Finding the Best Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of aluminum-frame chaise lounges strung with sticky plastic tubing. But with so many new styles and materials to choose from, selecting your outdoor patio furniture sets can seem daunting. While it may be tempting to go for the least expensive, you’ll save money in the long run by choosing the best patio furniture that consists of well-made, long-lasting pieces. And best of all, you’ll find them with any budget or style.

Backyard Patio Ideas

Whether you’re shopping for a simple table and chairs or several groupings of furniture for a large area, your main consideration should be style, comfort and quality. In addition to classic materials like teak, cedar and wrought iron, choices now include exotic woods like ipe and mahogany, all-weather wicker and rattan, enamel-coated steel and cast aluminum. These durable materials are more tolerant to weather elements, so they won’t easily rot, rust, stain, splinter, peel or fade out.
They’re also heavy enough to stay put on a windy day but light enough to be easily rearranged. Complete your outdoor oasis with contemporary fabric slings and tailored cushions for the perfect touch of personal style. Here are some things to consider for your outdoor furniture.
Quality
Take a close look at outdoor furniture pieces that appear to be a bargain. From messy welding to cracked caster to poor paint finishes, a good eye will expose the best outdoor furniture steal for what it really is.  Your outdoor furniture sets have to stand up to sun, wind, rain and possibly the energy of young children. The fact is higher price is often a good indication of high quality.
Form and Function
When planning outdoor living spaces, it’s essential to decide on the right materials by evaluating how you plan on using your outdoor furniture and how much time you plan to spend maintaining it. For instance, plastic chairs and lightweight aluminum are rust-resistant and easy to move around if you plan on changing up the layout often. These have much less weight and stability that iron or stainless steel pieces. Popular options include:

• Aluminum, plastic and PVC— Rustproof, lightweight, relatively inexpensive, these options require very little weather treating.
• Wicker, natural grasses and Rattan — These natural materials look great and last long, especially when treated with a resin finish.
• Stainless Steel and Wrought Iron — Heavy duty and sturdy, these materials require periodic weatherproofing.
• Wood – Sturdy and comfortable, weather-resistant woods like teak, redwood, cypress and cedar are excellent choices for any taste.

The Details
Your backyard patio ideas and choices can seem appealing to the eye, but have glaring flaws that can lead to problems over time.

• Prefer large outdoor furniture sets with couches and oversized chairs? Be sure to choose cushions that have springs as they’ll hold their shape longer.
• If you’re looking at metal furniture, bring along a magnet. Although it doesn’t work with all types of steel, you can use a magnet to determine whether a piece is aluminum or steel. Aluminum isn’t magnetic but steel typically is.
• The chairs in outdoor living spaces need to stand up to the weight of people of many sizes. Inspect them for sturdy, solid legs. Have a seat. Test it out to see if it flexes with your weight.

Whether you have an expansive patio or a small deck, there are plenty outdoor furniture options to suit your lifestyle and budget. Traditional, sleek and modern, or naturalistic, whatever your taste, the best outdoor furniture bargains are easily found. You just have to know what kind of outdoor livings spaces you’re into.