Four Ways That You Can Decorate Your Used Patio Furniture

If you have wicker patio furniture that you purchased years ago and you are thinking about getting something new don't do it. There are four ways that you can decorate your used furniture that will extend the life and give it a whole new fresh look that will make it appear that you've just purchased something new. It won't cost you a lot of money and isn't very difficult to perform. What are these four things? Keep reading to find out.

You can always repaint your furniture for a whole new look. Since wicker last for years there is no need to throw it away. If you do then someone else will get these benefits. All you need to do it make sure that it is clean before you do any painting. You can use oil based paint which will help decrease the harmful UV rays from the sun. Or you can use spray paint. Either choice is inexpensive and can be chosen to suit the color décor for your home. If you want to go with a more natural look then you will need to strip the color that is on the wicker if any and use varnish to have a more natural look.

Furniture covers will also give your furniture that extra appeal. You can find many colors and designs to match whatever you might need. The fabric that you choose is also important as you need to be certain to pick something that is based upon long term usage. As your wicker patio furniture will last you want your covers to last as well. Even though it is not expensive you don't want to pick something that you won't get the full monetary value from.

For your outside patio furniture you can get a brand new umbrella. It wears down from much use as well. It protects you from the sun while you are outside in the spring and summer months and also the water at other times. They don't cost a lot of money so it won't hurt your wallet. You can find styles you like in your favorite store or online.

Repurposing your furniture breathes new life into it. Pieces that were formerly used in your dining room may now have a whole new adventure in your backyard. Or certain pieces can you used in your home office or sunroom. When you start to imagine what other places you could use your furniture you will see that your money has been extended and you can have a whole new look in your home.

When you bought your wicker patio furniture it was a wise decision. Not only is it durable and inexpensive but it lasts for years and years. Because it doesn't wear out you might eventually get bored with it, but if you don't throw it out you can find many new usages for those pieces by repainting it, getting new furniture covers, buying a new umbrella or even repurposing it.

Learn more about patio furniture and wicker patio furniture.

Caring For Wood Patio Furniture

Owning wood patio furniture is not as simple as buying the various pieces and then leaving them out on the patio. You need to take care of the wood patio furniture and ensure that they last a long time. How do you do this?

1. Take them inside

One of the most important things you have to learn about wood patio furniture is the fact that exposure to the elements tend to slowly destroy them. Although wood patio furniture is meant to be placed outside, there are certain instances when it would be wise for you to bring them inside.

It is often advisable to bring the wood patio furniture inside when you are facing the winter season. That is, of course, if you are not living in a place where the climate is temperate. This will help you make sure that no moisture gets into the wood and rots it.

By taking the wood patio furniture inside, you would be able to make sure that your investment remains for a long, long time.

2. Buy covers

If you find that carrying those heavy pieces of wood patio furniture needs more effort than you can exert, you might want to consider buying furniture covers instead. When doing so, you need to make sure that you get high quality ones which give your wood patio furniture lots of protection.

When you cover them up, make sure that they are completely covered so as not to let in any dust or moisture. This ought to help you slow down the ravages of the elements.

3. Use rubber leg covers

Many people fail to pay attention to the legs of wood patio furniture. They often go to great lengths to make sure that the body of the furniture remains covered but neglect to see that the legs are exposed just the same to the environment.

Because of this, they are surprised and frustrated when they learn that all their efforts have come to naught. In order to truly protect your wood patio furniture, you need to protect the parts which encounter moisture the most - the legs.

You need to make sure that the legs are not exposed to moisture which could definitely ruin them. A great solution to this would be to give rubber soles to the wood patio furniture. This would help you make sure that the legs remain dry even when the ground is wet.

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Care and Maintenance of Your Outdoor Wood Patio Furniture

Some of the most beautiful Outdoor Patio and Deck Furniture is made from wood. Wood is a natural product, but when exposed to moisture and changes in temperature and humidity, wood will respond in a variety of ways. Proper maintenance of your Wood Patio Furniture will ensure longevity through years of exposure to the elements.

Caring For Different Types of Wood

Teak is perhaps the most desirable and, arguably, the most expensive outdoor wood furniture available. Teak is a beautiful, honey-colored, dense, tropical hardwood that is resistant to insect infestation and contains natural oils which make it resistant to rot and decay. Unfortunately, teak trees require at least 60 years to reach harvestable size, and, because teak furniture is in such high demand, teak supply is not as readily available as supplies of other woods like cedar, oak, or pine. With supplies not able to meet demand, the price of teak has increased dramatically. The advantage of teak, though, is that, with proper maintenance, it can last for more than 50 years, which makes the initial investment worth it for many homeowners.

While cleaning teak is not necessary, it is not a bad idea to clean outdoor teak furniture each year to remove any buildup of pollen, sap, or mildew. Follow each cleaning with a coat of teak oil (optional) if you wish to keep the wood its original honey color.

Other tropical hardwoods, like Eucalyptus, have become increasingly popular as the price of teak has grown prohibitive for many homeowners. Eucalyptus wood, like teak, is beautiful, dense, durable, and resistant to rot and insect infestation. The rapid growth of eucalyptus trees makes them more readily available and more easily affordable. Like outdoor teak furniture, outdoor eucalyptus furniture can be treated with teak oil following an annual cleaning to help preserve the wood's natural color (if desired).

