Garden chairs

Characteristics

Garden chairs can look very similar, in some cases, to the chairs commonly used in domestic environments. However, being exposed to the sun, night-time humidity, wind and perhaps even rain, these furnishing accessories are made of resistant and long-lasting materials. Another very important aspect of garden chairs is represented by their design, which must be chosen according to the style of the green space and other furnishing accessories that may already be present outdoors, such as sofas or tables. An area dedicated to free time in the garden must be welcoming and good-looking, and this is why you can find very different chairs on the market: in fact, you can go from chairs made entirely of wood, with a rustic but elegant look, up to the classic wrought iron chairs, also passing through chairs with a modern or more classic design. Last, but not least, is the convenience factor. In order for your stay in the garden to be pleasant, the chairs must be convenient and comfortable, and this aspect certainly cannot be sacrificed for the sake of aesthetics.

Materials

In garden chairs, by far the most used material is wood, of which there are many different types, each with its distinctive characteristics. Among the types of wood most used in the construction of these furnishing accessories, there are:

• Teak : it is a hard and very resistant wood that comes from Asia and, in particular, from Burma and Indonesia. Burmese teak is generally of higher quality than Indonesian teak, since it comes from natural forests subjected to controlled cutting. The Indonesian one, on the other hand, is obtained from crops in which growth is often forcibly accelerated and, therefore, the wood fibers are less compact and resistant.
• Acacia and eucalyptus : they are among the cheapest woods, but it must be remembered that these are rather soft materials which are irremediably damaged at the first scratch. Furthermore, they are not very resistant to atmospheric agents, so their use should be limited to porches or in any case to areas well sheltered from rain.
• Kerouing and balau : these varieties of wood are also of Asian origin. Generally these are resistant and good quality materials, especially the sanded ones; having relatively little fear of atmospheric agents, above all the balau can also be used safely outside.
• Iron : garden chairs made of this material generally have essential and very simple lines, with the exception of those with artistic decorations in wrought iron.

All these chairs must be equipped with cushions to make them more comfortable; while in some cases the cushions are sold together with the chairs, in others it is necessary to purchase them separately, obviously trying to choose models that are homogeneous in color and style.

Rocking chairs

Among the chairs intended for garden furniture there is a very particular and always loved category: rocking chairs. These particular chairs represent, in the collective imagination, one of those furnishing accessories that cannot be missing in country houses, and which we are fond of because perhaps they were owned by one of our grandparents. Although they are often considered 'symbols' of the past, in reality rocking chairs are still in great demand on the market today. You don't need large spaces to place a rocking chair, but the result is undoubtedly impressive: as well as being beautiful to look at, rocking chairs are obviously also very comfortable and represent the ideal place to rest, perhaps reading a book or listening of music. Rocking chairs for the garden must be equipped with a special cushion that covers both the backrest and the seat, and which allows you to lie down comfortably. Most of the rocking chairs marketed today faithfully model those of the past, being built in wood or wicker; for those with more modern tastes, however, there is also no shortage of alternatives in aluminum or other materials. A curiosity: according to tradition, the invention of the rocking chair is attributed to the American scientist and politician Benjamin Franklin, even if there is no certain evidence to support this thesis. These chairs first appeared in the 19th century in the United States and have since spread throughout the world.

Clean and store over the winter

Garden chairs, exposed as they are to atmospheric agents, are often considered as "temporary" furnishing accessories, which sooner or later will need to be replaced. However, there are various ways to extend its life over the years, and in particular it is advisable to periodically carry out treatments with special impregnating and protective oils. Garden chairs, like the rest of the furniture, must be protected as much as possible from the rain, for example by using plastic sheets, and in winter they must be stored in a protected room. A cellar or garage is the ideal place, as long as it is not excessively humid. It is absolutely not recommended to leave the chairs outside by covering them with a plastic sheet until the following spring, since it is easy for the wood to be affected by fungi and mold that develop due to the formation of condensation. All these suggestions, obviously, are only valid if good quality garden chairs are purchased, an essential prerogative for their durability in the years to come. As regards iron, however, the matter is slightly less complex. In fact, iron, if appropriately treated with anti-rust paints, is a very resistant material over time that does not cause problems with mold or bad odors. A further advantage of iron chairs is that, if desired, it is possible to repaint them, thus changing the design of the outdoor furniture in a very simple and economical way.