What Outdoor Furniture Holds up the Best?

Last Updated on April 14th, 2021

The summer is coming and for many of us that means spending more time in the garden. There’s nothing like having quality time to oneself in the yard enjoying the sun and relaxing. Perhaps you like to have friends around or maybe you want to build a patio with a firepit and add furniture? It’s all the rage these days, and a nice set of garden furniture will always find use.

There is plenty of choice in garden furniture in terms of design and in what you can get for your outdoor space. From table and chair sets to outdoor sofas and more, there are some truly beautiful items that are designed specifically for outdoor use. But what do you need to think about when it comes to choosing the right outdoor furniture for your requirements?

In the following article we will look at what the factors you should consider when choosing garden furniture including the material, your budget, how much space you have and the type you need for your climate. Let’s start by thinking about what an item of garden furniture has to put up with during its lifetime.

What Outdoor Furniture Has to Withstand

Being outside it follows that furniture for the yard or garden will need to put up with all that the weather throws at it. However, it’s not just the rain, sleet and snow that can cause wear and tear to outdoor furniture. The sun is just as bad and can cause a great deal of problems with regard to discoloration and ageing.

Sunlight is damaging to plenty of materials and heat causes wood to dry out. This is why the wood used for garden furniture needs to be treated to get the best out of its lifetime. You also have to consider the rot that water can cause where garden furniture is concerned, but you can rest assured the manufacturers have paid equal attention to this possible problem.

Metal garden furniture will be made from galvanised steel or aluminium so that it can withstand the elements to the best degree. This sort of outdoor furniture can be very stylish and modern in looks and may be a sensible choice if you live in an area where there is a strong chance of adverse weather conditions.

When we think of garden furniture, we tend to conjure up an image of traditional wooden chairs and tables. However, if you go to eq3.com/ca/en/category/outdoor/furniture/outdoor-chairs you will see a fantastic selection of quite beautiful, often minimalist and very modern garden chairs that utilise wood, metal and plastic in different ways. EQ3 is an innovative furniture supplier that has a strong influence on the design of furniture both inside and out and draws its own influences from 20^th century classic designs. So, which material is best for your garden furniture?

What Materials Should You Look For?

If you check out the garden trends for 2021 you’ll see there’s a lot of options involved. This is because of innovative designs such as those we mention above from EQ3. Where once a garden chair was either the standard deck chair version or a wooden construction, now you can choose from many different materials that add their own look to the design of a garden chair and other furniture. Let’s look at each in more detail and weigh up the pros and cons.

• Wooden garden furniture is the traditional type that many people still prefer. When left in the natural shade of wood it looks beautiful, can be surprisingly hard-wearing when used, and is usually fitted with cushions for comfort. Modern wooden furniture such as that from EQ3 can be very beautiful and also can be painted in bright colours for effect. This is something you may consider when choosing. Wooden furniture tends to be heavy and is therefore not always portable enough to store inside when the weather is poor.
• Metal garden chairs, tables and other furniture will usually be in galvanised steel or perhaps aluminium. The latter adds the advantage of light weight so can be easily moved around the garden or taken indoors for protection in the winter weather. However, metal furniture will be surprisingly durable and weather resistant. This sort of furniture can be cleverly designed and very modern indeed, so if that’s the sort of thing you’re looking for then you should take a good look at metal furniture for the garden.
• Plastic and similar materials are widely used in garden furniture design and can be a cheap and cheerful alternative to the above. There are also designer companies making plastic furniture in some quite spectacular and interesting styles. However, while it comes in a wide range of colours it is not often the most comfortable material and may also take flight in high winds! It’s a good choice for cheap garden furniture on a budget if you are willing to take it indoors when a storm is forecast.

So, that’s the main materials you will find garden furniture made from, now what else do you need to look for when choosing yours?

How to Choose Your Garden Furniture

Let’s say you are in the process of furnishing a patio and need to know what to look for in the ideal furniture. You’ll already have decided upon the style you require and perhaps the material, but what else is there to think about? First, have a look at the available space. That beautiful, large three-seat outdoor sofa may look superb, but it will take up all the space on one side of the patio. Perhaps look for a smaller one?

Also, if including a table you need to think about size of that too, as some can be quite large and utilize a lot of your available area. There are plenty of manufacturers and suppliers to choose from, so you can spend a lot of time browsing websites and looking at the options before you make your choice.

Our final piece of advice regarding buying garden furniture is not to forget about the lighting. You will need to source good outdoor lights suitable for your patio or other area in your garden or yard, and as this is popular there are many options you can choose from. We recommend solar lights as the cheapest form of lighting as they require no external power other than the light of the sun.

We hope that this article has helped you see that the world of garden furniture is far more varied than you may have thought, so check out the inspirational links we have supplied and see what you can find that you like.