Buying Weatherproof Garden Furniture That Lasts

With summer just around the corner, now is a great time to invest in your garden furniture.
Durable, weather-resistant garden furniture that can withstand our fluctuating seasons is a wise investment.  So, opting for high-quality patio furniture is especially important if you plan to leave your seating and tables outside all year round.
But with so many garden furniture options on the market today, it can be difficult to choose.  In our helpful guide to buying weatherproof garden furniture, we take you through the pros and cons of the most popular garden furniture options.
  • weatherproof garden furniture

What garden furniture can be left outside?

Most garden furniture will be fine to leave outside for short periods of time, especially during the warmer months.  But be careful to cover over seating and tables made from less durable materials, which can quickly rust, rot or deteriorate.  Or better still, bring in over the winter months.

What is the best weatherproof outdoor furniture?

To help you make the best choice for your outside space, we’ve listed everything you need to know about the many different garden furniture materials available.

  • plastic garden furniture

Plastic Garden Furniture

Plastic garden furniture has many appeals.  Generally, it can be less expensive to buy than rattan, aluminium and stone seating and tables.  It’s also available in many styles and colours to suit your particular garden design.  Plus, being made from manmade plastic, it won’t rot or rust, and doesn’t need to be repainted year on year.

Despite this, in response to the international plastic crisis, many garden furniture manufacturers are moving away from using this material.

Plastic garden furniture is generally very lightweight, which is ideal for moving from one area to another.  However, it can easily be damaged and blown around your garden during high winds.  It’s worth covering over plastic garden furniture to prevent its colour fading from the sun’s harsh UV rays.

  • aluminium garden furniture

Aluminium Garden Furniture

Gone are the days when metal garden furniture would rust within a season.  These days, aluminium is probably the most common material used to produce garden furniture for its durability, even in especially wet or salty climates.  Available in a wide array of styles, modern aluminium garden furniture is also easy to maintain, whilst being available in a range of styles for every budget.

Despite this, lightweight outdoor aluminium furniture has the potential to be blown around and therefore damaged during severe winds.  Care should be paid to covering over during the winter months as moisture cab easily seep into welding joints, freeze and then crack the metal.

It’s also a good idea to add soft furnishings to this type of furniture, which can become too hot to sit on in the sun.

  • Haddonstone Curved Bench Seat (available in three sizes)

    Create a corner seating area

Stone garden furniture

Good quality stone garden seats and benches, and tables will outlast furniture made from any other material.  Available in a range of sizes and styles, from classical and traditional, to modern, stone garden seating suits any garden scheme.

Whilst stone garden furniture is heavier than any other material, once positioned in a favourite outdoor spot, it will weather beautifully and withstand even the harshest weather conditions.  Timeless stone garden furniture works well nestled amongst flower beds, shrubs and overhanging branches.

Curved stone benches also work well in corners as they can be installed permanently, allowing you to incorporate it into your planting scheme by creatively plant around, above and underneath.

  • garden seating ratten

Rattan Garden Furniture

One of the most popular garden furniture materials, rattan seating and tables with a strong weave should be fine to leave outside and will withstand harsh UV rays and rain showers.
Quality rattan furniture that is constructed from a strong aluminium frame will not rust.  Despite this, it is advisable to cover over rattan furniture throughout winter to protect it from frost and extreme weather conditions.
Better still, housing in a garage or garden building over winter, along with any cushions and soft furnishings, would be advisable.
  • Haddonstone Regency Two Seater in wrought iron

    haddonstone regency two seater

Wrought Iron

As one of the heaviest and most wind-resistant metal garden furniture choices available, wrought iron seating is ideal for gardens that experience very windy weather.  This does mean that moving this furniture around the garden can be a little trickier than plastic or wooden seats and tables.  So, choose a favourite, sunny spot to site beforehand.
The high degree of craftsmanship and intricate detail often seen in wrought iron pieces results in classically beautiful furniture, that works well in almost any garden scheme.  It also complements other wrought iron garden features such as trellis’ and arches.
All of our wrought iron garden furniture is supplied in powder coat primer with satin black powder coat finish to prevent rusting.  You can even choose from a range of custom colour to complement your own garden scheme or outside space.
  • wooden garden seating area

