Outdoor Furniture

Teak, a tropical hardwood found mainly in Southeast Asia, is extremely popular both for its natural beauty and its ease of maintenance. It is a naturally oily and very dense wood, making it highly weather resistant and, therefore, perfect for outdoor furniture.

With just a little care and attention you will extend the life of your furniture ten-fold. Teak furniture can be washed with a mild mixture of soap and water and it is recommended that a soft utility brush be used to remove surface dirt and dust. The furniture must be rinsed thoroughly after cleaning and be allowed to dry completely.

It is not necessary to heavily scrub or polish teak furniture – you should be able to clean a chair, for example, in half an hour. Teak furniture does not require the application of wood sprays, preservatives or oils as it is naturally high in oil content. However, for some tastes, the slivery-grey colour that teak furniture develops as it weathers, may be too rustic and oil can be applied to create a full, rich surface sheen.

Here are some tips for applying teak furniture oil:

• Ensure the surface is clean and free from dust

• Use true teak oil

• You must apply teak oil before your patio furniture begins to weather. If it has begun to weather, scrub your furniture with a stiff bristled brush and soapy water. Rinse as you go then allow the furniture to dry fully

• Your furniture must be completely dry, otherwise moisture trapped within the wood may cause black mildew spots to appear after oiling. Your furniture may take up to 48 hours to fully dry out after a rain

• Follow the instructions on the teak oil packaging for application. Generally, this would be to apply a light coating with a clean, lint free rag or paint brush. One coat should be sufficient

The Porch Swing is enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to the latest Home & Garden trend towards building "Garden Rooms". Patio Furniture Retailers have responded by flooding the market with so many options that making a choice can be a daunting task. Here are some factors that you should consider to help you make the best Porch Swing choice for you:

Porch Swings are now made from a wide range of building materials. The most common are wood and wicker. Popular woods used are cedar, teak, pine, maple, and oak.

These materials vary greatly in terms of strength and durability. While Oak is the strongest, it also tend to be very heavy. Cedar offers the greatest strength to lightest weight ratio. It is very light and has 80% the strength of oak. Cedar also has natural properties that enable the wood to resist rot and decay. In addition, it won’t bow or sag, crack or chip making it one of Outdoor Furniture’s most desired building materials. Pine is lightweight and relatively inexpensive but is soft and dents and cracks easily. The durability of wicker varies depending on the materials used to make the wicker.

Porch Swing physical features like seat depth, angle of the back and space between the slats, length of the seat, and joint construction can vary widely. Seat depth can range from 18 to 36 Inches. There is no one correct depth. It’s a personal choice based on comfort.

For maximal comfort, the back of the Swing should be slightly tilted. And there should be some space between the slats to allow air to circulate.

Swings can generally hold one to three people depending on the length of the seat. But keep in mind that the longer the seat the heavier the supports that will be required. Generally, a Porch Swing that seats two comfortably is recommended.

Finally, the functional nature of Porch Swings requires that the joints be screwed or bolted together. Joints that are nailed together are not recommended as a Porch Swing is a functional peice of and the nails will come loose with use.

Another factor to consider is whether to buy a finished or unfinished Porch Swing. Porch Swings are now available in a variety of finishes. Some are stained, others painted in colors ranging from white to a rainbow of multiple colors. Many Porch Swings are also unfinished. The unfinished Porch Swings provide the most options later and some can be left to age naturally without finishing. Unfinished Cedar, for example, is "Outdoor ready". No finishing is required. An unfinshed Patio Furniture Porch Swing also leaves lots of "dress up" options. While it might be difficult to find cushions to match muti-colored Porch Swings, by starting with an unfinished Outdoor Furniture swing, you can pick the stain or paint to match the cushion!

Installion is another important consideration. If you have a covered Porch with exposed joists, your installation job is automatically made easier. However, your options re: length and weight of the Porch Swing may be limited. If you intend on building your own Porch Swing support for the garden or an uncovered porch, more options are open to you as you can build the support according to the weight and length of the Porch Swing.