Wood furnishings give a warmly casual and inviting look to the outdoor environment. Whether placed under a tree, a landscaped yard or a patio, wood pieces will never fail you in your outdoor furniture projects. But what are the best woods for outdoor furniture?
In short, these woods are definitely worth considering:
- Acacia
- Teak
- Cypress
- Oak
- Eucalyptus
- Pine
- Cedar
Since outdoor living has been taken in by many people, outdoor furniture should receive equal treatment as indoor furniture. Although not all woods are suitable for outdoor furniture, you will not find any better material with a rustic appeal and natural beauty than wood.
What to look for in outdoor Furniture
Outdoor furniture should be hardy as outdoor conditions are relatively harsher. The best outdoor furniture should however, not only be durable and weather-resistant but also one that does not require frequent maintenance processes like refinishing. Outdoor furniture is gaining equal popularity as indoor furniture due to how good it helps people unwind from daily pressures.
The wood used for garden furniture can be classified into two major categories, softwood and hardwood. Hardwood is the most commonly preferred due to its superior weather and rot resistance. Softwood is also good enough for outdoor furniture, just that it needs frequent treatment and maintenance. This text has a good selection of worthy wood for outdoor furniture, related tips, treatment and maintenance procedures and an explanation of how to store the wood safely you select.
Possible woods
Regardless of your furniture design and style, you have to choose good wood that will last for years. Here is a list of the best woods to help you narrow down your options when making a choice:
Acacia
Native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the world, Acacia is a dense and durable wood commonly used for outdoor furniture. A mellow glow characterizes the wood, although the color may change to a dark gray on weathering. Its ease to craft into different styles makes it a popular choice for outdoor furniture. Acacia is lighter compared to other woods, making it suitable for making movable or liftable items such as lawn chairs.
Acacia has found other uses in the medicine and food industry. Due to this, harvesting and processing activities have been optimized, leading to a reduction in the cash that you will spend if you want to purchase it for outdoor furniture projects. Longer pieces of Acacia can be used to create buffet tables and other longer tables. This is made possible due to the possibility of an Acacia tree grow to up to 82 feet.
Durability of Acacia
If your outdoor furniture will be used for relatively rough activities, Acacia is the right choice for you. With this scratch-resistant material, you will not worry about frequent touch-ups, finishing and wood filling. Based on the growing location and cut, Acacia exists in varying grain patterns. The patterns create an exotic look that is attention-seeking. Simple maintenance processes such as wiping the furniture surface with a damp cloth to remove dust must, however, be done. Acacia should not be placed in scorching environments as it is prone to warping.
Teak
Teak is characterized by a golden color, straight tight grains with an oily touch. Due to the excessive oiling that occurs in teak, the wood is denser than other wood varieties. If you are not concerned with the color change of teak to the majestic silver glow, you should choose teak for your patio sets. Teak requires cleaning only once a year. There are specialized teak cleaners made for colored spills that may occur on the furniture sets.
Despite its higher cost than other woods, teak has been used for very many outdoor furniture projects. Teak has excellent resistance to harsh weather and many exist for long without maintenance. With teak, you should not worry about very harsh weather conditions as it is resistant to dirt, moisture direct sunlight and insects.
If you live in arid climates, teak is an excellent choice for you as it moisturizes due to oiling. The naturally occurring rubber and oils in teak, not to mention its very high density makes teak top in the list of woods for outdoor furniture. Although teak’s grain experience cracks due to humid conditions, they go when these conditions change. Since teak is easy to work with, you may utilize it to make sun lounges, chairs, bench seats and tables.
Cypress
New and natural cypress has a natural honey tone. The color of cypress changes to pewter gray on weathering. To inhibit the graying process of cypress, a sealer containing UV inhibitors should be used. Cypress is arguably one of the woods with the best decay and rot resistance properties. Cypress is a very stable wood hence it is not prone to shrinking and swelling.
The scarcity of mature cypress trees has limited the use of cypress for outdoor furniture. This is not to say that you should not use cypress if it is available in the area you live in. This natural material has been commonly used to craft stylish outdoor spaces. With proper maintenance, cypress will, without a doubt, provide lifetime good looks for your outdoor furniture.
Oak
Despite there being over 600 types of oak, the most commonly used varieties for outdoor furniture are the red and white species. You will never fail to recognize oak due to its unique, beautiful surface patterns. Although the grain is straight, you will find its pores fully open or entirely sealed by tyloses. Oak is one of the most ancient types of woods that were used to make both indoor and outdoor furniture. Its uniformity and excellent strength have made it find use in very many modern outdoor projects.
Oak can be crafted into a veneer, making it suitable for covering coarser types of woods or other materials used for outdoor projects. Since the color change in oak is subtle, you may not notice it when it happens. Oak species with open pores readily absorb finishes making it very easy to change their look.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus has a characteristic brownish color that fades to an elegant and attractive silver sheen. Experts predict that Eucalyptus may be relatively more robust than teak. With this, you can be assured that Eucalyptus will remain intact even after longtime use as outdoor furniture.
On the other end, Eucalyptus is prone to shrinkage and cracking. This wood also requires ground covers and frequent treatment to prevent damage. If you, however, need an affordable, lightweight, customizable and insect and pest-resistant lumber for your outdoor furniture, then Eucalyptus is the best choice.
