| When shopping for new patio furniture, the myriad of | | | | topical hardwood with a naturally high oil content. |
| options on the market can seem quite overwhelming. | | | | These characteristics make it naturally resistant to |
| Should I go with steel? Cast aluminum? Cedar? | | | | rot or insect damage. Cedar is also a good choice for |
| Polywood? Wicker? Teak wood? What type of | | | | insect and rot resistance. Most any other type of |
| cushions do I need? What about warranties? | | | | wood will need to be sealed in order to endure the |
| These are all typical questions that may go through | | | | outdoors. |
| one's mind during the shopping process. While the | | | | Another relatively new option is polywood. This |
| process can seem daunting, doing your homework | | | | material is made of recycled plastic and formed into a |
| can make the decision quite simple. | | | | very dense and heavy product. This furniture will not |
| If shopping for metal furniture, the simple answer is | | | | chip, rot, or warp. |
| cast aluminum. In fact, don't even consider any other | | | | As far as outdoor cushions go, at the minimum you |
| type of metal. The reason is simple: rust! The simple | | | | will need a polyester blend fabric that has been |
| fact of the matter is that no matter how steel or | | | | treated for outdoor use. Ideally, it is best to go with |
| iron is finished, it WILL eventually rust or tarnish. This | | | | an acrylic fabric. Acrylic is the most durable outdoor |
| is chemistry 101 at its essence. Cast aluminum is | | | | fabric. Regardless of the fabric you have, it is best to |
| extremely well suited for outdoor use. It will not rust, | | | | treat it with fabric protectant (as per the |
| and it is available in many ornate options. | | | | manufacturer's recommendations) on a regular basis. |
| If shopping for wicker patio furniture, be sure to look | | | | In general, you get what you pay for. You want to |
| for synthetic (all-weather) wicker. Natural wicker or | | | | look for at least a 1-year warranty. Ideally it should |
| "rattan" is not suitable for outdoor use - it will rot, | | | | be 3 years or more. In addition, covering your patio |
| split, fray, and fade over time. Synthetic wicker, on | | | | furniture with quality patio furniture covers will make |
| the other hand, is impervious to rotting. It is an | | | | it last much longer. |
| excellent choice for outdoor use. | | | | Shopping on the internet for patio furniture can save |
| When it comes to wooden outdoor furniture, there | | | | you a lot of money. With online shopping today, |
| are many choices on the market. Traditionally | | | | buying discount patio furniture sets does not |
| speaking, teak wood is considered to be the "gold | | | | necessarily mean you are getting "cheap" patio |
| standard" for outdoor use. Teak is a very dense | | | | furniture. |