Patio Furniture Materials and Maintenance Guide

When making any purchase for your home, there are several factors that you will probably consider, especially if the purchase is going to be expensive. When you buy outdoor furniture the main characteristics that you will most likely be looking for are price, design, color, comfort, and durability.

Most often the price will be the number one limiting factor and starting point because the dollar dictates everything. So, once you know how much you’re willing to spend, it’s easy to shop for design, comfort, and color.

But, what you might not know is that outdoor furniture can be built from a variety of materials and each one can impact durability. Knowing the most popular materials used, what weather factors contribute to the lifespan of the furniture and how to maintain each material properly should play into your buying decision.

Exposure to the elements will play an instrumental role in how long your furniture will last and if it will perform up to expectations. While 100% waterproof isn’t necessarily true, there are significant differences between materials. Before you start shopping, you should evaluate your specific needs and outdoor furniture use by answering these three questions:

1. Will it remain outside year-round?
2. Will you cover it when not in use?
3. What temperatures and moisture will it be exposed to?

Knowing the answers upfront will ultimately help you narrow down the best choices for the most durable outdoor furniture for you.

Factors Influencing the Durability of Patio Furniture

From cushions to frames, all your outdoor furniture will be exposed to weather elements and other factors, and it is important to take them into consideration. Here are some of the most influential that you should be aware of:

Rain, moisture, and humidity factors

There are several water-based issues that can arise when dealing with water and your outdoor furniture materials.

• • Depending on the type of material (organic), mold, mildew or rot are very likely. Mold and mildew can aggravate respiratory or other health issues, while rot can physically compromise the patio material.
  • For metal patio materials in moist climates, rust can be a difficult issue to handle. Over time, the continual oxidation can break down the physical integrity of the metal. Salt in the air can accelerate this issue (coastal regions are high risk).

• • The repetitive cycle of getting wet and drying out can cause certain materials to warp and become misshapen. When this happens, not only with it look bad but it will cause seams, joints, and fasteners to become loose or misaligned.

Temperature factor

• • While not a serious issue, fading can occur after continued exposure to powerful sunlight. Sometimes fading can result in a desirable outcome, but, people do not want their outdoor furniture to become discolored or faded.

• • Exposure to fluctuations in temperature can cause cracking due to expansion and contraction from heat and cold.

• • While not extremely important to the overall integrity of the patio furniture, it may be undesirable to have furniture that retains too much heat from sunlight that it is uncomfortable or unsafe to touch.

These are the main factors that your outdoor furniture will face on a daily and seasonal basis. Now, that you know the types of factors to think about and how each affects the lifespan of your patio furniture choice, let’s look at the best materials for outdoor furniture.

Patio Furniture Materials Guide

Wood Outdoor Furniture

Wood is one of the most popular materials that has been used for outdoor furniture for a long time. It is important to note upfront that not all wood is the same when it comes to handling the elements and longevity.

You will want to stay away from softwoods due to their inability to withstand weather and constant need for protection. If you decide to go with wood patio furniture, stick to the main hardwoods for a variety of benefits.  

• • Benefits: while natural, hardwood outdoor furniture can be extremely hearty. If treated properly, hardwood furniture can last decades. The innate ability to resist weather and not absorb heat makes wood highly desirable.

• • Good to Know: quality hardwood outdoor furniture can be very expensive. Teak, for example, has become one of the most sought-after types of wood for patio furniture due to its natural resistance to weather, cracking/warping, and easy maintenance. Cedar, pine, and eucalyptus are other common types of wood used.

• • Maintenance: on the scale of maintenance, wood requires more than other materials. Depending on the type of wood, regular protectants and preservatives should be used to help protect against weathering and harmful insects. Oils can help protect and maintain the wood’s natural color and protect against fading. Check regularly for splinters or cracks.

Metal Outdoor Furniture

Easily the strongest and most durable of the outdoor furniture materials, metal is desirable for its ease of maintenance and design. Because metals are so strong, the frames can be much thinner and come in much more complex designs than other materials. There are a few types of metal that are commonly used for outdoor furniture, such as aluminum, wrought iron, and stainless steel.

• • Benefits: as mentioned above, metal furniture is highly desirable because of design capability, minimal care, and strength/durability. Aluminum is extremely lightweight, rust-free/low maintenance, and very affordable.

Steel is extremely durable, heavier than aluminum, and rustproof if stainless. Wrought iron is the last common type of metal furniture and it is the heaviest/most durable of the metal types, but needs to be protected to prevent rust.

• • Good to Know: metal furniture can be heavy and moderately expensive (aside from aluminum). Comfort is usually lacking but presents a great opportunity for accent cushions. Be careful if the furniture has been in the sun because the heat-retention on them is extremely high.

• • Maintenance: if the metal is steel or unpowered wrought iron, proper steps must be taken with rust protectors to prevent any oxidation from the elements. Washing can be done with mild soapy water to remove any buildup of dirt, dust, and other debris.

Resin and Plastic Outdoor Furniture

Synthetic materials have grown in popularity and are becoming more and more prevalent. Their designability has allowed manufacturers to create shapes and sizes that are not possible with other materials.

• • Benefits: the shapes, sizes, colors, and décor options available in these synthetic furniture pieces are nearly endless. Extremely lightweight, low maintenance, inexpensive, and stackable are some of the highly-desirable qualities of plastic/resin patio furniture.

• • Good to Know: modern processes allow these materials to be made to resemble wicker, wood, and other materials at a fraction of the cost. For those looking to be eco-friendly, recycled plastic furniture is extremely popular for the impact on the environment and easy maintenance.

• • Maintenance: there is not much to say regarding the maintenance of these types of patio furniture. Cleaners that prevent mildew can be used and rinsed with water to keep them looking new, season after season. There is no need to use protectants or oils.

That concludes our overview of the common types of materials used for outdoor furniture and their maintenance. Remember, while price and design matter a lot, it is important to keep in mind the work required to keep your furniture looking the same as the day you bought it.

If you’re in the market for some new outdoor furniture, we may have just what you are looking for. At Clima, we offer the best brands of luxury outdoor furniture from manufacturers and designers around the world. Come take a look at our showroom in Miami or browse through our website to see what we offer.