Other popular choices for outdoor wooden furniture include cedar, redwood, oak, and pine. These woods, though (especially pine), must be treated with a preservative to prevent decay, which can occur quickly depending on weather conditions. Protecting this wood furniture with a water-resistant stain, protective oil, or polyurethane is also recommended. Your local hardware store will have many options from which to choose, and a store associate should be able to assist you in selecting the most appropriate protectant for the weather conditions in your area. Furniture should be cleaned annually, and the protectant you choose will need to be reapplied regularly (check manufacturer's instructions for details).

Cleaning Your Wood Furniture

Outdoor wood furniture should be cleaned once a year. Mix one tablespoon of bleach, five tablespoons of a gentle dishwashing liquid, and a gallon of water, and gently scrub the mixture on the surface of your wood furniture with a soft bristle brush. Wash the solution from the furniture, and allow it to dry completely in the sun. Repainting or restaining wood furniture may be necessary at this time to cover and protect any worn or damaged areas.

Protecting Your Furniture From Water, Temperature, and Chemical Damage

No matter what type of wood is used for your outdoor furniture, all woods are susceptible to rot and decay if left in moist, wet, or shady areas for extended periods of time. Wood that becomes saturated with rain water is more likely to warp and rot, so using waterproof protective covers when your furniture is not in use is highly recommended to keep your wooden patio furniture in good shape. The bases of furniture legs are probably the most vulnerable when it comes to water damage. If wood furniture is kept in the grass, at the poolside, or on a surface that collects even a small level of rain water, the legs can become easily saturated and damaged. Covering the bottoms of each furniture leg with rubberized material or small sections of cedar fencing material will help protect your furniture from rotting from the bottom up.

In addition, temperature extremes can take a toll on wood furniture. During the cold winter months, keeping your wooden patio furniture protected in a shed or garage is highly recommended.

Finally, exposure to chemicals including solvents and chlorine, and exposure to common items such as alcoholic beverages, plants and flower nectar, and hot items (off of a grill, for example) can stain or damage wood and many wood finishes. It is also important to prevent plastic objects, like plastic table cloths, toys, placemats, and appliance covers, from lying on wood furniture for a long period of time because plastic can discolor wood. Plastic can also stick to and damage a wood finish.

Lifespan of Outdoor Wood Furniture

The lifespan for any wooden patio furniture depends greatly on the type of wood used and local weather conditions. Properly maintaining your outdoor wood furniture can significantly improve its lifespan and maximize your investment. Outdoor wood furniture makes a comfortable, natural addition to any backyard, deck, patio, or garden, and, with care, it will continue to make a beautiful impression for many years.

Trey Collier is owner of BackyardCity.com, North America's finest Outdoor Casual Living Store, designed and created to help fashion the outdoor living space, deck, porch, or patio you've always dreamed of having. Since 2001, BackyardCity.com has offered internet customers quality outdoor living products, including Wood Patio and Deck Furniture, at very reasonable prices.

Quality Teak Patio Furniture

There has been a real surge in the interest of teak wood patio furniture. With the popularity of the internet and beautiful mail order catalogs consumers are much more aware of the beauty of teak furniture. Import Companies have also made teak wood easier to obtain. Teak is also more affordable now as well.

There are many suppliers of quality teak wood furniture. Quality teak wood patio furniture manufacturers make their furniture by hand and build it to last a long time. A good warranty 0f 10 years and a money back guarantee of 60 days is also a sign of quality. A sign of quality is that flush mortise and tenon joinery is used in every slat for quality. A quality manufacturer will use kiln dried teak between 10-12% moisture content to make sure it will last a very long time. Some manufacturers will first sand by machine then sand by hand after construction.

Teak wood has a high concentration of oil that allows it to last for decades. Teak is resistant to mold, mildew, splintering, rot and insects. It is extremely sturdy and heavy. Teak wood can be as maintenance-free as you would like; maintenance is not truly required.

Teak wood is expensive because it is in high demand and it requires tedious processing. Teak trees are aged 30 to 50 years and then stripped of their bark for three years, as they die a lasting death. The trees are then, cut down. Then the wood is kiln dried for eight months until most of the moisture is gone. Once the wood is dry, the lumber is sliced.

A large amount of the world's teak comes from Indonesia. The Indonesian government manages a majority of the teak supply. Plantations grow a majority of the teak trees. The Plantations operate under the Smart Wood program of the Rainforest Alliance, an organization that encourages ecologically sound practices of timber harvesting.

Lesser quality teak furniture that you get at a big-box store could start deteriorating in only two to three years as opposed to the quality teak that will last anywhere from 30-50 years. One way to determine if you have a quality piece of teak furniture is the price. Usually the higher the price tag, the better the product. However, some dealers get around the high price tags by selling in large volume.
Another way to determine the quality of your teak furniture is the weight of the product. A quality piece of teak furniture is not light! A quality teak chair will weigh in upwards of 35 to 40 pounds. An inexpensive chair from a discount shop will weigh much lighter.

High-quality teak has a smooth grain and no knots or small pieces glued together. A lesser quality piece of teak furniture is likely to be lightweight, knotted and held together with metal screws and bolts.

If you are shopping for high quality teak, do your research. Make sure you are getting your moneys worth.

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