Archive for May, 2008

Patio Furniture Extend Your Living Quarters

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Your living quarters don’t have to stop within the perimeters of the traditional rooms like the kitchen, living room and bedroom. Pull your living quarters farther out by dressing up your patio. Patio furniture is the key to pulling the look together.

When searching for patio furniture, consider how exposed to the elements your furniture will be. If you have a covered or closed in patio, you can use furniture that is not suited for outdoors. If your patio is open, be sure to buy furniture that is okayed for the elements.

For instance, there are some rockers that look great on patios but they have a note attached that they are not suited for outdoor use. Something like this must be brought in whenever it is not in use. If you decide you just must have it any way, make sure you have a place in your home or storage to hold it until its next use.

If you decide to buy wicker or rattan furniture, check to see if the manufacturer has warnings against outdoor use. Some wicker and rattan furniture is not meant for use outside, but other wicker and rattan has been specially treated for outdoor use. It comes down to checking the label or packaging to know for sure. If you have any doubt, contact the manufacturer. As the store from which you purchased it for the contact info or look it up on line if you can’t find it elsewhere.

If style is not a high concern on your list but finding cheap, practical patio furniture is, check out the resin tables and chairs on the market. The tables and chairs are sturdy. You can even buy resin foot rests, end tables and coffee tables. This type of furniture weathers well in all elements and the only style concern you face with resin furniture is fading or dullness that comes along with being outside. You can find resin furniture at just about any discount store. It’s seasonal, so start looking for it to appear on shelves and display floors in the spring. The price for a simple resin chair ranges from $6 to $10 in most places. Chaise lounge chairs made from the same resin are a little more expensive. You can expect to pay $30 to $40 each for those. The price of resin tables varies based on the size. A small table, like an end table or a foot stool, are about the same price as the simple chairs. A large table costs more. The high end of the design in resin furniture is the table with a hole in the middle for an umbrella. In addition to providing shade from the hot sun, an umbrella can really dress up the look of resin patio furniture. A simple green or white table becomes festive when a brightly colored umbrella is thrown into the mix!

So, no matter how much money you have to spend, you can extend your living quarters outside the boundary of tradition. Invest in some patio furniture and you can create an outdoor living room of sorts!

Outdoor Chairs That Are Built To Withstand The Vagaries Of The Weather

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Our homes are filled with many different types of furniture. The most important ones that we are constantly using are chairs. These many different chairs can be used in almost all areas of our house. Of all of these chairs however only the outdoor chairs have the ability of being useful for both in the house and out of doors. You will find many different types and styles of outdoor chairs that are perfect for just about any home.

The added bonus of buying these outdoor chairs is that they are not that expensive and they have been built to withstand the vagaries of the weather. This makes your typical outdoor chair perfect for the summer time, relaxing after raking the leaves during fall, bringing indoors as extra chairs during the winter and taking the spring rains without looking the worse for wear.

As you can see these outdoor chairs are made so that they are durable with the ability of lasting for a number of years. You have a wide choice of outdoor chairs that you can think about buying. In the line of outdoor chairs you will find recliners, fishing stools, folding lawn chairs, sling chairs, sun chairs and lots more.

These outdoor chairs can be found in a variety of brands. You may recognize these names and the chairs. The first outdoor chair brand is that of Adirondack Chairs. In this range you will find chairs made from Red Cherry Wood chairs and Cedar Wood chairs. You will find lawn chairs, camping chairs, patio furniture, rockers and more. Another company that specializes in outdoor chairs is that of Crazy Creek.

The outdoor chairs which are found in this range include ones like beach chairs, portable outdoor chairs, Kayak and canoe chairs, stadium seats, directors lawn chairs and camping chairs. You can also find the world famous outdoor chairs like that of Lafuma chairs. The chairs which are found in this line is that of zero gravity chairs, Sun Chaise Lounge chairs, folding recliners, beach chairs and lots of other interesting chairs which will also have a zero gravity.

These many outdoor chairs will help to make your garden a relaxing as well as attractive place to be in. The various outdoor chairs and brands that you will get to choose from are the reason why looking for outdoor chairs is so much fun. With some luck you will see some outdoor chairs which can also be used for your indoor needs as well.

Teak Patio Furniture Use And Care

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

When the weather gets colder, many homeowners face a dilemma: to keep their patio furniture outside, with proper weatherproofing, or take it inside and try to accommodate in a basement or garage. But with teak patio furniture, you will no longer want to stash the patio set in the basement. Instead, you will want to flaunt it all year long.

Teak patio furniture is becoming more popular each day, with more designers exploring the timeless charm of teak wood. This wood, which grows in Burma, Indonesia and other exotic locations, is extremely durable, light and convenient, and it ages with a stunning grace.

According to historians, woven wicker furniture was first used in ancient Egypt. But since that time teak has become a favorite of garden furniture manufacturers only in the beginning of the 20th century, when white garden furniture has been labeled as boring and the prominent garden decorator Gertrude Jekyll claimed that gray- or green-toned garden furniture is more attractive. Since teak weathers to a beautiful silvery gray, it has soon become a popular wood of choice for many garden and patio furniture manufacturers.

Teak is one of the most valuable woods today. Teak wood grows in severe climatic conditions in Burma and Indonesia. Teak is a very hard wood resistant to wind, pests, sun, and humidity. In addition, teak does not splinter. For centuries, teak was used in marine building, which means that teak patio furniture can be easily left outside even in harsh climate conditions.

One of the most remarkable features of teak wood is its ability to change color with age. When new, its color varies from light to dark brown and over years becomes a light silver gray. The first “gray hair” in teak furniture will be noticeable after three to four months of use, depending on how contrasting the climate conditions are in your area. For example, if you have cold nights and hot sunny days, teak patio furniture will turn to gray faster. Natural teak will become gray in about a year.

To preserve this beautiful taupe shade of gray, you can wash the teak patio furniture every spring with mild detergent and water. To prevent dust accumulation you may wash the furniture with your regular garden hose, keeping the water pressure at low.

Even though teak wood does not splinter, it may develop small cracks with time. Teak wood contains a high amount of natural wood oils, so it will not develop deep structural cracks. There is no need to treat teak wood with any kind of wood sprays or oils to protect it; however, the teak wood oil does create a pretty surface sheen. You may apply oil when you plan to leave the teak furniture outside for a long period of time, or when the wood starts to show gray.

Since in most cases teak wood is left untreated when used for teak patio furniture, you should avoid spilling food or drinks on the wood surface. If you do happen to “leave your mark”, don’t use any harsh detergents to remove it. Any marks will eventually fade with time. When the stain is noticeable, you may scrub the area with mild sandpaper. Ultra-violet rays also damage the sheen of the teak furniture, and an annual treatment with properly labeled teak wood oil is recommended. Make sure that your teak wood furniture is clean and dry before treating, because you don’t want to trap any water under the coat of oil.