What to Consider When Buying Outdoor Furniture

What to consider when buying outdoor furniture for your home. Choosing the best outdoor furniture for you home will depend on your budget and location. I live in possibly the most brutal of all conditions in a tropical area, and have owned a variety of products over the years. Maybe this makes me an expert and maybe not, but I’ll share from my experience in this post and a complete buying guide if you scroll to the bottom!

Selecting the best outdoor furniture for your space is a matter of research and educating yourself. Knowing how materials compare in terms of durability is important if you want it to last in the long run. Of course you have to love the look of what you purchase, and at a price point that you can afford. Outdoor furniture is manufactured from an array of different materials and each has its own pros and cons. There are some of the same principles that would apply to designing your outdoor spaces to your furnishing indoor spaces. Space and and functionality of course, and it’s great to measure out and make a sketch before purchasing your pieces. You’ll find my chairs shown above here – ” FRENCH BISTRO CHAIRS ” and the table here – ” French Farmhouse Outdoor Dining Table ”

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What to Consider When Buying Outdoor Furniture

• Size and Layout
• Climate and Weather Conditions
• Function And Form
• Personal Design Aesthetics
• Budget

Measure Your Space

Just like in your home, you’ll want to measure your outside “rooms” to determine how much furniture you’ll need and placement. How is your outdoor area shaped? Do you have a large deck, or a narrow covered patio, a grassy area only? The shape should help you determine your needs when buying outdoor furniture. Be sure to take into account walking space around your furniture. Side note, our patio is quite narrow from the house to the pool…measuring 9′. With an average rectangular table and chairs and people seated, that measures about 6′. Doing the math it leaves only a foot and a half walking space and YES, a couple of times that resulted in a fall into the pool! No one was hurt, but we quickly learned that the table needed to be tucked into a corner area of the covered patio that has a bit more room.

Covered Or Open To The Elements

Function And Comfort

We use our patios to entertain and to relax! Whether looking at dining sets or lounge furniture you’ll want to make it comfortable. You will be using your outdoor furniture to relax, so make it comfortable. Look for furniture with cushions if possible and use good quality indoor/outdoor fabric like Sunbrella that is fade and mildew resistant.

Buy What You Love

Create a flow from the indoors out with a similar aesthetic. You don’t need matchy-matchy…mixy-mixy is great as long as you have a theme with either color, shape, or similar styles.

Budget Considerations

 When buying outdoor furniture, budget should always help you to determine what you can buy. Since outdoor furniture needs to be durable, buy the best that you can possibly afford. Shop off season if you want the best buys and check out yard sales, thrifts shops, Facebook marketplace and Craigslist.

Cleaning And Storage

To help preserve your outdoor furniture be sure to store it off season. Bring cushions inside or stash in a plastic shed or box in winter or the rainy season. Use cleaners that are specifically made for outdoor furniture and avoid harsh caustic chemicals.

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Buying Outdoor Furniture – Types Of Materials

Metal Outdoor Furniture

Wrought Iron

Wrought iron has an upscale look and a timeless appeal. My own set of patio furniture is wrought iron and from Restoration Hardware. It’s about 20 years old and still in great shape! We place the cushions in a patio box during our wet summer months and have only had to replace them all once. Wrought iron is heavy, so it’s ideal for a windy area and it’s powder coated to resist rust.

We have another set of vintage wrought iron that has sat on our pea gravel patios over the years and does have some rust from the moist climate. I don’t mind the light rust on this set and feel that it adds to the vintage charm. If you do mind rust and live where it rains or snows, it’s best to keep wrought iron covered in your harsh season.

Cast Aluminum

When  buying outdoor furniture years ago I found a set of white stacking tables at a yard sale. They are cast aluminum and I’ve moved them indoors at times and back outside again. I love the lightweight nature of cast aluminum and this particular set is from probably the 60’s. With a powder coated finish, it’s chipped and faded nowadays and once again…I love patina like this! Cast aluminum won’t rust or corrode and it’s lightweight.

 Steel

Steel is heavy and won’t get knocked around in a storm. It’s the stuff that many of the bistro sets in France are made of. Steel is generally the strongest and longest lasting of metal patio furnitures. It can be expensive, so shop around if this is what interests you.

Wood Outdoor Furniture

Teak

Teak is a tropical hardwood and generally sustainably grown. It has great durability and can last outdoors in the elements for decades. Boats were made of teak years back as it’s resistant to moisture when properly cared for. When shopping for outdoor furniture that is made of wood I wouldn’t chose anything other than teak which produces its own unique oils. If left untreated teak will gain a silvery gray weathered patina over time. If you prefer for teak to keep its sheen you’ll have to treat it yearly with teak oil.The surface of teak is very strong and it won’t show dings or dents. Another great alternative is Acacia Wood, but it won’t last as long as Teak.

Synthetic Outdoor Furniture

 Outdoor Synthetic Rattan

Outdoor or all weather rattan is today’s solution to wicker and is lightweight and sophisticated. All weather rattan sets generally have cushions and are comfortable and beautifully attractive. When buying outdoor patio furniture, outdoor all weather rattan is low maintenance and can easy to keep clean. Since it’s a synthetic, it resists mildew and can be left out year round. A bonus is that it comes in all price points and you are sure to find something to suit your needs and tastes.

Concrete

When buying outdoor patio furniture you might not think of concrete. Generally concrete patio furniture is limited to benches, fountains and statues. Here in South Florida though, concrete table sets are popular for placing out in the grassy areas of our gardens themselves. The inherent nature of concrete makes it able to withstand the elements well and it’s extremely heavy so it won’t budge in even a hurricane. Think of all the concrete architectural elements that are hundreds of years old in European gardens! It’s easy to keep clean with just some yearly bleach and a hosing down.

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Outdoor Furniture To Avoid

White PVC outdoor furniture is something to avoid, as it tends to yellow over time. I made the mistake of purchasing a few pieces over the years and they simply did not retain their good looks for long.
Authentic wicker does not last in harsh elements. If you do have some favorite pieces it’s best to have them live under a covered portion of your patio (or indoors).

I have some product picks to share that if I was buying outdoor furniture I’d consider to place in my own shopping cart.

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Coastal Farmhouse Set / Grey Bar Height Dining / Grey Bar Height Dining

Farmhouse Dining Table / Bistro Set / Bistro Set

Lounge Set / Modern Teak Chair / Modern Teak Chair

Grand Patio Sectional / Dining Set With Cushions / Dining Set With Cushions

Vintage Look Wicker Chair Set / Wicker Cushioned Chair / Wicker Cushioned Chair