D2 The BulleTin • Sunday, May 23, 2021
Patio furniture
Experts give tips for
finding pieces that last
Outdoor rugs should be made
of solution-dyed acrylics or plas-
tic fibers to wash easily and avoid
mold. Morris likes Sutherland’s
Perennials collection, which is
sold at Restoration Hardware and
Williams Sonoma; Oursler and St.
Claire like fabrics from Sunbrella,
which can be found at stores such
as Ballard Designs, Crate and
Barrel and Pottery Barn. For out-
door rugs, Oursler recommends
Dash & Albert, including the
watermelon striped handmade
flatweave indoor/outdoor area rug
(from $54).
BY HELEN CAREFOOT
Special to The Washington Post
A
fter a pandemic winter,
Americans are ready to
get outside.
“We’re seeing tremen-
dous growth and demand for out-
door furniture earlier in the year,”
said Ron Hilton, chief merchan-
dising and operations officer at
Overstock. Traditionally, the com-
pany gets a spike in demand “in
the late spring and early summer,
but we saw that happen 45 days
sooner this year,” he said.
If you’re thinking about buying
new outdoor furniture, it’s time
to move. The production delays
of the past year are still a real-
ity, said Tracy Morris, founder of
Tracy Morris Design in McLean,
Virginia. You might have to wait
double the usual time to receive
your items. But if you choose the
right type of furniture — and treat
it well — you won’t have to shop
again for a long time.
Finding the right match
The main culprit of wear and
tear, experts say, is exposure to
the elements. Water can seep into
wood and fabrics and cause mold.
Wind can blow furniture around
and damage it (or your house or
deck), and sun can alter its color.
Marnie Oursler, president of
Marnie Custom Homes, builds
custom beach houses in Delaware,
and she recommends taking stock
of the environment the furniture
will be in before making any pur-
chases. Porous materials, such as
wood, aren’t the best choice for
spots that see a lot of humidity
or rain, and painted pieces won’t
last in sunny locations, where
the paint can peel or crack. More
delicate pieces made of raffia or
wicker are better suited for a pro-
tected space, such as a screened-in
or covered porch.
The best protection is an appro-
priately sized cover — or, if pos-
sible, bring your furniture inside
if it goes unused for a long period
of time.
Materials
Wood: Wood generally requires
more maintenance than other
materials, because periodic treat-
ment is necessary to maintain its
color and finish. However, it can
last a long time if properly cared
for. Many outdoor wood products
come treated with sealant; check
how often it needs to be treated.
“I wouldn’t do anything but
teak. . . . Teak is really your main
outdoor wood,” Morris said. Teak
requires regular oiling to maintain
its caramel color or it will weather
to gray. Oursler loves that weath-
ered look for the beach, but warns
that buyers who don’t perform the
required treatment could be dis-
appointed.
A set of aged teak furniture is
a major investment that will last
“forever” with proper care, Morris
said. Teak is graded from A to C
based on the wood’s age and qual-
John Cole
A terrace designed by Anthony Wilder Design/Build has furniture by Brown Jordan and drapes from Perennials.
Wayfair, Lowe’s
LEFT: For outdoor rugs, Marnie Oursler recommends Dash & Albert, including the watermelon striped handmade flatweave
indoor/outdoor area rug (from $54). RIGHT: Allen + Roth’s Truxton Stackable White Metal Frame Stationary Dining Chairs
with Blue Sling Seat ($39.98 at Lowe’s).
ity; A-grade woods come from the
heart of the tree and have a closer
grain, more protective oil and
richer color and will be much pric-
ier and more durable than C-grade,
which comes from the tree’s
younger, outer part. Inquire about
the wood’s grade when buying.
Acacia and eucalyptus are more
budget-friendly hardwoods that
work well outdoors, said Amy
Wall, co-founder of custom furni-
ture company BuilderChicks. (She
suggests treating both yearly with
a water-based sealer for maximum
longevity.)
Eucalyptus is naturally resistant
to moisture and pests but doesn’t
handle extreme cold well because
of its high moisture content. Wall
said well-cared-for acacia pieces
could last for 10 years, and euca-
lyptus for 20.
Cedar is another strong option,
but Wall warns that it’s softer than
teak, acacia and eucalyptus, so it’s
easy to scratch or dent.
