Is wooden patio furniture durable?
by admin on Friday, April 2nd, 2010 | 4 Comments
We are currently shopping around for patio furniture, and my husband and I are at odds about what to get. He wants a metal set because he swears they are the best and most durable and all you have to do to take care of them is repaint them. I think that rust would be an issue, and really wouldn’t look forward to removing any rust before repainting. Plus, I don’t really like the look of most metal sets… and the ones I do like are very expensive.
I really like the look of the natural wooden sets, but don’t know much about taking care of them. The wooden sets usually tout that they only need to be oiled occasionally to keep it looking nice. Any care tips or tales of personal experience would be helpful.
I like the look of metal patio furniture but I wouldn’t get them simply for the reason that when it’s VERY hot and sunny, the metal gets too hot to sit down without a seat cover and you can burn your forearms when resting against the table edge. Also sometimes they are very decorative with lots of scrolls and holes they can be a bit of a pain to position small things on them like salt/pepper pots etc…
They are durable – and you can repaint them – and you can even get a rusty set and sand blast them…but I still wouldn’t buy a set – I’m with you and prefer the wood.
About the wood ones:
I bought a cheap wood set and by the following year they were all warped and no good. The following year I bought another set (an ebay bargain) and they came oiled. They were OK and I sprayed protective oil on them etc…but they still went that silvery grey colour after a year outside…I don’t think the protective oil I bought was very protective.
However on the upside, my parents bought a more expensive love seat made in wood and it was just covered over the winter and still looks great/almost new. I really think you need to go for a good quality wood which has been properly protected and not go for a cheap set (otherwise in a year or two you will be buying another lot!).
Best of luck
x
Wood is much more durable than plastic, especially if you varnish or seal it. You’re right about the rust, nobody likes that, and it certainly does happen. You can also paint wood and it adds another layer of protection.
Out door wooden furniture depends on several factors. Climate is one. Wood in a very dry climate will last a long time. In a very humid or damp climate it can start to go bad in a year or so. How well you protect the wood from moisture can also be a factor as well as the wood used. Some woods like cedar, redwood and cypress will last longer than pine (unless it is pressure treated).
Metal can also have a problem unless it has a very good powder coating on it. Then it will last much longer. Plastic is subject to attack by UV rays and other atmospheric conditions.
If it were me, I’d go for the more expensive metal set with a good powder coating and warranty.
Pine or wicker furniture won’t stand up to the elements for long without a good paint layer.
Teak, cedar/redwood or ipe (a Brizilian hardwood used for decks and maybe furniture) is naturally resistant to weathering and insects, although it all should be oiled once a year or so.
As for metal, it’ll also depend on the type of metal used. Extruded aluminum won’t ever rust since it’s aluminum. And since it’s extruded, it is stronger than beach chairs and MUCH nicer looking.
We have powder-coated steel which is steel with a powder coating baked on to help it not chip or wear off. I expect it to sit on the porch with no problems for the next 10 years- the fabric may be another story.
So, either wood or metal can be beautiful and weather resistant, but try not to go too cheap and your furniture will last longer.
Enjoy shopping around!!