Metal and Wrought Iron

Untreated wrought iron will be prone to rust so try to choose iron patio furniture that has a powder coat finish or has had an electrophoresis treatment which will help the metal to be more durable, specifically with the biggest problem, rusting.

You can get treated wrought iron patio furniture sets that include 4 chairs with curved arms and full backs and a large 40 inch round style table for under $400. The cheapest small bistro sets can be bought for just over $200. In most cases these sets, although they are a bit of an investment initially, will be maintenance free and will last for many years even if exposed to the elements during inclement weather.

Patio Furniture Covers

Even if you choose treated or powdercoated finishes, it is advisable to cover your wrought iron or metal furniture when exposed to prolonged rainy conditions or during winter months. Vinyl or polyester patio furniture covers will protect and increase the lifespan of your tables and chairs for a very small investment. A good choice would be the Terrazzo outdoor covers sold through Sure Fit. They cost between $25 and just over $30 and are not just stylish but made from durable heavy duty fabric with elastic StayON loops and a cord around the bottom hem so that the covers won’t slip off. They also have vents so there is airflow, yet the outer material being Rain-Tie, will protect from moisture, rain, and even cracking in hot or extremely cold weather.

The Need For Patio Furniture Cushions For Wrought Iron Chairs and Lounges

One other consideration when choosing metal or iron (over wood, rattan or wicker furniture) is that in general the seats are lattice slats of iron and are not very comfortable for sitting on without some kind of padding or without thick patio furniture cushions. Iron tends to be more decorative than comfortable, and is therefore recommended for deck, garden or patio bistro themes, or for areas that you will use for entertaining and dinning and not for lounging in the sun or getting really cozy with a book. Although there are wrought iron lounge chairs, as a whole, iron furniture pieces are much more for formal usage and give an air of elegance rather than a laidback or casual atmosphere of relaxation.

We recommend, if you are looking for patio dining furniture because you enjoy outdoor entertaining and/or have afternoon tea or luncheons in your garden, then wrought iron is a great choice, however for poolside or garden leisure, or if you mainly use your outdoor space to have barbeques, play with the children, relax in the sunshine or read, then you may want to consider casual patio furniture styles in rattan, wicker or teak. That said, there are gorgeous iron lounge chairs that cost about $170. However, please note that these will come without any kind of padding, and obviously cushions will be a must.

The cushions you will need, unfortunately can cost almost as much as the chaise lounge iron frame, making a complete patio lounge chair or chaise cost over $250 in many cases. If this is within your budget, then you certainly will have an elegant and comfortable place to relax, however it is a more expensive option as a whole.

DC America makes some very elegant chaise lounge chairs, specifically the Charleston design, which is beautiful for a poolside or grassy backyard area, however it’s not really cheap. The frame costs over $200 and the cushions are sold separately. You can spend as much or as little as your budget allows by choosing the top Sunbrella weatherproof fabrics or cheap alternatives from discount cushion shops. Please see related information in Outdoor Patio Furniture Cushions that recommends some of the top Sunbrella products, and also find other ideas in Decorating Your Outdoor Space: Using Natural Fabrics and Exotic Motifs for Patio Cushions.

ICI is another furniture manufacturer you should keep in mind for high quality and uniquely designed garden patio furniture in wrought iron. They have the classic Mandalay decorative styles and contemporary models that are less curly and swirly but more angular/clean lined.

Artistic Luxury Patio Furniture by KNF

If you’re looking for something genuinely artistic and unusual to give your patio or outdoor space some extra personality, then we recommend looking into a shop called FrontGate where you can get unique luxury patio furniture designed by KNF. One such outstanding set is the Mosaic Outdoor Dining Furniture that features a stone tabletop with thousands of mosaic tile and stained glass inlays set together with powdercoated and weather resistant wrought iron. Matching chairs are delicate, simple and elegant, ideal with cushions to accent the colors of your bistro or outdoor dinning area. Exclusive KNF garden and patio furniture is not a cheap option, however it one of the most elegant options if your budget allows for a little luxury.

We’re not going to recommend very cheap patio furniture designs made from resin because, although they may be a practical solution, they’re available through most home improvement stores and are not a large investment. Therefore, we move onto aluminum patio furniture choices which we believe offer good value as an alternative to resin yet without the larger investment iron.

