Patio and garden furniture

The best way to make the most out of your garden is by maximising what you can do with it and in order to do this you need to have some garden furniture.

Gardens can be highly versatile and you can use them in any number of ways from socialising to eating, however having somewhere to sit and a table to put things on is essential. Today there is no limit to the variety of garden furniture that you can buy and this means that you can keep things cheap and cheerful, or expensive and luxurious.

Patio and garden furniture options

The way in which people now utilise their gardens has changed dramatically from just a few decades ago. These days, many of us treat our garden as an extension of the house and this means that we want to use it as often as possible.

Garden furniture has also changed during that time, particularly in terms of what is available. Today it is possible to buy cheap all-weather patio chairs and tables, or even fold away patio chairs and tables, for a relatively small amount of money. Equally, you can go to the other extreme and buy a garden dinning suite or a set of relaxation chairs and spend thousands. However, for most people what they want is something that combines functionality and practicality with good looks. If this is what you are after, then there are plenty of options from hardwood to plastic.

Hardwood garden furniture

Garden furniture manufactured from seasoned hardwood remains one of the most popular sellers and there are many reasons for this.

• Firstly, hardwood is durable and capable of resisting the elements. It does require periodic treatment with a preservative, however if looked after properly it can last for many years.
• Secondly, hardwood tables and chairs look good. Natural timber is aesthetically pleasing and it fits in perfectly with any outdoor environment where you have plants, trees, lawns or a patio or decking area.
• Thirdly, hardwood is an easily workable material and this means that there are a huge number of different designs and patterns. This gives you a choice in style, i.e. the design of a chair or table and the way that its legs, seat, backrest and armrests are formed. You also get to select from different wood stains, each offering a lighter or darker shade and the ability to bring out or disguise the grain of the timber.

  Soft cushioning and coloured fabrics enable personalising and colour matching to extend the choice of designs still further and this is why wooden furniture remains so popular. Prices vary from economy to expensive.

Cast iron (wrought iron) patio furniture

Although some what heavy, cast iron garden furniture sets are very durable and this means that they, more than any other material, can be left outdoors whatever the weather. They also have a timeless and trend resistant appeal that gives them a classic appearance. They are normally coated or painted.

Most cast iron tables and chairs are relatively small and they reproduce Victorian or Georgian designs and this makes them distinctive and even regal. However, there are many modern and contemporary designs that add an updated look to this old material.

Some cast iron tables will have an aluminium finish to the top surface and, although very attractive on their own, the comfort of cast iron chairs benefits greatly from the addition of cushioning. (These chair can feel very cold on all but the warmest of days.)

Wrought iron garden and patio funriture is in the medium to high budget price range.

Plastic, metal and fabric composite patio furniture

The biggest change in garden furniture, and particularly affordable garden furniture, has been the introduction of moulded chairs and tables.

The various plastics that are used to make these chairs enable them to be cast into many different shapes and, although seemingly light and flimsy, the clever curved designs result in strong durable chairs. These chairs can come in almost any colour and the plastic material means that they do not rot or decay when subjected to rain and significant variations in temperature.

The latest alternative in the economy patio furniture set uses a coated metal frame with fabric panels for the seats and backrests. These composite chairs, often supplied with a glass topped table, have a more expensive look than their plastic predecessors, but they are still durable. Many come in fold-up form which makes them easy to store. The use of a weatherproof fabric also makes not only colour options, but also patterns options available to the buyer.

Why should you want garden furniture

If you really want your garden to be an extension of your home, then you need to maximise what you can do with it.

The best way to do this is to make it possible to do as many different things outdoors as it is possible to do indoors. This means that you need seating, be they chairs or benches, plus a table or tables. Adding heat with a patio heater and illumination with some outdoor lighting will extend the seasonal periods and times of the day during which you can use your garden and, by having a cabin or summer house, you can combine a controlled environment with still being in your garden.

The important thing to remember about a garden or back yard is that it is probably larger than any single living space within your home, so making the most out of it by furnishing it.