Finding Wooden Garden Furniture
It is a good idea or not to place wood furniture out into the sun and rain? Perhaps not stained or laminated wood that is only meant for indoor use, but there surely is wooden garden furniture that is fit even for the type of weather seen in the British Isles. The difference is in the quality of the wood, the type of wood used, and whatever protective coat might be used.
More information on garden furniture sets
Some varieties of wood are so excellent that they naturally resist rotting even with years of exposure to moisture and summer heat.
What type of lawn furniture is appropriate? As a general rule, anything that was manufactured for indoor use is likely to ruin quickly if exposed to the elements. A few exceptions would be entirely metal or plastic furniture. Most wood furniture has to be treated with a coating that is designed to endure weathering. The normal smooth surfaces on indoor furniture tends to saturate easily with water and ruin. If exposed to sunlight, these polymers might easily break down. So, wood is a special subject in garden decorations.
The simplest includes benches and lawn chairs that are bolted together from treated lumber. These are strong enough to hold a human body and resilient enough not to rot in a single season. If the chair is held upright and off the soil, then the effect of drying the wood helps to preserve it. Wood that is in contract with the ground will rot a lot faster, and wood that is left out in winter does tend to deteriorate more quickly. Properly treated lumber should last at least a decade and possibly more if of a good quality.
Hard woods are less likely to rot then pine, but then pine might contain resins that resist rotting. Most wood is treated with something that is not particularly toxic to human skin but might deter fungus and termites. Any untreated wood, if fully exposed to the elements, will generally deteriorate and attract detritivores if not the type of wood that protects itself with indigestible substances. Cedar is a good example of this, but so are locust plants. Most woods that are very dense will deter weathering for a while but might be too expensive to place outdoors.
The bright side is that Britain loves its rustic-looking lawn furniture. In any other place, the locals might just love plastic furniture for its convenience and modern appeal. In Britain, something that looks old and from another era is usually cherished by anyone who owns a property. Some are made by hand, but there are plenty of cost-effective solutions that might have been assembled by a commercial producer.
Wood garden furniture is a bit more expensive than plastic due to the obvious value of the material, but it still can be worth it. Even with stain, it looks beautiful and suitable for a countryside. With proper treatment and re-treatment, a good wooden chair might last for decades. It is advantageous to have a material that can be repaired through treatment.