What patio furniture material lasts the longest?

The patio furniture that lasts the longest is a choice between rattan, wood (such as teak) or metal, particularly aluminium. High quality furniture made from these materials is definitely worth the investment. With the added attraction of low maintenance, this kind of outdoor furniture will serve you well while continuing to look good over several seasons.

Durability and strength are important considerations when choosing garden furniture because you don’t need to worry about the expense of replacing it every year. Regular use (and abuse by children and pets!), and exposure to the British weather makes choosing the strongest material for outdoor furniture a good move.

Weather (and people) resistant materials for garden furniture

High quality garden furniture, made out of the strongest materials, is likely to last the longest. This is especially true if you carry out some basic care and maintenance on your furniture to help protect it from the weather and regular usage.

This is why rattan, wood and metal are the three strongest materials:

Rattan: made from a synthetic resin called polyethylene (PE), rattan is an all round winner for garden furniture. Basically it can withstand whatever nature and humans throw at it. It’s rot, fade and weather resistant and, with the least maintenance, will continue to look great, year after year.

Wood: in our experience, teak is the most durable wood for outdoor furniture. It is resistant to mould and rot and will survive a long time if left alone, a lifetime if properly maintained.

Metal: cast iron, stainless steel and aluminium are popular metals for outdoor furniture. However, aluminium is the most robust as it’s weather resistant, particularly with an added tough powder coating. Aluminium is an extremely lightweight metal so it’s easy to lift and move around, making it a very versatile option for garden furniture.

Which is better for outdoor furniture, wicker or rattan?

Sorry to be picky but ‘wicker’ and ‘rattan’ aren’t the same thing. People use them interchangeably but, technically, ‘rattan’ is a material whereas ‘wicker’ is a style of weave. Regardless of the terminology you use for rattan garden furniture its a great material because of the range of style, comfort and durability available to you.

What's the most durable wood for outdoor furniture?

The two strongest and most durable types of wood for outdoor furniture are teak and oak. However, in our opinion, it’s teak that wins out. It has an extremely dense grain that keeps moisture out. It also retains high levels of natural oils keeping the wood in good condition.

Does aluminium garden furniture get hot in the sun? 

Yes, aluminium is a heat conductor when placed in direct contact with another hot object, such as the sun. It doesn’t absorb as much heat as wrought iron but an aluminium seat without cushions can still be uncomfortable in the heat of the summer. So we advise you to choose rattan furniture where the weave is wrapped around an aluminium framework, giving you the ultimate in garden furniture: good looks, durability, lightweight and low maintenance.

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Have further questions about different types of garden tables we stock? Our friendly, knowledgeable team are always on hand to help, just give us a call or visit one of our showrooms in Wakefield or Newcastle.