Outdoor

by Fairfax County Public Library

Sos, Sos, Outdoor Furnitures Need Some Help!!

Wood is meant to be outdoors. Trees grow in the great outdoors, so it makes sense that furniture made from trees should be kept outdoors. It is no wonder that wood furniture, when treated and cared for properly, can last outdoors for years. So don’t be late and start taking care of your outdoor furniture by some of the ways provided below:

Types of wooden furniture to buy

As we all say, it’s better to start right then fight. The best and good way to protect your wood and make it last for years to come is to buy special kinds of wood which suits outdoor like your garden, swimming pool, etc. Treated wood is one such type due to its resistant to rotting from the key elements like water, moisture, etc. But one of the problems with treated wood is that it often comes green, giving you limited options and scarily can more easily distort than other types of wood.
Teak outdoor furniture is a popular and the best choice for outdoors. Teak wood is an extremely dense hardwood and is often praised for its durability. It also has natural oils that protect it from the elements, even when left untreated. Often grown in east Asian countries like Indonesia, Teak is very resistant to attacks by termites and other harmful insects because the high oil content makes it water repellent Other types of wood suited for outdoors are Oak furniture like Chinese oak is a dense hardwood and is a natural light wood. The tannic acid element in Chinese Oak wood makes it ideal for use in outdoor furniture because it is naturally resistant to attacks by fungi and insects. Whereas Red Cedar, especially Western Red Cedar is a very popular choice for outdoor furniture because of its beautiful color and finish. It is also naturally resistant to decay and insect damage when exposed to rain, sun, heat, or cold all year. When properly treated, Red Cedar furniture may last for decades in the harshest of environments.

Nowadays blends of wood and metal furniture’s the best suitable for outdoors. Wooden top made out of teak with cast iron or steel as support or base is the best combination for outdoors. Aluminum, UV treated frames with wooden tops. This hybrid outdoor furniture’s gives you a quality of wooden element and less maintenance required metallic touch.

Know what affects your furniture

Taking care of wood and wooden furniture especially outdoor furniture goes far beyond cleaning and dusting. Wood reacts to environmental changes, such as moisture, temperature, light, frequent usage, reactions of food spills, etc When it comes to weather and environmental conditions, obviously, the utmost importance is to maintain awareness of the weather patterns in your particular locale.

For sunny outdoors, sun can have extremely detrimental effects on wood and wood finishes. Ultraviolet rays can destroy a piece of beauty in a matter of a few weeks to months. These rays penetrate the molecular structure of the finishes, the color, and the wood itself. In this process, color will change rapidly. In this situation, It is best to keep wood away from direct sunlight in all cases. If this is unavoidable, use blinds, shades, or UV window protection to keep the sun from directly shining on your wood product. For a outdoor full of humidity and moisture can also have adverse effects on furniture. Wood, whether finished or not, absorbs whatever its surroundings have to offer. If the outdoor is most of the times wet or humid, then its better to use protective waterproof covers which easily blend with the furniture or best keep them under sheds or temporary artificial roofs. If outdoor furniture is kept in your garden, avoid standing wood legs directly on grass. The moisture from the ground may rot untreated wood over time. If your garden is such that you truly can’t avoid this, at least give wood legs some extra protection by standing table and chair legs in treatment of wood preservative several times so that as much solution as possible gets soaked into the wood. Also a dry outdoor will shrink wood and eventually cause it to split from lack of moisture. In this case, giving a good finishing which suits your furniture types before the dry weather starts is the best way to protect your outdoor furniture. Natural oil like teak oil furnishes keep your furniture wet from inside and makes it live in dry weather. Lastly the outdoor furniture should be situated in an area that will allow the look you want, but yet safe from the sun and extreme temperature variance. Also, avoid placing outdoor furniture directly in front of fireplaces or barbecue grills.

Some preventative Care and Maintenance

Lastly, before you start protecting your outdoor furniture, following list of tips and guidelines can help you further with your work;

Clean your outdoor furniture twice every season by simply wiping down with a cloth wrung from a soapy solution of mild washing-up liquid and dry very thoroughly afterwards. If your furniture is close to a pool or spa, use a hose pipe to wash them once a week, as chlorine is a risk to most wood. If possible, it is best in the long term, if you get into the good habit of wiping outdoor furniture with a dry cloth every time you go to use them. This gets off pollen or fine strands of grass that have found their way to your furniture and dried on rather than got blown away.

After you had a party in your garden or in the event of spills make sure to clean up all of the liquid, as opposed to just a quick wipe. Unless the sun is shining that day, never assume that it will take care of drying it thoroughly. If the wood takes all day to dry out, airborne pollen or other dirt may get a chance to form an invisible yet sticky film on your furniture surface. When varnishing or giving finishing to your outdoor furniture, try to avoid on top of screw fittings. The shrinking and swelling due to weathering as explained above will require the tightening of the screws is present any, and this could be a cause of worry if that area is gummed up with varnishing.

Hopefully, with a good investment of your time and personal touch, your outdoor garden and patio furniture will be with you, being part of your every family event till you gift them to your children.

You can also read this article at our website news section: http://www.foryourhome.co.uk/newsdesk_info.php/newsPath/10/newsdesk_id/29

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