bradford collection for a fully accessorized outdoor set. Sized for convenience and utility, the arm chair measures 28 inches wide by 24 inches deep by 35 inches tall and weighs 20 pounds. Some easy assembly is required on arrival.

Crafted from durable, Earthy-friendly eucalyptus hardwood, this furniture is intended for outdoor use in all weather. A beautiful hardwood comparable to teak and with excellent weather-resistant properties, Eucalyptus is dense and naturally resistant to rot and insect infestation. Certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), there is no doubt about the responsible production and consumption of this wood. The rapid growth of eucalyptus trees makes them more readily available and more easily affordable. In addition, furniture constructed of eucalyptus is light enough to move easily and requires no oiling unless to maintain a desired look.

Left untreated, eucalyptus will weather when exposed to the elements, turning a soft shade of silver/gray similar to the weathering of teak. In addition, when untreated, natural splitting or cracks will appear, but this will not affect the durability of the furniture. To guard against this weathering process and to maintain a desired look, apply coats of a hardwood oil. The frequency of necessary oil applications depends on the intensity of the outdoor elements. The furniture has already been oiled prior to packing, and it is recommended that an oil treatment be repeated at least once a year. Giving the furniture an extra treatment before exposing to rain will prolong the “new” look and ensure a longer life.

After eucalyptus furniture has weathered, it can be restored if desired by sanding down the surface, cleaning it, and then applying oil to prevent more weathering. To clean it, mix one tablespoon of bleach, five tablespoons of a gentle dishwashing liquid, and a gallon of water, and gently scrub the mixture on the surface of the wood with a soft bristle brush. Rinse the solution from the furniture, and allow it to dry completely in the sun. Developed for use in high humidity, the furniture is best not stored in centrally heated areas, as that could lead to excessive drying out of the wood.

Wood that becomes saturated with water and left over an extended period without drying out is more likely to warp and rot. The bases of furniture legs are probably the most vulnerable when it comes to water damage. If wood furniture is kept in the grass, at the poolside, or on a surface that collects rain water, the legs can become saturated. Covering the bottoms of each leg with rubberized material or small sections of cedar fencing material will help protect furniture from rotting from the bottom up.

Cushion Care and Cleaning: Gently brush off dirt before it becomes embedded in the fabric and wipe up any spills as soon as they occur. Gently spot clean only with mild soap and cool water using a sponge or soft brush, then air dry cushions in a sunny location. Bring cushions indoors during inclement weather and store in a dry place when not in use.

Strathwood furniture has quality, ease of use, and casual elegance at its core. Each piece is rigorously tested for durability, and assembly instructions have been standardized for simplicity from start to finish. Strathwood furniture is sleekly designed, handsomely finished, and built to last. This classic style and reliable craftsmanship will weather ever-changing trends and regular use for years to come.