We choose functional and beautiful garden furniture
Any owner of a private household or a country mansion sooner or later faces a difficult dilemma - the choice of garden furniture. It is necessary to prepare for this process, because in the wide sale now the range of outdoor furniture is quite wide. In addition to the external attractiveness and compliance with your ideas about comfort and convenience, when choosing furniture for a personal plot or an open veranda, you will need to find out a lot of nuances: resistance to moisture and temperature extremes (which our country is famous for), stability and reliability, weight restrictions, whether it fades in the sun and doesn’t dry out after the rain.
When choosing outdoor furniture, it is important to be guided by the spring look of the entire infield, the design of the facade of the building. It would be logical to purchase wooden furniture for a country house in a country style, erected or finished with wood or its imitation. Wooden furniture is not cheap, so with a limited budget you can buy plastic models with wood imitation. Many manufacturers have achieved incredible results in the manufacture of garden furniture made of plastic.
If your country house or urban private household is faced with stone, then outdoor furniture made of natural or artificial stone is the best option (albeit not an expensive one). Of course, an artificial stone for the manufacture of furniture significantly reduces its service life, but it also significantly reduces the price.
The brick facade, finished with siding or plastic panels, will go well with outdoor furniture made of plastic or wicker chairs and tables. But there are no strict canons, your imagination, sense of proportion and financial budget will tell you the best choice of furniture for organizing a place for rest, relaxation, receiving guests, gathering family and friends on a suburban area or outdoor terrace.
But let's take a look at the details of what positive and negative qualities materials have, of which garden furniture is most often produced, what options are best to choose for the unstable climate of our country and how to purchase an outdoor set of furniture without destroying the family budget.
Wooden garden furniture
What could be more logical than staying in the fresh air surrounded by furniture made of natural material? It is durable, environmentally friendly, does not harm humans and the environment and, in principle, is resistant to temperature extremes. But when choosing outdoor furniture made of wood, it is important to consider the quality of the breed, the protective coating and the manufacture of accessories. Any garden furniture made of wood is treated with special antiseptics in order to avoid rotting. The surface of furniture is varnished or painted. Obviously, after some time, the treatment will need to be repeated, to refresh the coating. How often you will have to carry out such manipulations depends on the intensity of use of the furniture, its location and the frequency of exposure to the open sun and during rains.
Durability
Softwood and teak are the most durable wood species from which street furniture is made. But they will require regular updating - opening with varnish or paint.
Mobility
Wooden furniture can be found in both mobile and stationary versions. A mobile view is certainly preferable, such tables and chairs you can put in a garage for the winter or hide in the summer during frequent, prolonged rains.
Garden furniture made of wood can be combined with plastic, metal or wicker elements. For many models, such combinatorics are only good.
Price policy
In terms of cost, wooden furniture is expensive. Only furniture made of natural stone is more expensive than it. But such investments will pay off with the pleasure that you will experience on your personal plot or on the veranda of a private city house for many years.
Burnout
As for the burning out of wood furniture in the sun, it must be said. That the furniture covered with special varnishes is quite resistant to the sun. Slow burnout will require updating the appearance of the furniture after about 3-4 years of active use.
Moisture resistance
Despite the coating of wood furniture with special varnishes, one cannot talk about the calm interaction of the surface of outdoor furniture and moisture. The wood inevitably swells from rain, which at first brings only hardening of the material, but over time, the surface of the tree becomes covered with a network of small cracks. Not only rains contribute to this, but also a long exposure to the sun and tests with sharp temperature drops. But such destruction can be repaired, putty, paint or varnish the garden furniture like new.
Care
It is necessary to wash garden furniture made of natural wood with a mild soapy solution. Also on sale there are special tools for cleaning wooden surfaces in the open. In addition, it is recommended to rub the tree with special oil (to prevent drying out) about twice a year. Oil rubbing is recommended for all types of wood except teak. This material has its own way of beautiful aging - over time, it darkens significantly, covered with a light silver patina.
Metal outdoor furniture
Wrought iron furniture is a universal option from the point of view of style for arranging a resting place on a personal plot or a veranda; it fits perfectly into almost any design. Metal furniture is not subject to deformation, it is durable and stable. For a long time, it is more capable of not losing the “salable” appearance, thanks to the treatment with special anticorrosive substances. But it is important to consider the following feature of metal furniture - the legs of tables and chairs and armchairs go deep into loose soil. Forged furniture needs to be installed only on veneered areas, concrete, and preferably stone surfaces.
There are a couple of unpleasant minuses - in hot weather the metal heats up very much, in cold weather it becomes very unpleasantly cool, so soft substrates and bedding are necessary as a seat. Removable soft pillows you can clean during rains and wash just in the washing machine.
Cost
This is not to say that forged furniture is cheap, it ranks third in price after natural stone and wooden furniture. But such investments are durable. If you amortize the cost of furniture for several years (and it will serve you for a very long time), then this is an economically viable option.
Burnout
Forged outdoor furniture practically does not fade in the sun, which certainly can be written as a plus to this type of material.
Moisture resistance
Metal garden furniture can rust over time from constant exposure to rain, as well as from morning dew (condensation). But at present, construction stores are full of various colors, using which you can forget about the rusting problem for several years (forged furniture with average intensity of use withstands 4 years after painting).
