Outdoor furniture or furniture for gardens needs to be rugged and weatherproof. In this article, we will discuss the most common types of woods used in making garden furniture, the ones you can choose for your furniture and some ways to take care of it. Woods are generally divided into two broad categories, i.e. hard wood as well as soft wood. Woods from both these categories can be used to make outdoor garden furniture. Here are some of the most popular wood types used for making outdoor furniture.
Redwood - Redwood is an extremely durable hardwood. Found only in China as well as west coast of the US, the tree has a life span of hundreds and thousands of years. The wood from this tree is straight grained, a little reddish in colour and highly resistant to rot and termites. Furniture made from redwood, if cared for and treated properly, can last for more than 25 years.
Cedar - Cedar is North American softwood. This wood is light coloured, naturally splinter free and is resistant to moulds, insects as well as damp weather. If treated regularly, furniture made from cedar can last for decades. The biggest advantage of cedar is that it grows quickly!
Teak - Teak, due to its looks and shades, is one of the most sought after outdoor furniture woods for both outdoor as well as indoor furniture. This honey brown coloured hardwood is resistant to rot and will last you for more than 5 decades even if left out in the open without being tended to. Teak prices have soared in the past few decades owing to its dwindling stocks and a high consumer demand. Owing to such high prices, consumers are constantly looking for similar durable alternatives. A few of them are eucalyptus, jarrah, shorea and roble.
Jarrah - The reserves of Jarrah are also depleting constantly. Owing to this fact, Jarrah, and Australian wood quality is harvested from forests managed by the government. The government ensures the plantation of new trees.
Shorea - Shorea is exclusively found in Malaysia and Indonesia and is heavier than teak wood. Shorea is available in large quantities making it a nice alternative for the heavily priced teak.
Roble - This hardwood is relatively light weight and is mainly found in the South American dry tropical forests. With proper care, this one can last up to a few decades too.
Tropical Eucalyptus - Eucalyptus is found in Australia. The wooden furniture from this wood type carries with it, a decent price tag. Why? This wood is highly resistance to rot and insects. Unless treated regularly with furniture oil, tropical hardwoods weather and form a silvery deposit over them. Some other forms of wood that can be used for making outdoor garden furniture are Pine, Cypress, Alder and Willow.
