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CHOOSING BETWEEN QUALITY WOOD AND METAL PATIO FURNITURE

If you visit Biltmore Estate, or historical Williamsburg, it is impossible to look over the many beautiful gardens.  Gardens first were used to supply the kitchen with herbs, spices, and vegetables however; it was during the Victorian and Edwardian era when gardens were turned into a place of relaxation and entertainment.  It was during this time when decorative garden furniture became fashionable.  Over time, garden furniture has changed, but it has never gone out of style.  Today, garden furniture is available in many different materials, from wood, concrete, plastic, and metal. 

In recent years, wood and. metal patio garden furniture has increased in popularity over concrete and resin/ plastic garden furniture.  For this reason, we will address the benefits and disadvantages of both wood and metal patio furniture.  Whether you choose wood or metal garden furniture, before you purchase any outdoor furniture, we strongly suggest that you take the time to research the products and different materials on the market.  This will increase the probability that you will purchase outdoor garden furniture, which is right for you, your climate, and your budget. 

When deciding on outdoor garden furniture, first consider how you are going to store your furniture during the winter months, or if you plan to keep your patio furniture outside year around.  If you plan to store your furniture, then you may consider purchasing stackable or foldaway type furniture.  If on the other hand, your garden furniture will be out in the elements year around, then durable heavy furniture constructed from teak wood, or another durable hardwood, or metal furniture such as aluminum or wrought iron will be your best choice. 

To help you in your decision, let’s compare the advantages and disadvantages between wood and metal outdoor garden furniture.

Wood is by far the most popular choice, with Teak being the most popular wood.  Possible the biggest advantage of wood is that it is natural.  Therefore, wood goes perfect in an outdoor setting, providing an aesthetically pleasing balance for almost any garden setting.  Another benefit of wood furniture is that many consider it more comfortable than wrought iron or aluminum furniture even with cushions. 

The main disadvantage of wood is that it requires routine maintenance.  Even when you purchase superior quality teak furniture, you will have to clean it in order to keep it looking good.  When selecting wood outdoor furniture, make sure that you choose a wood that has high oil and silicon contents such as Teak.  Iroko also known as African teak, and Hymenaea Courbaril, which is also known as Brazilian cherry are very good hardwoods for use as outdoor patio furniture, and are extremely weather resistant woods, however they are not as resistant as Teak and therefore must be oiled at least once a season. 

When purchasing wood outdoor furniture, you need to inspect it closely, paying close attention to the joints.  Quality teak furniture will not have bolts that will rust and corrode.  However, if the wood furniture you select has metal fittings, then you should ensure that the fittings are brass, stainless steel, or aluminum, as these are more resistant to rust and corroding.  Also, inspect the wood to ensure there are no knots, cracks, or other defects in the wood that could later cause significant damage to your furniture. 

If you purchase real teak furniture, then no matter where you live, if it is left out in the weather, the wood will turn a silver gray color.  This is a natural process and you should not be alarmed.  However, it is important to know that all woods, including teak will become dirty and will require cleaning to maintain its beauty.  To clean any wood furniture, simple use warm soapy water and a scrubbing brush to remove the dirt, grim and any mold and mildew.  We strongly suggest that you resist the temptation to use a pressure washer to clean any wood furniture as you can permanently damage your beautiful wood furniture.

In addition, if you place your beautiful teak or any wood garden furniture in a shady area, of if your climate is very humid and damp then you have a greater risk of alga growth on your furniture.  To help remove this alga from your wood furniture, you can use a simple solution of 5% bleach water mixture to clean your furniture.  If your outdoor has other stains such as oil or grease, make sure you clean these immediately using a light detergent.  Make sure that you rinsing your wood furniture with clean water, before you let your wood furniture dry naturally.

Depending on the type of wood furniture you purchase, you may need to apply teak oil or varnish to extend the life of your furniture.  If you purchase real solid teak, then there is no need to treat your teak furniture with teak oil unless you desire is to preserve the “new” look of your furniture.  When you use teak oil, make sure that you read and carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions.  In addition, make sure that your wood furniture is completely dry before applying teak oil.  If you apply teak oil to wet or damp wood, this will cause black spots on your furniture.

Let’s take a close look at the many benefits and disadvantages of metal outdoor furniture.  Perhaps the first main advantage that metal outdoor furniture provides is the many different hand crafted and unique designs.  Another main advantage is that cast aluminum and wrought iron furniture is considerable less expensive when compared to real teak outdoor garden furniture.  However, the primary disadvantage that metal has when compared to wood is that metal both aluminum and wrought iron furniture is not as comfortable to sit on for long periods of time, even when there are cushions. 

When comparing cast aluminum and wrought iron, cast aluminum is much lighter in weight and will not rust.  Wrought iron on the other hand is very heavy.  Wrought iron that is not protected will rust if not coated with paint to preventative rust.  However, you must keep in mind that cast aluminum, will corrode if the aluminum’s paint becomes chipped.  Therefore, both cast aluminum and wrought iron outdoor garden furniture has to be protected with a coating of protective paint that will prevent rusting. 

If you decide to purchase, metal outdoor garden furniture whether it is wrought iron or aluminum make sure that the supplier offers you at least a one-year warranty.  For wrought iron, this warranty should cover against rust for one year.  In addition, when purchasing wrought iron garden furniture online or through a supplier where you pay for shipping and handling, keep in mind that wrought iron furniture is extremely heavy.