Outdoor Wood Furniture

Outdoor Wood Furniture
Good outdoor furniture is made of hardwood.  Hardwood doesn’t exactly refer to the hardness or softness of the wood. Hardwoods are deciduous trees that lose their leaves seasonally.  Softwoods are trees that keep their foliage all year (i.e. evergreens). However, it’s true that hardwood is usually a better quality of wood to work with and is often naturally harder.  Hardwood doesn’t expand and contract as much as softwood.  In addition, it is less prone to splitting.  These are important characteristics for a piece of wood long term.  

The most popular hardwood is oak.  For outdoors, teak is probably the most popular.  Since teak is a tropical wood it can withstand the elements quite well.  Other hardwoods are cherry, maple, walnut, mahogany, and poplar. 

Some softwoods are pine, fir, redwood, and cedar.    

Cedar and redwood are excellent woods for outdoor use because they have a natural chemical in them that reduces plant breakdown.  In addition, they are very beautiful woods.

Outdoor Furniture Design
Have you ever hear that something was made of solid oak?  It may or may not be the case.  Many pieces that claim to be of one type of wood are often a mixture of woods.  For one very reason, some woods are more expensive than others.  Many pieces are built to look good, but have underlying frames made of a less expensive wood like pine. The type of wood advertised is the wood that is shown on the outside.

If you want a truly nice piece of furniture, hire an artisan to make one to your specifications. Hardwoods are more expensive pieces than softwoods.  The main reason is that there is a much larger supply of pine and fir than there is cedar or redwood. 

Wood Joinery Techniques
The boards must be shaped.  In so doing, glue is the most used item to make the boards.  Since most furniture is a combination of woods the inexpensive wood is hidden between glued boards.  
 
Veneer
Veneer gives the artisan greater flexibility to design the product.  Wood grains can be put exactly as the product is designed.  Veneered pieces can be produced that look different than board product. 

Veneer is a thin board glued to the surface of a less expensive board.  It generally doesn’t last as long as solid wood because the veneer can be damaged due to its thinness.  Today, many high end furniture is actually a veneered product. 
 
Printed Wood Grains
Some manufacturers have learned to actually print a picture on the board.  You can even buy cheap contact paper at big box stores and apply yourself.  These techniques are certainly not the best for a furniture connoisseur. 

 FINISHES
Anything that brings out the natural wood grain and color is best.  Most of the time clear or light finishes produce the best quality.  If you want something that is dark or a color such as fluorescent green, you might as well get a man made product like vinyl or steel. The purpose of wood is the natural beauty of how it fits into the surroundings.

Make sure the finish will give the wood water repellency.  The furniture should get a new water repellent coat every 2-3 years.  Rustic or distressed wood hides imperfections quite well.  It can make for a relaxed and comfortable area because there is less worrying about the furniture.  If your spouse is a perfectionist, encourage them to go rustic.

Painted finishes are mostly wasted on wood.  If you don’t want the wood color try and pick a man made product like vinyl.

 Outdoor Wood Furniture – Things to Look For

• Check to make sure drawers slide in and out easily.  The drawer should be tightly jointed and snag free.  A good rule of thumb is that if the piece has a good drawer the rest of it is built well and vice versa.
• Long shelves should have a center support. Large doors should not rub and have sturdy hinges.
• The price should be within your budget.  I put that one in for your spouse.
• Check the overall sturdiness by sitting on the piece (if possible) and rocking it to see if it is going to be stable.