It’s almost as exciting to buy your first outdoor furniture as it is to purchase your first home with a garden. Do your research before you rush to buy. Take the time to choose the right all-weather furniture for your porch, deck, or patio. Instead of buying outdoor furniture that isn’t up to the task, I would have done it. Avoid costly mistakes when shopping for outdoor furniture. Wicker Warehouse is proud to offer a complete range of Wicker Furniture. We have our own designs and are made by our partners factories. We represent some of America’s most prestigious brands, such as South Sea Rattan, Designer Wicker, Lane Venture and South Sea Rattan. It is a huge advantage to be able to design our own furniture and have partner factories. We have a good understanding of what it takes to make quality furniture. We can tell the difference between quality and low-quality products. There are many web sites that sell wicker. Even the largest names in the industry are master marketers who sell wicker furniture. We specialize in Wicker Sunroom Furniture. You can depend on us to deliver high-quality products.
These are some things you should know before buying outdoor furniture.
You might end up paying more for cheap furniture
You’ll be amazed at the wide range of outdoor furniture prices available online. You can find single lounge chairs at Restoration Hardware and Design Within Reach, while you’ll find sectionals on Walmart and Overstock for as low as $700.
Guess where I bought our outdoor furniture? Yes, I was enticed to buy a fake wicker sectional that I found on a discount site during a late-night internet crawl. It was affordable and not too ugly. What more could you ask?
Some chair legs are too short for decks.
Before buying a house with a backyard, we lived in a tiny rental apartment that had a wooden deck. We loved the space. We decorated it with planters, a Weber grill and a lounge chair. A vintage dining set we found at a garage sale was also included. Although the set was well-made and charming, the legs of the chairs could easily slip between the wooden planks on the deck. The chairs had to be placed correctly and we had to remind our guests every so often to do the same. Not the best set up for spontaneity or fun.
You might not like some outdoor furniture.
This is a partial list of outdoor furniture materials that you will find: teak, eucalyptus and stainless steel. Each material has its own pros and cons. Some materials are better suited for specific outdoor conditions and climates. Take, for example, the different metals. Aluminum is light, so it isn’t ideal for areas with high winds. Although stainless steel is lightweight and easy to maintain, it can become extremely hot when exposed to the sun.
You may not want wood furniture if you live in a wet area. Even teak, which is a strong and durable hardwood that can withstand any weather, needs to be treated each year to prevent cracking and warping. Natural wicker furniture is best used in covered areas as they are not strong enough to withstand the elements. If you love the design and plan to use it outdoors, synthetic resin wicker furniture might be a better choice.
For… rainy day, you’ll need a rainy day plan.
You’d expect it to be weather-resistant because it’s outdoor furniture. But not if you are dealing with cushions. I assumed that our sectional cushions would be weatherproof, and that the fabric would repel rain. While that’s true to a certain extent, it does happen. However, if it is truly raining instead of misting, then you will want to protect your cushions. We made a rookie error and left our cushions soggy and heavy that they took forever drying. This led to mildew in the long-term.
Outdoor furniture should be placed out of direct flame.
I have already talked about how the cheap outdoor sectional that I purchased was uncomfortable, flimsy and mildewy. But it gets worse. The sectional was placed under a large tree. After a couple of months, I noticed some bird poop on the sectional. It was gross, I thought. I’ll get on with it later. Within one week, the sectional was covered in droppings and purple berries that the birds had ingested. I did my best to remove what was left and then put the covers in the washer. The stains didn’t disappear despite two washings.