Oursler and Keira St. Claire,
lead interior designer at Anthony
Wilder Design/Build, don’t rec-
ommend pine pieces, which are
usually less expensive and pres-
sure-treated, unless the furniture
is in a covered area, because pine
is prone to splintering. Customers
after a wood look without the cost
or maintenance should look into
wood-grain furniture made of
plastic composite, Morris and St.
Claire said, which requires little
care.
Metals: Metal furniture is pop-
ular and comes in numerous op-
tions, from inexpensive and light-
weight aluminum to sturdier and
more expensive stainless steel or
wrought iron.
“Most of your inexpensive out-
door furniture is going to be made
of aluminum, which won’t last as
long,” St. Claire said. Aluminum
is hollow, so it’s lightweight and
easy to move — though that also
means it could be more easily
thrown by heavy winds. Oursler
uses stainless steel by the beach,
because it’s most resistant to rust.
Wrought iron is extremely durable
and heavy.
Metals generally don’t require
regular care, but they can rust over
time if they aren’t kept dry and
covered. For durability, look for
powder-coated finishes; the color
and finish have been repeatedly
sprayed and baked during pro-
duction, so the surface won’t chip
or fade.
Plastic: Plastic furniture doesn’t
have to be unattractive and
cheaply made. High-density poly-
ethylene plastic is sturdy and easy
to clean and comes in numer-
ous colors and finishes that can
convincingly mimic other more
expensive or finicky materials,
such as raffia, wicker or wood,
and it won’t fade in the sun like
paint. Morris likes the Lollygag-
ger lounge chair ($595) from Loll
Designs and Room & Board’s Em-
met lounge chair ($449), which
are made out of recycled materi-
als; Oursler likes the selection of
composite Adirondack chairs at
Lowe’s, including the Seaport clas-
sic white plastic frame stationary
Adirondack chair ($153.17) by
Trex.
Fabrics: Fabrics add comfort
and offer endless customization
options, but they won’t last unless
they’re made for outdoor use. “If
you don’t invest in cushions, you’re
replacing them every year, or ev-
ery time it rains you’re running
out trying to cover your furniture,”
Morris said. Look for cushions
made of reticulated foam, which
wicks away moisture instead of
absorbing it. PVC mesh, ma-
rine-grade vinyl or solution-dyed
acrylic covers are durable options
that are protected from moisture
and UV damage.
Brands and shopping
If your priority is durability, buy
the best-quality pieces you can af-
ford. Avoid oversize pieces, and
look for classic shapes in simple
colors, such as white, mushroom,
navy or red, for an elegant and fin-
ished look that ages well.
But not every outdoor ele-
ment has to cost a lot. “Invest in
the frame of the space, the pieces
you’re sitting in, and have fun with
accessories that you can change
out,” St. Claire said. She and Mor-
ris suggest using plants and pots to
inexpensively liven up a space.
For outdoor brands with qual-
ity materials, the experts we spoke
with suggested Sutherland (avail-
able at Restoration Hardware),
Gloster (available at patio.com and
Design Within Reach), Brown Jor-
dan (available at Home Depot and
Patios USA) and Summer Classics
(available at its website, summer-
classicshome.com).
For midrange options that are
still fairly durable, Morris recom-
mended Ballard Designs, West
Elm and Room & Board.
For less-expensive options,
Oursler likes Wayfair for its vari-
ety but cautions shoppers to keep
scale in mind when shopping on-
line and says to pick up pieces at
the same time to avoid issues such
as finding matches later on. She
also likes Target for lightweight
pieces that can be moved easily.
And one of her favorite brands
for outdoor dining sets, Allen and
Roth, is sold at Lowe’s and has
been a fixture in her beachside
projects for years.
Price isn’t the only determi-
nant of quality, but it often cor-
responds with craftsmanship. “A
lot of [the price] is going to be
in how it’s constructed, and if it’s
lighter, it’s typically less expen-
sive, and heavier products will be
more expensive, because they’re
substantial,” Oursler said. Read
the product details about con-
struction and care when shopping.
Try out the furniture, and look at
how the pieces, joints and screws
are attached if you’re shopping in
person. “Check if it’s screwed to-
gether or cast, and if you sit in it,
does it wiggle and look like it’ll fall
apart?” St. Claire said. “Something
that folds and unfolds too many
times also might get a lot of wear
at the joints, so that’s something to
think about.”
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