Outdoor Wood Furniture
It is important to take note of how you treat your wood, what are of the country you live in and what climate will impact the look of your piece. It is very important you do not leave your outdoor wood furniture unprotected. No matter what wood you choose, elements will eventually impact the look and ultimately the longevity of your furniture. No matter how durable the wood, you must take care of your piece of furniture.
Before you choose which wood to buy, there are some tips about caring for your new purchase.
- If you choose to leave your wood unfinished, some woods will weather to a nice silvery, grey finish. However, if you are looking for a different look, some woods readily accepts most stains, outdoor paints and wood preservatives. If you choose this route, you will have to continually maintain your wood to keep the look.
- OIL: Clear oil finishes, such as linseed oil, or teak oil work well on many types of wood depending on how porous your wood is. You can use a product like a deck sealer however all of these types of finishes will have to be reapplied every year or two by wiping on another coat.
- VARNISH: A commercial grade clear varnish will work well, and provide a durable weather resistant finish, but will flake as the furniture gets regular wear and tear. In addition, varnish also deteriorates with prolonged exposure to sunlight. This can be a problem as sanding and reapplying can be a labor intensive job.
- SEALER: A deck sealer will protect the wood from the elements, but unless you use a sealer with UV blockers, will not prevent the wood from turning grey from exposure to the sun. Be sure to read the can carefully to make sure you will get the look you want. If you desire an "old" look for your furniture, but still want to ensure a good long life, a deck sealer without UV protection is a very good choice. Deck sealer will need to be reapplied every couple of years, sometimes more, depending on the amount of wear on the seats and arms of your furniture
- PAINTS & STAINS: Most wood will also readily accept most outdoor wood stains and exterior paints. Keep in mind that painted wood furniture, much like a wood fence or wood house siding, will need to be repainted every few years.
Picking a Wood for Your Outdoor Wood Furniture
Here are some popular options for the type of wood available.
Teak
This type of wood is often the leading choice for outdoor furniture. Teak is exceptionally strong and allows narrow parts of a chair to remain strong allowing for endless design options. While teak is a very beautiful wood, and well suited for outdoor wood furniture, its price may make it impractical for your project. Another factor to keep in mind, is that teak is a difficult wood to work with and knowing the experience of your woodworker or manufacturer will be very important.
Teak is very oily, which makes it resistant to moisture, insects and fungus, but also makes it unsuitable for painted or stained finishes. Teak will weather to a silvery gray if left unfinished. Teak, being a tropical hardwood, however, is increasingly rare, very expensive, and will probably not be stocked at your local lumber yard.
Mahogany
Mahogany, like teak, has weather resistant qualities that make it a premier choice for outdoor wood furniture. This is a common benefit to using a dark red heart wood, not the lighter sap wood.
Mahogany is a good choice for outdoor wood furniture, and usually much less expensive than teak. One of the reasons it is cheaper is because of lower labor costs when manufacturing mahogany. It can be glued with standard wood glues, holds fasteners well, and machines and finishes very easily. Mahogany is well suited for paint, stain, varnish and oil finishes. Left unfinished, mahogany will also weather to a silvery gray color.
Redwood
Redwood used to be more readily available and fairly inexpensive. However, there are restrictions today that protects the western coastal redwood forests, and production is strictly controlled. It tends to be expensive and hard to get in the Eastern United States. On the west coast redwood is more readily available, and less expensive, however it is again not as available as it once was. Back 30 years ago, it was one of the choice woods for many outdoor projects and was an excellent choice for outdoor wood furniture.
Redwood heartwood is the most desirable for outdoor wood furniture construction because it has a beautiful red color. Sap wood tends to be light brown or tan and has less of a ‘rich’ feel. As far as weather resistance and ease to work with, redwood is similar to Western red cedar that we outlined below.
Pressure-Treated Wood
Pressure-treated wood is primarily suited to outdoor structural construction like fences and decks. Spruce, pine and fir are commonly used for pressure treated lumber. The wood is dried under a vacuum, and impregnated with chemicals, preserving the wood fibers. While pressure-treated wood provides excellent weather resistance, it is not recommended for outdoor wood furniture that might come into contact with food.
Pressure treated wood can be cut and fastened like any other wood, but special precaution must be taken to ensure that you do not inhale the dust due to the chemicals present in the wood.
Pine or Common Softwoods
Softwoods such as pine, fir, spruce, and hemlock are typically used for lumber construction projects. They offer a relatively low cost so are a good choice for less expensive furniture options. If you choose to use pine or a similar soft wood for your project, you must apply an exterior grade finish to ensure even a reasonable life span for your furniture.
Pine is used in interior furniture mostly in the low to mid-priced shaker and colonial furniture markets, as well as for the rustic furniture buyer. With a properly applied finish, these woods can be a decent inexpensive choice for outdoor wood furniture but it is important to note that these will not last a long time. These wood choices do not have weather resistant properties, and are more prone to warping than the other choices listed above.
Cedar
Although cedar is a softwood, it can be a good choice for outdoor wood furniture. Cedar is usually less expensive than many of the other options available, and because of this, is an excellent choice for a project. It is quite resistant to wear and tear. Cedar contains natural oils that resist decay and insects, as well as provide that pleasant cedar aroma that outdoor enthusiasts love. Cedar is the wood of choice in much of the country for many outdoor applications, such as decks, furniture, fences, shingles and siding. It would make sense that cedar has become a good choice for outdoor wood furniture as well. Because cedar is a softer wood, it is more susceptible to dents and dings, and is less suitable for a clear finish such as spar varnish. If you want a clear finish on your cedar furniture, an oil finish is recommended.
Many manufacturers are choosing cedar for a number of reasons. It is considerably heavier (33%) than most of the furniture you will find on the market. In addition, cedar affords the best value by providing lower cost, lighter weight and excellent weather and rot resistance.
Facts About Cedar as Outdoor Wood Furniture
· Western Red Cedar fibers contain oils that act as preservatives to help the wood resist rot and decay, making it excellent furniture material for moist or humid climates. Among other things, these naturally occurring oils give off that distinct cedar aroma that makes the wood highly unattractive to insects, moths and other pests.
· Cedar is a lightweight, but strong and stable wood that lies flat and stays straight. This means it resists the natural tendency to crack and split.
· Its bacterial and fungal resistance coupled with the fact that Cedar is 80% the strength of Oak, makes it the most desirable wood to use for building Outdoor furniture.
· Cedar readily takes most exterior grade finishes, including paint, stains, spar varnish and oil finishes. If desired, cedar, weathers to a silver-gray, a no-maintenance look preferred by many if left unfinished.