Choosing Materials for Garden Furniture: Rattan or Metal?
Are you currently scouting for garden furniture to furnish your outdoor spaces? If so, you might be wondering whether it's better to go for the traditional and widely popular rattan furniture, or those made of metals such as wrought iron or the more modern aluminum. Your choice of material has a big impact on the durability and resilience to the elements of your furniture pieces, not to mention the feel or mood they inspire in your outdoor areas. Check out each of these common material's qualities and recommended uses, to guide you in deciding the best one to go for.
Rattan
Because it's a natural plant material, rattan is often an effortless choice when it comes to furnishing outdoor spaces with furniture pieces that blend in with landscaped gardens or the natural environment. Outdoor rattan furniture is lightweight, resilient to sunlight, humidity and dust, easy to clean and also flexible to a certain degree, making it a comfortable yet durable choice. It inspires a laidback and tropical feel, and is perfect for summer use.
Wrought Iron
Wrought iron is another classic when it comes to outdoor garden furniture materials. It is a hardy and heavy material that works best for furnishing formal outdoor settings, as it offers a classic look of luxury to the spaces it fills. Traditional antique-style designs such as small chairs with intricate motifs inspire the classic French style, and are perfect for small kitchen gardens or quiet spots for afternoon tea. Contemporary designs of wrought iron furniture are also available, and are the ideal choice for windblown spots as their weight will resist tipping over even in windy environments. Look for wrought iron pieces that are painted or powder-coated to prevent rusting and corrosion. Note that furniture made of this material would likely need to have cushions to provide you better comfort, and may need to be repainted every so often to protect it from rust.
Aluminum
If you want the durability and weight-bearing capacity of metal furniture minus the worry about getting it corroded by rust, go for aluminum furniture. This material, especially for furniture productions that use high-grade aluminum, is one of the more expensive types when it comes to outdoor furnishings. However, it is easy to clean, resistant to fading, rusting, and corrosion, and can hold up well to the elements even when left outdoors all year long. Aluminum furniture lends a streamlined, modern look to outdoor spaces, and is durable but lightweight enough to be moved around easily as needed.
As you may have noted, each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. The key in choosing the best one to suit your needs is knowing your priorities and considering the factors involved in your use and maintenance of outdoor furniture. These factors include the usual weather and conditions you anticipate in your outdoor areas, your planned activities and purpose for the furnishings you place outside, the look or theme you want to be consistent with, your budget, and the level of care and maintenance you'd rather your furniture pieces require. Considering these factors will help you pick out not only the suitable material for your outdoor pieces, but also the right design, size, color, and shape of furniture that'll best fit your needs.
Rattan
Because it's a natural plant material, rattan is often an effortless choice when it comes to furnishing outdoor spaces with furniture pieces that blend in with landscaped gardens or the natural environment. Outdoor rattan furniture is lightweight, resilient to sunlight, humidity and dust, easy to clean and also flexible to a certain degree, making it a comfortable yet durable choice. It inspires a laidback and tropical feel, and is perfect for summer use.
Wrought Iron
Wrought iron is another classic when it comes to outdoor garden furniture materials. It is a hardy and heavy material that works best for furnishing formal outdoor settings, as it offers a classic look of luxury to the spaces it fills. Traditional antique-style designs such as small chairs with intricate motifs inspire the classic French style, and are perfect for small kitchen gardens or quiet spots for afternoon tea. Contemporary designs of wrought iron furniture are also available, and are the ideal choice for windblown spots as their weight will resist tipping over even in windy environments. Look for wrought iron pieces that are painted or powder-coated to prevent rusting and corrosion. Note that furniture made of this material would likely need to have cushions to provide you better comfort, and may need to be repainted every so often to protect it from rust.
Aluminum
If you want the durability and weight-bearing capacity of metal furniture minus the worry about getting it corroded by rust, go for aluminum furniture. This material, especially for furniture productions that use high-grade aluminum, is one of the more expensive types when it comes to outdoor furnishings. However, it is easy to clean, resistant to fading, rusting, and corrosion, and can hold up well to the elements even when left outdoors all year long. Aluminum furniture lends a streamlined, modern look to outdoor spaces, and is durable but lightweight enough to be moved around easily as needed.
As you may have noted, each of these materials has its own advantages and disadvantages. The key in choosing the best one to suit your needs is knowing your priorities and considering the factors involved in your use and maintenance of outdoor furniture. These factors include the usual weather and conditions you anticipate in your outdoor areas, your planned activities and purpose for the furnishings you place outside, the look or theme you want to be consistent with, your budget, and the level of care and maintenance you'd rather your furniture pieces require. Considering these factors will help you pick out not only the suitable material for your outdoor pieces, but also the right design, size, color, and shape of furniture that'll best fit your needs.
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