A Cedar Patio Furniture Experiment
We sold cedar outdoor patio furniture on this website direct for over 2 years. In order to test the limits of the cedar we sold, we put our own set in our backyard, untreated and unprotected, to see what would happen.
Results of Abusing our Patio Furniture
Well, it’s over two years now since installing our patio furniture. It’s been in the rain, the sun, the heat, and I’ve come to the conclusion that patio furniture covers and treating the furniture are an essential combination to protecting your furniture. The furniture itself is still solid, but the outer-most layer is raising. We have a small child, and he could eventually get a splinter. The holes in a few didn’t cases didn’t line up exactly to begin with, and the slight raising hasn’t helped… a couple of connections appear compromised and it could eventually collapse. Also, the natural greying that many people like in cedar is not very appealing to us.
Recommendations for Cedar Outdoor Patio Furniture
This hasn’t soured me on the idea cedar. It really is a sturdy wood, and it’s much less expensive than teak and cast aluminum. However, I am now a believer that proper care of patio furniture is essential. The next set I get will be treated. I’ll use something like Teaqua, or Thompson’s Water Seal, with UV protection built in. I will also purchase furniture covers to protect it from the elements when not in use. The way I see it, if my furniture could last, untreated, constantly in the elements for 2 years, then proper care including treatments and covers should make it last anywhere from 15 to 20 years… if not longer! The life span of my cedar patio furniture is entirely up to me!