Wood vs Metal
What are you going to use your outdoor furniture for? Are you going to use it for entertainment purposes, or is it for personal use only? How often are you going to use it? Will you be storing it for the winter, or will it sit out through the harsh weather? Are you willing to perform regular maintenance, or would you rather just sit back and relax without concern? All of these questions should be taken into consideration when deciding if wood or metal is better for your patio dining sets and other outdoor pieces.Metal garden patio furniture is a good choice, if you don’t mind a little maintenance. By oiling folding joints every year, keeping the furniture stored during the winter, and regularly treating any areas that become tarnished or rusty, you can make your metal furniture last a long time. It can be especially good for items like outdoor hammocks, being used as a durable stand for the swing, as well as general seating options. It can even reasonably be used as outdoor deck furniture that can be comfortable, relaxing, and affordable.
However, depending on the rest of your garden décor, you may have difficulty blending metal furniture into the surroundings. If you have wood elsewhere, it may be best to stick with the theme rather than mixing materials. For example, if you have outdoor bar furniture, chances are that it is made of wood of some kind. Using metal chairs and tables with this more costly and sophisticated setup would look, well, cheap. Of course, not all metal furniture is cheap, but mixing media doesn’t work to your advantage in this way.
Also, solid wood furniture requires little maintenance, especially teak and cedar, which don’t even have to be treated and sealed against water damage due to their natural weather resistant properties. Other woods can be used as well, if you don’t mind throwing a new coat of varnish on every few years. Wood furniture, while fairing better in storage, can also be left out through the winter months if so desired with little or no damage to the wood. It is quite versatile, looks good in almost any environment, and can easily blend in to the surroundings.
Of course, if you rarely use your furniture, you may not wish to invest the money in cedar outdoor furniture or teak garden furniture and may prefer to stick with a less expensive material that you will only bring out in the open on the occasions in which it will be used. For this instance, inexpensive metal furniture may well suit your purposes. The determination is completely individualized. Since you know what you have in mind and how you’ll be using the furniture, only you can determine what material is best for you and your family.