Care
Metal garden furniture can easily tolerate liquid cleaners with a low alkaline content, but it is better not to use abrasive materials at all, they can leave small scratches on the metal surface, which can grow further.
Garden furniture made of stone
The stone furniture looks incredibly monumental and luxurious. This material is durable and durable, not affected by climatic influences and therefore can serve faithfully for more than one generation of your family. But just like with metal furniture, the stone heats up strongly in the sun and is cold in a cool hike, so you will have to purchase or make soft bedding.
From the point of view of mobility, we can safely say that stone furniture is the most monumental and it will take a lot of effort to carry it (if we are talking about natural stone).
Garden furniture made of stone is the most expensive and this is not surprising, because such investments have been carried out literally for centuries. In addition, you absolutely will not need to worry about caring for stone furniture, protecting it from the weather and cleaning, you can wash the stone directly from the hose.
Plastic outdoor furniture
Of course, furniture for a summer house or a personal plot is the cheapest option. Such furniture is light, compact, mobile and attractive in appearance with a wide range of color solutions. Currently, there are many models of plastic furniture widely sold that successfully imitate wood, wickerwork made of twigs or rattan.
Mobility
The tallest. Chairs and mini-chairs can be put one on top of the other, putting it in a garage or pantry for the winter. Folding models take up even less space, however, they cost a little more than their non-assembled counterparts. Plastic furniture (especially folding) can be taken with you on trips, on a picnic or on the beach, and a couple of folded chairs will fit in any trunk.
Burnout and moisture resistance
Plastic furniture burns out quite strongly in the sun, but it treats the effect of moisture perfectly. But during operation, the surface of plastic furniture is quickly covered with scratches and partially loses its presentation.
Care
Can be washed directly from the hose. It is resistant to chemicals.
Wicker rattan garden furniture
The rattan furniture for the garden looks luxurious both on the open veranda, and in the gazebo or in the open air on a special platform. But it is important to consider that rattan furniture (both natural and artificial) is rather capricious and can become deformed after prolonged use, it is subject to the influence of the sun and temperature changes. In the cold season, such furniture must be removed for shelter.
Cost
Furniture made of artificial rattan will cost much cheaper than from natural material, but it will be significantly inferior in its performance. The cost of wicker rattan or willow furniture varies greatly, depending on the method of weaving, the density of the product, its processing and the manufacturer itself.
Burnout
Wicker furniture burns out quite a lot, but it happens beautifully. About the 3-4th year of use, the furniture darkens, acquiring a beautiful shade. Of course, this does not apply to colored rattan.
Moisture resistance
Rattan, vine and willow are quite moisture resistant materials, but it is better not to tempt fate and hide furniture from rain under a canopy or cover with waterproof material.
Care
Rattan wicker furniture is difficult to tolerate interaction with household chemicals. It is better to wash these pieces of furniture with a weak solution of water with citric acid and hydrogen peroxide. After washing, wipe all furniture dry.
Wicker rattan garden furniture looks great with almost any color scheme. Against the background of dark shades of weaving, bright pillows and soft removable seats look advantageous. Compositions of wicker rattan furniture create the atmosphere of an open-air living room. This patio is a great place to relax with your family or receive guests. And in the evening, the place to relax is easily transformed into a party venue.
The snow-white outdoor rattan furniture looks weightless and airy. Depending on the type of weaving, you can find on sale completely openwork models of chairs and armchairs, sofas and tables, which in the ensemble will create a unique and inimitable atmosphere of a place for recreation on your personal plot, in the gazebo or on the open veranda.
Glass, concrete, granite and more
Garden furniture can be made of unbreakable triplex glass, concrete or granite slabs, polystyrene, basalt fiber and other materials. Garden furniture is sometimes equipped with lighting, tiled with ceramic tiles - there is no limit to imagination and possibilities in this direction.
Deckchairs, sunbeds and hammocks
The purchase of garden furniture is not limited to buying only a table with chairs or a comfortable sofa with a coffee table. On sale now is a wide range of outdoor recreational facilities that will not only brighten the hours of relaxation for you and your family, but also decorate the landscape design of the garden.
The maximum weight that chaise loungers are able to withstand varies from 60 kg (children's models) to 300 kg (double chaise longue for adults). A single deck chair made of metal can withstand weight up to 200 kg - this is the most durable of all possible options. Wooden and plastic sun loungers for one withstand from 120 to 150 kg. A steel deck chair covered with polyester will accommodate a person up to 130 kg in weight, and its analogue with an aluminum frame will cope with only a hundred kg. A plank bed or a trestle bed made of rattan with a metal frame can withstand 115-150 kg, and the frameless version is not more than 85. But before buying, be sure to check these details with the seller.
Garden Umbrella or Tent
When buying an umbrella or tent for a household or summer cottage, try to be guided by its strength and weight (so as not to acquire a model that can easily be carried by the wind). The heavier the umbrella itself, the more stable it is (it is recommended to purchase umbrellas weighing more than 20-25 kg). A steel frame is much preferable to wooden or aluminum, but plastic spokes will last until the first serious gust of wind.
Sailing an umbrella depends primarily on its size, keep this in mind, if it is often windy in your area, you may need additional fastenings.
And finally, we bring to your attention several images of places for outdoor recreation, in the preparation of which were used pieces of furniture from various materials, which allowed us to create interesting, convenient and comfortable compositions with an attractive appearance.