There is no better way to enhance you garden than to add it a wooden garden furniture which gives it a warm and more natural touch than other materials such as plastic and iron. On the other hand, many people are discouraged from purchasing wooden garden furniture because they associate it with a lot of maintenance and protection against unfavorable weather conditions such as rain. However, wooden garden furniture does not necessarily require more maintenance than garden furniture made of other materials including plastic which is renowned for easy maintenance and durability.
How much maintenance wooden garden furniture requires depends on several factors including the climate and the type of wood it is made of. There are many different types of wood each of which has unique characteristics. Some types of wood are resistant to splintering, some to cracking, some to water and the others to decay. For that reason the choice of wood the garden furniture is made of plays the key role in its maintenance.
Timber used for outdoor furniture such as garden furniture can be roughly divided into softwood and hardwood. Softwood refers to timber derived from coniferous trees such as pine. It is easy to work and is less expensive than hardwoods but it is also less durable. Hardwood, on the other hand, is more durable but it is generally more difficult to work and is also more expensive. Examples of hardwood that are most often used for garden furniture include oak, iroko, shorea and teak.
Garden furniture made of hardwood requires less maintenance than furniture made of softwood such as pine but it requires treatment with an oil or varnish at least once per year, depending on type of wood and your climate. You can easily leave garden furniture made of hardwood outdoors without the fear of being damaged by the sun and rain, while furniture made of softwood needs to be protected from rain and other unfavorable weather conditions either by covering or storing. In addition, garden furniture made of pine will last about 10 years if taken well care of, while most hardwoods last about two to three decades, some even with virtually no maintenance except for treatment with an oil once per year.
Teak is the best example of wood that requires almost as little maintenance as plastic. It is made of hardwood species Tectona grandis that is native to south and southeast Asia and has been used shipbuilding for centuries. Teak is famous for its exceptional water-resistance due to a type of oils that prevent the water from penetrating. These oils also protect it from insects such as termites which makes teak an ideal material for all types of outdoor furniture. It is extremely durable and will last about 30 years with literally no maintenance. All you need to do is to coat it with teak oil once per year to preserve its natural color but you may also allow it to “age”.
Iroko and shorea have similar properties as teak and require virtually no maintenance. Both are resistant to water and insects but shorea is less durable, while iroko offers less stability than teak. Oak and some other types of hardwood require more maintenance because they are not water resistant. It is recommendable to cover oak furniture during rainy days and when not in use to protect it from water as well as to store it during the winter months. Protecting the furniture from getting wet by covering it takes few minutes only but over time it can become very annoying not to mention unpractical.
As you see, maintenance of wooden garden furniture primarily depends on the type of wood your furniture is made of. For that reason you should not rush when choosing a new wooden garden furniture and pay attention to the type of wood it is made of, especially if you are looking for elegance and convenience. In this case, you will not regret if choosing teak garden furniture which is highly elegant and requires virtually no maintenance. Teak is more expensive than other types of wood but considering it lasts up to three decades it may be even more cost-efficient than other, less expensive types of wood. Either way, you should take time to think through your options very well because a new wooden garden furniture is not a small investment.