Aluminum Patio Furniture

When we talk about aluminum patio furniture it may bring to mind cheap aluminum folding chairs for $20 or $30 that have simple canvas seats. While this may be a budget shoppers choice for a quick fix, it isn’t a permanent solution to decorating your outdoor space, nor is it very elegant or decorative if what you ultimately desire is a dinning area or bistro or even a lounging space with some style. So, what we hope to help you with is finding affordable alternatives to iron by choosing what is called cast aluminum patio furniture that actually looks very similar to wrought iron but is CAST instead of forged or crafted by hand from separate pieces or soldered together.

The most popular and practical, as well as genuinely affordable, are the cast aluminum benches that can be used in a garden, on a deck or porch or even alongside tables instead of loveseats or traditional chairs in your outdoor dinning space. One affordable choice would be the Nassau Cast Aluminum Bench that is only about $170 through dealers like Living Direct. The beauty of this piece is that it’s totally rust free having been coated with many layers of powder paint, in either antique bronze or a black finish, that protects it from all the damage the elements may present.

A classic choice, although nothing new to the world of gardens and decks and patios, is the forever delicate and elegant bistro set, traditionally in wrought iron, but now available in cast aluminum. There is a patio furniture store, part of the Hayneedle shops, which offers a gorgeous three piece bistro set that won’t ever rust and is a real bargain at just $230 for two chairs and the bistro table that has a hole ready for an umbrella if you wish to add a little shade. The great thing about these pieces of furniture is that they’re really lightweight and can be moved around a lot more easily than the wrought iron ones. There are several styles to choose from, one that is larger will cost about $40 more, and is called the Tea Rose design.

Large Outdoor Patio Furniture Sets In Cast Aluminum

We’ve mentioned that patio dining furniture in cast aluminum is a more affordable choice, and that is basically true, however if you need a very large set, for example a table that seats 8 and the matching chairs, although it will still be cheaper than iron, you will need to budget a little over $2,000 even if you go with aluminum. There’s a beautiful and very functional choice by Oakland Living that’s called the Mississippi and comes in an antique bronze finish and features a large oval table and 8 matching chairs. The complete 9 piece patio furniture set costs just under $2,300 and is available for ordering online through dealers who specialize in outdoor Oakland Living furnishings.

Is Wooden Patio Furniture Still A Good Option?

When you decide to buy patio furniture and invest in quality products that will last, you may be wondering if wooden patio furniture is still a wise choice considering the maintenance free and long-lasting options that are now so readily available in iron, aluminum and innovative wicker resin designs. The answer to this question is that buying pine or wooden furniture that is just painted or stained, or choosing natural wicker that’s untreated, or going with really cheap patio furniture that has little or no weather protection, is akin to throwing your money, and hard work designing a comfy outdoor space, down the drain.

The wind and rain and sun will damage your furniture in a single season unless you have a full patio enclosure or a gazebo that is closed, or unless you use vinyl patio furniture covers every time it rains or snows and unless you repaint, seal, varnish or maintain the wooden or wicker pieces on a regular basis. There is a lot of work involved in maintaining wooden pieces, and they simply do not last. However, there is one exception and that is choosing high quality teak patio furniture that will withstand a great deal of abuse and require much less care than other types of wood or natural materials. Oiled, or treated, teak will withstand harsh weather. The wood will slightly change color over time, but it won’t rot or disintegrate like other woods.

One place to shop for teak is ironically called All Things Cedar, where you can find some good bargains on chaise lounge chairs for about $300, although that will not include the cushions. As you will notice, teak is not a cheap patio furniture solution by any means. In fact it is one of the most expensive routes to take when decorating your garden, poolside or deck.

Why is teak a good choice?

Teak is a very dense wood. Its natural density makes it resistant to wetness and therefore not prone to rot. It is almost impervious to the usual damage that sun and rain and wind and even snow and cold temperatures also because the teak wood is high in natural oils. If the furniture has additionally been kiln dried so as to have tight joints and also has been oiled for extra protection, you can be quite confident that your chairs, lounges and tables will not get damaged easily by the elements even over a period of time. In fact, the wood will develop more character, a richer tone and a warm outdoor look of wear that actually enhances its grace.

Why is casual patio furniture made from teak so expensive?

In part teak, otherwise know as Tectona Grandis, is expensive because it comes primarily from Java, Burma (Myanmar), India, Thailand and other Asian countries where deciduous trees can thrive. Although it is a tropical species, it requires unique conditions that are dry, and therefore not a rainforest species, and thrives in Southeast Asia where dry, hot temperatures combine with hilly regions that allow for the large trees to grow on plantations specific for harvesting the wood for commercial purposes. And that brings us to yet another price factor that concerns teak.

