Why You Should Care For Your Garden Furniture

Just like indoor furniture, garden furniture requires proper care and maintenance to keep it beautiful. In fact, it often requires even more care than indoor furniture as it is exposed to harsh weather conditions ranging from the damaging UV light, rain, wind and rapid temperature changes. In addition, it gets dirty a lot easier and if not cleaned frequently enough, the dirt can be “baked“ in by the sun requiring a good brush to be able to remove it. Furthermore, proper care and maintenance will help you extend your garden furniture’s durability and make it a good investment.

Garden furniture care depends on the material from which it is made as some materials require considerably more care than the others. Wood which is among the most popular materials for garden furniture often requires more care than plastic furniture for instance, however, how much time you will have to dedicate to care and maintenance of your wooden garden furniture depends on the type of wood from which it is made. Teak for example requires virtually no care and maintenance except for occasional dusting and cleaning because it is naturally resistant to moisture, rapid temperature changes and even termites. It does not require any painting or moisture protective coating although some homeowners annually treat it with teak oil to preserve its distinct golden-brown colour. However, you can also leave it to “age“ if you like because it does not affect its durability. There are a few other types of wood with similar qualities such as cedar, however, most types of wood will require protection from both the intense sunlight and moisture as well as termites, while some may even require storing during the winter.

Garden furniture made from stone or stainless steel is also among the most convenient types of furniture for outdoor use because both materials are kept beautiful with minimal care. In contrary to wrought iron and aluminium, stainless steel is not prone to corrosion and does not require any anticorrosion treatment. Stone is probably the most convenient of all materials for garden furniture and lasts virtually forever. However, it is crucial to remove leaves and dirt from it as soon as possible to prevent staining. When exposed to moisture, stone can be also “invaded“ by green algae but they are easily washed off with warm soapy water.

As already mentioned earlier, wrought iron and aluminium furniture is vulnerable to corrosion which is why it should periodically inspected for signs of damage and rust, and treated with anticorrosion coating. But other than this, it does not really need much care to keep it as beautiful as new.

Plastic garden furniture seems very convenient as well, however, it is not as resistant to outdoor conditions as it may seem at a first glance unless if it made from truly quality plastic. In addition, it tends to be the least durable of all available materials for garden furniture because it is more prone to wear and tear. As a result, it typically needs to be replaced sooner than garden furniture made from the above mentioned materials which can make it more expensive in the long run than other types of garden furniture.

In the end, there are wicker and rattan garden furniture which are aesthetically highly appealing. Unfortunately, they usually do not withstand the outdoor conditions particularly well and typically have to be brought inside when it rains as well as protected from the direct sunlight exposure if they are not treated with special protective coatings.

Considering that the level of care required varies greatly from one material to another, it is a good idea to pay attention to materials when buying a new garden furniture, especially if you prefer convenience. But if you already own a garden furniture, be sure to provide it proper care and maintenance if you would like to enjoy its beauty and comfort for many years to come.