Tips for Buying Outdoor Garden Furniture

There are lots of guides available giving advice on buying the best outdoor garden furniture — but none are written by experts in outdoor furniture who have been working in the industry for over five decades. And we know a thing or two when it comes to garden furniture! In a time when gardens are used for many different activities, ad hoc seating is simply no longer enough. Are you planning to use your garden primarily for entertaining? Or is it somewhere to relax and read? Gardens can easily become extensions of your home, so the right outdoor furniture can match whatever theme or style you’re aiming for. So if you’re looking around online with questions about garden picnic tables or outdoor garden seating, we’ve got the expert tips you really need.

The Question of Style

There will be a list of practical aspects of your garden furniture to think about, and we’ll get to those. But let’s start with style. The reason we’re starting here is that your style choices are going to affect every other choice you make. So let’s think about style and space.

Just like your interiors, your garden’s natural environment will play a key factor when you’re buying garden furniture. Your first choice is to decide whether you want your garden to be an extension of your interior design or a complete departure from it. The right garden furniture can either complement or contrast with your interior decor. For example, you could have a traditional interior design, but you want to counter that with a more minimalist feel in your outdoor space. Something like the Iroko Tri Table has a modern, minimalist feel that can counterbalance a more cluttered or busy home.

Alternatively, you can make your garden an extension of your interiors by using more traditional outdoor garden seating. A popular example of this is cast iron seating, like the classic Brighton Seat.

Now you have an idea of the style you want, it’s time to give some thought to the materials used. Garden picnic tables, outdoor garden seating and garden seats come in a wide range of materials, so you have many options to consider. Choosing the right material is one of the most challenging aspects of buying outdoor garden furniture. That’s why we’ve written a more in-depth guide to materials. But if you’re not looking for a deeper dive, here’s a short version:

• Rattan : A popular choice, but it can be a risk. There are lots of different types of rattan, and they can vary wildly in terms of quality and durability. Natural rattan
  can be very susceptible to dampness, meaning it will get mildewy and even mouldy if you leave it outside. However, rattan is comfortable, even if it does break fairly easily, especially if the kids start picking at the weave!
• Wood : If you’re going traditional, then wood can be a great option. However, just deciding on “wood” is only half the battle! There are so many varieties of wood available for your outdoor garden seat or table, and they each have their fair share of pros and cons. Teak is a reliable choice, as it requires very little in the way of maintenance, and if you’re looking for a classic garden outdoor bench, it’s hard to beat designs like the Lutyens Seat.
• Aluminium : Of course, no discussion of outdoor garden seating is complete without discussing metal as the material of choice. Aluminium is a fairly common option because it doesn’t rust and it’s fairly inexpensive. Unfortunately, you’ll find that aluminium garden furniture often has to be taken inside when the winter rolls around. Otherwise, moisture can seep into the frame, and when it freezes, it can cause cracks.
• Steel and Stainless Steel : Steel is the metal of choice when it comes to the best metal for garden picnic tables and benches. It’s extremely durable, and because of its weight, it’s about as wind-resistant as it comes. One stand-out area of steel and stainless steel is that they hold their value exceptionally well. So when you want to upgrade your outdoor garden seating a few years down the line, you’ll still get a good price for it.
• Recycled Plastic : This is the material many people overlook or maybe don’t even know about. But it’s certainly the option you should take a closer look at if you’re shopping for outdoor garden furniture of any kind. First, there’s the fact it can match both contemporary and traditional styles. Then there’s the obvious advantage of it being maintenance-free, environmentally friendly, rot-proof, insect and weather-resistant, lightweight, and safe for children. Whether it’s a recycled plastic garden outdoor bench or a picnic table, this material really is hard to beat.
• Glass : It’s not seen much, but it’s worth mentioning glass outdoor garden furniture. It can look very aesthetically pleasing, but it raises obvious concerns about durability. If you do decide to go with garden furniture with glass elements, make sure the glass is thick and toughened. Look for a label that says “safety glass”.

Consider the Sun (And the Shade)

This part is less about buying the garden furniture and more about where you’re going to put it. The orientation of your garden outdoor bench or picnic table will affect your enjoyment of it much more than you might have thought.

You want to ensure you face the best view and that your back is to the sights you’d prefer not to see. But whatever you do, don’t forget to consider where the sun is. This will affect whether you see great sunsets (or sunrises for the early birds). Or maybe you don’t want the sun to hit too hard on your outdoor garden seat, so make shade the priority.

Don’t forget you can always add heating, lighting, and even cover to the area around your outdoor garden furniture so that you can optimise almost any outdoor space!

This is an extremely important aspect to consider when choosing outdoor garden furniture. How much space you have will dictate what kinds of furniture you can have. Are you using a patio for your picnic tables or benches? Do you have a lawn that you want to use?

Some key things to consider are:

• If you have a large space that you worry will look a bit sparse, even with larger pieces of garden furniture, you can fill out empty spaces with planters. These can be filled with the thriller, spiller, filler approach to make the area feel busier.
• On the flip side, if you don’t have a lot of space to play with, consider using an outdoor garden bench rather than a full-sized table. This gives you somewhere to relax and enjoy being outside without taking up too much room. The overall goal is to fill the space with furniture that won’t leave your garden feeling too cluttered.

This aspect of buying outdoor garden furniture is very commonly overlooked, but it’s an important factor to consider. Different materials and furniture sizes mean different weights. Consider how you’re going to move your furniture to your location. Some of our outdoor furniture is delivered flat-packed, while others are delivered already assembled. So it’s always worth considering how many parts it will be delivered in, and whether you’re going to be moving the furniture around.

At the same time, you don’t want your outdoor garden seat to blow away in the wind! Don’t forget to consider whether you’re using a patio for your garden furniture. If so, the weight will be much less of an issue.

How much time are you willing to dedicate to looking after your garden furniture? If you spend hours in the garden making sure everything is perfect, this will be less of a concern. Wooden or rattan outdoor furniture will take some looking after in most cases, and even metal garden furniture needs some maintenance.

If you don’t want to spend any time on maintenance, recycled plastic outdoor garden tables are your best bet. They’re absolutely maintenance-free. The most you’ll ever have to do is wipe down any spillages!

That’s pretty much everything you need to know about choosing the right garden outdoor furniture. Remember, a lot of your choices will come down to personal preference, so don’t pay too much attention to those videos telling you what’s best and what to avoid.

With more than 50 years of experience in garden furniture, we know just how important the look and feel of your garden seating is. So if you have any questions and want expert advice, simply get in touch with the team at Earth Anchors . We’ll talk you through your options, so you get the outdoor space you can enjoy for years to come.