Teak is not a cheap wood to produce since it takes a lifetime for a tree to reach maturity, up to 60 yeas, and therefore new plantations may not see a profit for a very long time.

The most famous plantations are on Java and date back to the 1800s, and are now monitored and regulated so as to protect them from disappearing by poor harvesting methods.

So, due to the locations where teak thrives, the length of time it takes to grow and the strict harvesting rules involved, teak is the gold of woods and is therefore expensive. For more information please see Outdoor Teak Furniture where you will find detailed advice regarding shopping for teak as well as many more unique design ideas for those who absolutely have their heart set on wooden patio furniture.

Another huge problem on my patios and patio furniture, aside from the elements, is the ever abundant (and not so friendly) bird droppings that if left, eat away at vinyl and plastic patio furniture and discolor and stain wood (even teak) and tarnish metal patio chairs. Before getting covers I also went through several patio cushions due to the un-toilet trained neighborhood birds.

Patio Furniture Covers for Protection

Prior to living in Spain, I spent many years in Asia where I had (in one home) two patios and where without patio furniture covers my teak lounge chairs and other furniture wouldn’t have lasted one monsoon or typhoon season, not because of storms and high winds, but just the daily constant drizzle and moisture in the air during certain months.

outdoor patio furniture sets made of wicker disintegrated before my eyes and literally turned into a pile of mush in less than 3 months. A patio furniture cover is well worth the price because otherwise every year or two (or less if it’s rattan or whicker) you find yourself wanting to buy new chairs and tables because even the plastic resin patio furniture becomes stained, mildewed and often cracked and unstable after a very short period of time if left exposed.

Covers To Slip on and Off

One of the things that is annoying about having to cover patio furniture is that they must be put on and taken off of each item, and so many of us will get lazy and not do it every night as we should.

There is a great solution to having to individually stretch a cover over each piece of patio furniture, and that is using a table and chair covers that are combined into one easy to toss covering over all the items together. All you have to do is set the furniture together and plop the cover over the group and you’re done. When shopping for them, they have many names but the most common is a patio set cover and they will come in specific sizes depending on your furniture models.

There are exact covers to perfectly match most of the common styles and brands, even the smaller bistro tables and chairs or the long lounge teak or resin sets that are odd shapes to cover.

An outdoor patio furniture cover for any kind of furniture should allow you to have like-new chairs and tables year after year, not to mention the fact that when you go to sit on your outdoor patio furniture they will be clean and not full of leaves, bird droppings, moisture, blackened with mildew or covered with fuzzy green mold or moss.

An outdoor furniture cover needn’t be a difficult thing to put on and remove quickly, and furniture covers needn’t only be for winter or inclement weather, but can be used at night or during the week when you spend less time outdoors. Slip them on, slip them off. Make it a habit.

Even if you have a patio that is covered and has a roof which extends over your porch or over a deck or patio area that appears to get less direct sun and rain, the furniture may still some added protection from wind and moisture and even subzero temperatures that can make patio chair cushions and other outdoor furniture becomes cracked, crinkly or crisp and not nice to sit on.

Covers can also protect fabric cushions without having to bring them inside every night.

In the spring, as we saunter through home improvement centers, garden centers or outdoor furniture retailers, and we see all the choices, we begin to think about buying a furniture cover or an outdoor patio cover because they’re in front of us. But that’s just a little too late.

By the time spring and summer come, our poor patio furniture has already taken a beating all fall and winter, and without covers or without a patio awning or other protection overhead, we already have a mess to clean up, a deck to renovate, or at least sand and polish, and a lot of chairs and a table to scrub or repair or toss in the garbage. It also means that we probably haven’t enjoyed more than half the year of using our deck or patio, and it means we never thought about buying a patio heater or an aluminum patio cover or about an enclosure so we could have barbeques and outdoor fun all year.

Maximize Patio Potential

Patio cover designs today are not just for summer heat or for protection against the sun, knowing how to build a patio and using the right materials and patio cover plans should allow for warmth and protection during the months when we most need a little fresh air and a break from being indoors – autumn and winter and even early spring.

