There’s a huge difference between indoor and outdoor furniture. The former is often made using softer materials, such as pine or mild steel, and then finished with comfortable fabric, leather, or other types of upholstery. These pieces of furniture are intended for indoor uses – and for good reason. Just one night in the rain can warp the wood, spoil the fabric and leave you hundreds of dollars out of pocket.
On the other hand you have outdoor furniture – a type that might not be quite as appealing indoor alternatives, but when placed neatly in a garden out outdoor space, they look as fantastic as they function. And what is it that makes this type of furniture last for so long? Well, unlike regular indoor furniture, the types that are intended for outside uses often incorporate materials with a much greater resistance to the weather.
How long can these materials last for?
Think of things like this. If you took two similarly priced items of furniture – a single seated sofa intended for the living room and an outdoor alternative, only one of them would last for more than a few days in the rain. Although both might be suitable if the sun is shining; it won’t take long for the interior sofas’ materials to lose colour, fade and fray over time.
External furniture won’t just offer comfort that lasts; it will do so for years to come and when looked after properly, there’s no reason why a set of chairs or even an outdoor umbrella couldn’t last for well over a decade. It all comes down to how you look after your items.
The high-yield plastics, aluminium frames and hardwood construction that many pieces of external furniture use are more than capable of taking a beating from the wind, rain, sunshine and even snow without difficulty. But investing in a cover to keep them protected when not in use can allow them to go even further. And throw in the fact that alone and unprotected these materials can outlast any indoor alternatives and what you have is a powerhouse of longevity that might not need replacing in your lifetime.