When you shop for furniture, you have to think about everything. Do you often have guests who perch on the arms of chairs at parties? Do your kids flip over the backs of sofas? Are you prone to spilling on your furniture and need a stain-resistant fabric? Your life and your style goals matter a lot in the process. However, there are also objective ways to save money and ensure quality. Hi, my name is Allie, and I love shopping, decorating, writing and creating a fun but functional home for my family. In my furniture blog, I want to combine it all, and I hope these posts help you.
If you're planning to create your own garden furniture, you might be feeling stuck on the type of wood to choose. There is so much variety, and different types of wood will vary in how easy they are to work with, how well they stain, how they'll respond to the natural elements, and how durable they'll be. When deciding on a wood, you'll need to take all of these factors into consideration and ensure that you don't blow your budget. To help you decide, we've listed the pros and cons of several types of wood that are commonly used as building materials when constructing outdoor furniture.
Teak
Teak is a popular wood for outdoor furniture for a number of reasons. It resists decay, meaning it won't start to rot when left out in the rain for long periods of time. Teak is a very stable wood, and won't shrink or swell when the temperature changes. It also repels water, making it ideal if you live in an area with temperamental weather patterns. If you've ever struggled with termites, then teak is ideal, as it is resistant to the parasite. Teak is often considered the 'gold standard' of the lumber world, making it one of the more expensive options. Most teak is a medium brown colour.
Cedar
Cedar is a lighter-coloured wood, which is ideal for staining to match other furniture around your garden. Like teak, it's resistant to rot and insects. Cedar requires a little more maintenance, however, as it is a softer wood. This makes it more susceptible to chips and dents, and it's recommended that you clean and seal the wood once a year to keep it in top condition. This is fine if you don't mind setting some time aside to keep your furniture looking great, but it's not ideal if you'd prefer to build the furniture and have it last well without extra work. However, this wood is cheaper than teak, so ideal for lower budgets.
Acacia
Acacia is a durable wood that's often used in boat building, which gives you a good idea of how well it's able to withstand the elements. It's highly resistant to water and fungus, and can be further strengthened by sealing. Acacia has a distinctive warm tone, making it ideal if you're not a fan of lighter woods. It's also a hardwood which isn't easily scratched, so is perfect for furniture that will be regularly used, like benches or dining tables.
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