With a little planning, a few outdoor patio furniture covers, a heat lamp, a retractable patio awning or an enclosure around your patio roof, you can maximize your deck or patio potential. The secret is to plan around what your needs are, what the weather is like in your region and what will be the best materials for quality construction of an outdoor space that is covered.

Patio Furniture Protection

You also need to know how to protect the furniture you already have so it lasts as long as possible. Waterproof patio furniture covers will help prevent corrosion or rust on your metal or wrought iron patio tables and chairs.

Even soft coverings that are not vinyl will protect outdoor furniture from dust, dirt, bird droppings and that fine layer of residue from pollen or mold, and also from the effects of the sun.

Just because your furniture doesn’t get wet or rained upon or snowed on doesn’t mean it can go without a cover.

Easy On, Easy Off Patio Covers

You need to find a patio furniture cover set that will be easy to put on and take off, something with an elastic and draw-cord around the bottom otherwise the covers may go unused.

Try to stay away from the patio covers that have lots of ties to do up and un-do, or the ones with rope that you have to thread through grommet holes. The simplest, lightest, most hassle free patio furniture covers are best.

Buy the ones you will actually USE all year.

Patio Chair Cushion Storage

Cushion storage bags to protect even the most expensive patio chairs are a good solution all year round. The bag can be left on the deck or patio to be able to easily slip the cushions into every day in summer.

For winter storage, pack the clean, dry cushions in the bag and store indoors. There are some rather stylish covers in khaki polyester or in vinyl that are hunter green in color. These elegant patio furniture covers are all water-resistance and yet allow your cushions and furniture some airflow.

If you select a cushion storage bag make sure these also have mesh vents for air flow to minimize mold and mildew should they be stored for long periods of time.

Awnings

Patio covers that are known as a porch awning are usually attached the roof where the patio area begins. They will usually be made from an aluminum or metal frame and have some form of fabric that is either stable and fixed in place or is retractable so the porch can be totally open or covered as you desire.

The benefits of these types of patio covers is that they do not alter your house structure and can be relatively cheap when considering the alternative which may a total enclosure made of wood, metal or glass. The downside is that they are open to the elements from the front and sides and really only protect your patio from sun, light rain or very light snow flurries, but are no use for protection from wind or storms or heavy snow. In fact many a patio awning must be taken down or retraced against the wall or into a tube during bad weather, or if your area receives snowfall in winter.

Canopies

These patio covers are low cost overall, but again are an aluminum frame with fabric so are not permanent nor totally weather proof. The canopies that have partial walls or screens on the sides may serve to protect from the cold, if you have a patio heater inside, but will not work in heavy rain or snow. The benefits are price if compared to the cost of fixed enclosures, and the fact that they are portable and may be used in summer throughout the yard or garden as well as serving as a patio cover on a deck or raised area in the front or back of your house.

They are also ideal play areas for children and can be great to protect against insects if they have fabric or mesh screens along the sides. Canopies can be bought in styles that resemble tents and therefore can be very decorative and suitable for parties and large gatherings. Canopy patio covers can also be purchased in fashion colors to match all your patio furniture, even matching fabric on patio chair cushions.

I recommend having patio table and chair covers if you are going to use a canopy because wind and rain may get inside and under the canopy and ruin your furniture. Also it is best to either take down the canopy or heat it during winter. If you have heavy snowfall in your area, place your canopy under roof or some other patio cover because a canopy is bound to collapse under the weight of snow.

Patio Shades

The least expensive options are patio shades which are very different is shape and size these days. Not just a round umbrella, but a patio shade can be a v-shaped patio sail, also called shade sails. Shade sails may be stretched over the patio or garden or a mix of deck and garden to have outdoor shade wherever you most need it. These sun shades are light and really easy to put up and take down and can even be fasted to trees or lampposts or anything from which the three points can be attached with a long cord.

Sails look very contemporary in fun colors or can be classic in white. There are also a variety of patio screens, some built in as part of the house and others portable with screens and fabric attached around a large metal frame, or added to the outer walls of the patio enclosure. Portable patio covers are really versatile, because you can use them one day over the porch or patio or deck, another day in the garden like a mini marquise tent, and another day you can take it to the seaside and use as a shady area for lunch, changing, or just relaxing between swims. They are lightweight and usually come in portable cases making them good if you only use them on special occasions. Match your sail up with some comfortable patio furniture and quality garden lights and you can quickly and easily set up an outdoor living area for impromptu parties on long summer evenings.