Patio furniture is now a fashion item as the patio and garden increasingly become an additional functional space to the home.

Before you buy any patio furniture it is strongly recommended that you do some research. Doing so will greatly increase your odds of buying patio furniture that is right for you and will last you a long time. Following are some important tips you need to consider before you buy.

Firstly decide whether you want stackable or foldaway furniture which is to be put away in the shed or garage in winter or if you want permanent solid patio furniture that remains in situ all year round. If you want your patio furniture to be a permanent part of your garden for esthetic reasons then it is recommended that you go for heavy furniture made from wood, aluminum or wrought iron with rust proofing. It is well worth spending the money on the heavier more durable materials as this will be much much less expensive in the long run.

Choosing the right type of material and construction is paramount. Decide what kind of material for your patio furniture would best compliment your patio or garden. Buy a material that will stay in balance with your garden.

Wood is the best total as it is lightweight, esthetically pleasing and comfortable but requires some maintenance. Choose a tropical wood which is high in natural oil content like teak, iroko or courbaril. These woods are weather resistant and can be left outside over summer and winter.

Make sure that mortice and tenon joints are used for your teak patio furniture and not products which corrode. If any metal accessories are used in the construction make sure they are made from brass, chrome steel or aluminum which are corrosion resistant.

Make sure the construction is only dining tables near me grade teak for our patio furniture, so any knots, fractures and other problems are eliminated before the solid timber is used to build the furniture. Additionally, Make sure your teak patio furniture is kiln dried to optimise moisture content and ensure shape is maintained and fractures are eliminated.

Teak patio furniture that is assembled using epoxy based glues tend to have the best performance and durability of all the types of joints as the epoxy resin used will not be affected by rain or frost.

If your teak patio furniture becomes dirty it is easy to clean with warm soapy water and a scrubbing brush which will enable you to restore the beautiful silver greyish weathered look. If required a pressure hose-pipe can be used at 60-80 bar [900-1200psi] well away of almost 30cm.

Once your teak patio furniture has weathered along with will be enhanced by an annual clean. A small amount of bleach added to the water will suppress any algae growth.

Any stains and grease spots can be immediately removed by washing down using a light cleaning agent then rinsing off with clean water as soon as they occur. However, this is not essential as nature will take its course over time.

In dry weather small fractures will appear in the end of the materials timbers. This is natural and no action needs to be taken as when the moisture in the atmosphere enhances the solid timber will get back to its original condition.

It is not necessary to use teak oil or varnish as these will not extend living of your patio furniture and are purely cosmetic. However, if you wish to preserve the as new appearance of your teak patio furniture the employment of teak oil when the furniture is new will give a more lustre finish than leaving unblemished. Please ensure you follow the manufacturer's instructions as usually this is a three stage process. Make sure the solid timber is very dry when you apply the teak oil, otherwise the furniture will blacken.