How to choose the best material for your outdoor furniture
‘Give me a home among the gum trees… a clothesline out the front, verandah out the back and an old rocking chair.’ Now there’s an anthem all Australians know and rings true for our outdoor lifestyle here, particularly when it comes to enjoying our home’s backyard. While rocking chairs are slightly harder to come by in modern furniture stores, our gardens are made infinitely more liveable with a well-selected range of tables, chairs, or stools.
To optimise the longevity of your outdoor furniture, there are various factors to consider so you’re not replacing them annually thanks to their regular weather beatings. Most outdoor furniture is designed to withstand some weather conditions, however it’s important to consider how much time you have to maintain them and how much exposure they’ll have to the elements when selecting new pieces.
Material Girl
The number one consideration is the material your tables and chairs are made of. We’re known as the sunburnt country for good reason, and some material degrades under the sun faster than pale skin with freckles. So, material that can resist UV light degradation is important while also considering the usual suspects of rain, wind, and humidity. We recommend materials that can withstand all the above, with metal and plastic coming out on top.
Here are the options
• Aluminium
• Polyproylene
• Synthetic rattan
ALUMINIUM FURNITURE
Aluminium is our numero uno choice for maintaining pristine conditions, no matter what gets thrown at it. This metal is anti-corrosive for a start, so unless you love the rusty look (don’t admit that in public), aluminium is durable and strong. It’s also lightweight and easy to mould, creating furniture that’s easy to stack, move around or store away when not in use. Chairforc has some outstanding aluminium outdoor furniture including the curvy, slatted Luisa range, the sleek Mia range, our kaleidoscope selection of Santos chairs or elegant Ramona stools.
• Lightweight
• Hard wearing
• Rust resistant
• Long lasting
• Uv stabilised
Some aluminium furniture options to consider:
• Aluminium table bases – no rust table and bar bases
• Aluminium dining and bar tables
• Aluminium seating
POLYPROPYLENE FUNITURE
Second best (by a nose hair) is the easy, breezy polypropylene (plastic), which is so simple to maintain, the laziest of us all can keep these in good nick. It’s resilient to extreme temperatures and will not crack in tough conditions (we like to think of it as the Mackenzie Arnold of our materials). However, polyprolyene’s colour is prone to fading so to keep it looking as fancy as the first day you met it, we advise taking it out of direct sunlight when not in use. Our chairs are UV stabilised, which works wonders to slow the colour-fading process. Have a peek at our selection of plastic wonderkids, with special mention of our Breeze chair who flies off the shelves (luckily, we stock in big numbers).
• Lightweight
• Hard wearing
• Rust resistant
• Long lasting
• Impact resistant
Some polypropylene furniture options to consider:
• Polypropylene Tables
• Polypropylene seating
SYNTHETIC RATTAN FURNITURE
Another popular choice is rattan, which has a lovely, natural look but can still withstand the outdoor elements. Its popularity lies in its comfort to sit or lie on, it’s made of sustainable materials and has a great price point. Rattan is usually woven into very sturdy wicker furniture, but it does need a little more TLC than other materials. We use a synthetic rattan on our popular French Provincial cross back dining chairs, which add a classic look to outdoor spaces. Most of our rattan-look chairs have rattan seats combined with an aluminium frame, extending the chair’s life even further (it may outlast you #stayhealthy).
• Lightweight
• Comfortable seating
• Rust resistant
• Many styles
A very similar material to rattan is our new Teslin fabric, which is waterproof, soft and provides a seat so comfortable you might never return inside. Our French Bistro outdoor café chairs come in both chair and armchair styles, so your garden will look effortlessly charming with these chairs holding fort. Have the croissants and café au lait ready.
How Do I Care For My Outdoor Furniture?
All furniture requires some care for longevity, and outdoor furniture deserves extra love for having to live outdoors (we’ve tried camping, it’s rough out there). Fortunately, upkeeping your furniture is far easier than scrubbing the dirt off and removing campfire smells post-camping. Give your outdoor furniture a wipe over after each use to pick up any foreign matter that can build up in crevices and age your furniture prematurely. If you have the option, consider storing the tables and chairs in a shed or garage during winter or particularly wet and windy periods. If no such space is available, furniture covers are a great investment to prevent dirt build up or fading on plastic. We recommend covers made from sturdy material like polyester oxford fabric which keeps moisture out.
If you’re still unsure of the right material for your new outdoor furniture, read all about our products and how to care for them online or visit one of our fabulous, helpful sales people and see/feel the products in-store. We love tables and chair chat, it’s our favourite.