Welcome to Change of Space!: Weathering the Summer!

Now that we’re in the warm months of summer, most of us are spending more and more time outdoors. This means that we should start thinking about creating outdoor spaces and making them not only our own, but long lasting. There is a reason why we have indoor furniture and outdoor furniture and they aren’t exactly interchangeable. I’m going to give you some tips on what types of materials you should be looking for when it comes to purchasing outdoor furniture; with these tips you should have the key to creating a long lasting outdoor oasis!

First we’ll talk about the metal options – wrought iron and aluminum being the most prominent in outdoor furniture. Wrought iron can be found in a more traditional setting but can also be incorporated into some contemporary designs. The great thing about iron, is that it is perfect for a windy area as the furniture is usually quite heavy and doesn’t blow away easily. Having wrought iron furniture will require some maintenance; occasionally applying a coat of liquid car wax to your pieces will prevent water and Oxygen from deteriorating the surface. However, if cared for properly, your iron pieces can be left out all year long. There are some downfalls to iron, such as it not being the most comfortable material to sit on or that similar to leather, can get extremely hot or cold. This problem can be avoided with outdoor appropriate cushions.

Aluminum furniture is perfect for the more contemporary to modern settings since they tend to have a more streamlined design. Furniture pieces made from aluminum can even be made to resemble other materials such as wicker. Similar to iron, a light layer of wax will help your pieces last a lifetime, but aluminum pieces don’t require it like your iron pieces will since it is already corrosion resistant. Aluminum furniture also tends to stay at a constant comfortable temperature and therefore doesn’t require a cushion. However, due to all the benefits that this metal has to offer, this makes it more high end and therefore more expensive. Aluminum, and even other metals such as stainless steel, can be powder coated for the outdoors. This is a finish that offers incomparable durability, designed to withstand extreme temperatures and to protect against rust and fading.

Plastics are yet another very common outdoor material and are also great for contemporary to modern settings. Since plastic can be easily molded into just about any shape, those of you looking for something unique, should definitely look into this material. Plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene can be found in not only furniture pieces, but softer goods such as outdoor rugs. What makes these materials so great is that they are fade resistant, can be used year round and can be washed with something as simple as a hose. Some other benefits to plastic pieces are that they are usually stackable, easily transportable, and is usually the most cost efficient option; of course, there is a range of plastic furniture from low end to high end.

Wood is yet another common material for outdoor furniture – especially teak, and Ipe. Both of these woods are durable, insect and decay resistant making them great choices for outside. Also, as both of these materials age, they get a beautiful silver patina, making their aged versions highly sought after. The main difference between these two woods is that Ipe is about four times harder than teak and has a fire rating similar to concrete and steel, so it’s great for dry locations. Other woods can be used outdoors as well such as pine, cedar, eucalyptus and redwood. Hardwoods are preferred for outdoor use as they can last from 25-50 years while soft woods, if treated can last up to 20. Be sure to treat your wood however, as wood has a low resistance to rot. Lastly, another great benefit of wood is that this material also will not hold the suns heat making it quite comfortable to sit on during a hot day.

While there are still other hard materials that can withstand the elements of nature, I definitely did not want to leave out fabric. Probably the most common outdoor fabric is Sunbrella, but when looking for outdoor textiles, you’ll want to make sure that the fabric is weather resistant and this means that it is protected with a finish such as fluorocarbon. A weather resistant fabric will ensure that your new cushion is stain, water and soil repellent. Choosing a fabric with additional UV protection not only prevents fading, but is scientifically proven to protect those lounging on it from harmful UV rays. Not only are these outdoor fabrics with additional finishes long lasting, highly durable and super easy to clean, they also come in a wide variety of patterns and colors guaranteed to coordinate with your space!