Pine
Despite its shade variations, pine is generally characterized by a creamy white look. Pine is very stiff and has an excellent resistance to shock making it a popular choice for outdoor furniture projects. Pine also has a distinct look due to the darker grain knots than the wood itself. Pine is cheaper than other woods due to its faster growth rate and market demand.
Due to its more excellent resistance to swelling and shrinking, pine maintains its original shape for a longer time. Because of its high tendency to scratch, pine requires frequent repair and finishing to retain it in its original form. Since pine is prone to excessive knotting, you should only choose quality pieces to ensure that there are no weaknesses in your outdoor furniture after some time.
Cedar
Cedar blends harmoniously with outdoor environs due to its deep luster and highly textured grains. The most common and widely used variety of cedar for outdoor furniture is red cedar. The color may fade to gray on weathering. Cedar is an excellent bug repellant, thanks to its aromatic scent. Cedar can maintain its attractive look for many years.
Rustic charm of Cedar
Cedar is soft to the touch and never overheats. This has seen it find use in making outdoor lounge chairs and decks. Cedar has a rustic charm that creates an architectural aesthetic that you would not want to miss in your outdoor landscape. You will require only standard woodworking tools when working with cedar as it is very customizable in terms of shape and size.
Easily treatable
If you operate an outdoor bar, you may choose the Spanish cedar as it is very easy to treat. The Spanish cedar is easy to sand and cut in the required shapes for this project. Since cedar is generally compatible with finishes, you should not be worried about whether it will fit right with all the other outdoor furniture. The availability of cedar in your location will determine its price.
Tips when making outdoor furniture
Before you go shopping for woods for your outdoor furniture, you need to keep in mind these factors:
Indoor furniture style
While you want your outdoor furniture to create a great first impression for people visiting your home, you must make sure that it will match the furniture indoors. To create harmony and consistency in style, you should consider your outdoor as an extra room in your home. The outdoor wood should blend with indoor furniture in terms of color and make material. Consistency in this context does not, however, mean that you have to force all outdoor furniture to match your indoor needs.
Prevailing weather in your area
Not all woods can withstand extreme weather conditions. You should evaluate the wood options available in your location and then compare their resistance to harsh climate. The most common weather conditions to study in your area are precipitation, sunshine, humidity and wind.
Cost
Cost is a significant consideration that determines the wood you will use in the long run. Creating outdoor furniture that you will enjoy spending time in is worth the relatively higher cost of wood compared to other materials. You should buy your wood from a reputable wood store to ensure that you get value for your money. To strike a balance between price, quality and durability, you may as well use several types of woods for your outdoor furniture.
Strength
Since some outdoor fittings are exposed to rigorous treatment, you need to use sturdy wood that will maintain its original shape even after such treatments. The wood you choose must not be compromised by carpentry work. For example, the surface grain should not be significantly distorted by hammering. Choose woods such as teak if you want sturdy furniture.
Durability
This is a composite term describing factors including resistance to pests, insects, decay, fungus and unexpected shock. The good thing is that if your wood does not exhibit these features, there are ways to safeguard your wood from these conditions. You should, however, choose woods with naturally existing resistance for improved and extend service of the furniture they make.
Maintenance needed
As discussed above, some woods require less maintenance than others due to surface and resistance properties. If you want to make your outdoor furniture project budget friendly in the long run, you should select woods requiring less maintenance. Teak still beats other wood types in this aspect.
How to treat outdoor furniture
Apply finishes
To enhance or change the color of the grain or the entire furniture, you should consider applying finishes. Oil finishes seal the wood pores making the furniture moisture resistant. Stains and paints offer protection against sunlight and also prevents warping by trapping significant moisture in the wood. Some preparation steps, such as sanding and cleaning, must be done before the application of finishes.
Wood filling
Wood fillers correct problems such as excessive scratches and putties. Since wood fillers are simple and easy to apply, they should always be available when you want to remedy surface imperfections. You may purchase already prefilled wood if you don’t want to spend much time in your outdoor furniture project.
Frequent cleaning
If, for example, you have an outdoor furniture dining set, you should clean it after every meal. After cleaning, make sure that your furniture is thoroughly wiped to ensure that no water traces are left on the surface since the moisture can attract other foreign materials such as dust. You should also acquire specialized cleaners for tough stains on your furniture.
Protection and storage of your furniture
Protection and storage of outdoor furniture are needed in case you will stay for a long time without their use or when the weather conditions are very harsh to cause total destruction to your furniture. You must, however, expose your furniture to the above treatment steps before storage.
One of the best methods of protecting your outdoor furniture under such conditions is using an under cover. Since these materials come in all sizes, you will find one that perfectly matches your furniture size. Furniture covers come in handy in the summer and spring seasons. Complete removal of the outdoor furniture to storage is recommended for seasons such as winter as no wood will withstand the intense humid environments.
Conclusion
Although each wood you choose must have advantages and disadvantages, the best wood for your outdoor furniture is the one that fits all your needs in a reasonable budget. Whether you want to build a garden bench, a picnic table for outdoor meals or a chair set, you will not exhaust the wood options to choose from. Don’t forget to treat and protect the outdoor furniture you build if you want it to serve you for long.
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