Wood for Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture is a luxury that many do not enjoy. You need a good mount of space to accommodate this furniture.

Outdoor wood furniture is not nearly as popular as it once was. For quite a while now, outdoor furniture alternatives have been cheaper than the traditional wood. Metal and plastic can be machined and mass produced, eliminating any expertise required of an individual craftsman. Furthermore, these alternatives also require less upkeep than wood furniture. However, more expensive, hand-crafted wood is undoubtedly a great luxury. Your outdoor furniture will be your own and no one can duplicate it.

The most common and popular type of outdoor wood furniture is teak. Teak is the hardest of hardwoods and will stand up to outdoor conditions better than essentially every other readily available wood. Generally speaking, you can have outdoor wood furniture made from almost any type of wood, but you should plan on having it treated, sealed, and re-sealed every year or two.

Wooden furniture is mostly utilized as outdoor garden furniture. The look of your outdoor furniture is paramount to creating a beautiful garden. Metal furniture in a garden doesn't essentially blend in with the surrounding and have high maintenance. The one big looming danger for garden furniture is the possibility of attracting pests. Not taking enough precautions may attract pests that will destroy your furniture.

Another alternative to Teak is the Ipe. Ipe is a wood that naturally resists rot, decay, insects, and mold without the use of toxic chemicals. Ipe is also naturally fire resistant and has been awarded an 'A1' rating, which is the highest rating in this category. Because of all these attributes it is very durable, and because it is a very dense wood, Ipe furniture is very heavy. This type of wood is harvested from naturally sustainable forests, and you can find FSC-certified Ipe wood easily. This wood, which grows in many South American locations, but mainly in Brazil, is also known as Ironwood, Brazilian Walnut, Pau Lope or Lapacho.

Ipe starts out as a reddish-brown wood and gradually acquires a silver patina. And thus, Ipe is ideal for outdoor furniture and decking.

Undoubtedly, wood is still a viable choice, but its alternatives have been taking an ever-increasing percentage of the market share. Aluminum and concrete finishes are becoming more and more decorative and impressive. Plastic furniture can also be decorative and sturdier than many homeowners imagine.

Nothing is going to eliminate the maintenance and care that outdoor furniture requires, but the better the protection you can give your furniture, the longer it will last and the more sense the investment will make.