Wooden Garden Furniture

Classic wooden garden furniture provides a natural aesthetic and suits almost any garden design.  Always choose high-quality wooden materials to prevent cracking and ensure your garden seating and tables stands the test of time.
Wicker, pine and oak garden furniture are prone to splitting and insect damage.  So, choose wooden garden furniture made from either cedar, eucalyptus or ideally teak, which has a 100-year durability rating.
It’s worth considering that any wooden garden furniture, whatever it is crafted from, will change colour as it ages and weathers.  This means you may need to repaint or re-stain it every year or two.  Arguably more comfortable than aluminium garden furniture, investing in some quality cushions isn’t a bad idea!
  • Cleaning a Haddonstone Curved Bench Seat Support

    :cleaning haddonstone stonework

How do I clean stone garden furniture?

Cast stone is an incredibly strong and durable material so it needs very little looking after, however, by using a few simple and inexpensive cleaning methods, you can ensure that your designs remain as attractive as the day you purchased them.

  • Take care to remove any build-up of dust, dirt and grime
  • Use a gentle, non-invasive method such as cleaning your cast stone with fresh, clean water before applying a mild, environmentally friendly detergent with a not too abrasive brush
  • A power washer should always only be used on a very low pressure setting and the nozzle must constantly be moved to prevent any localised damage.

Before undertaking any cleaning, it is worth considering what your design may look like after it has been cleaned.  Like natural stone, cast stone weathers differently depending on where it is located and how long it has been exposed to the elements. If the front aspect of your design is in direct sunlight for the majority of the year and the back is mainly shaded, both will weather inconsistently and any cleaning will only enhance that contrast. This does mean however that your cast stone design is truly unique and will display its own variations in texture and colour.

Read our blog: Looking After Your Haddonstone Home and Garden Designs

Read blog

 

  • Curved_Bench

Timeless stone garden furniture

Haddonstone cast stone garden benches and seats are available in a range of sizes, colours, and in classical, traditional and contemporary styles.

Whether you choose an attractive bench or a number of seats to provide outdoor seating for family and guests, you can be sure that Haddonstone stone garden furniture will add a timeless addition to your lawn, patio, terrace or garden room.
Frost-proof, robust and able to withstand any climate, our stone garden furniture will weather beautifully over time.  They will also last far longer than plastic or wooden garden furniture.

We also offer a personalised engraving service on a small selection of our garden seating and benches, for that extra personal touch.

  • Haddonstone Charleston Seat in burgundy

    Charleston-Seat

Wrought iron garden furniture

Inspired by the exuberance of the 1920’s, Haddonstone’s stylish collection of hand-made wrought iron garden benches and seats will add elegance and style to any outside space, conservatory or garden room.

All of our wrought iron garden furniture is supplied in powder coat primer with satin black powder coat finish.  This not only adds a beautiful aesthetic to each design, it ensures your wrought iron seating stands the test of time, without rusting or weather damage.

We offer a choice of custom colours to complement your own garden scheme or outside space.

Our high quality wrought iron garden furniture is robust, practical and stylish.

  • Relax in a Hadrian Seat

We can help make choosing your garden furniture easy

Haddonstone offers a wide range of attractive stone benches and seats, and stone tables.  We also produce high-quality wrought iron garden furniture too.

Our friendly and experienced team are available to help you choose the perfect stone or wrought iron garden furniture for your outside space.

Request a call back and our team will be in touch at a time that suits you:

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Speak to our team

Whether you’re working on a private residential or large commercial project, or if you are interested in home and garden products, our friendly and expert team are happy to discuss your requirements.

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