You want your favorite things to last forever – we all do. That’s why choosing durable outdoor furniture is essential for keeping your space looking amazing year after year.
In this article, we’re defining what durable outdoor furniture is and how you can choose the right materials to withstand even the toughest conditions. Read on to discover the features that make every piece in your backyard ready for anything.
Durable Outdoor Furniture: What Defines It?
Distinguishing durable outdoor furniture from low-quality options on the market is easy when you know what to look for. Features like weather resistance are important, but there are other little things to keep an eye on as well.
Quality Build
Durability starts before the construction even begins. Every decision that a company makes either creates a cheap product or a quality, built-to-last design. And the difference is obvious.
Quality outdoor furniture means that the frame, fabric, and overall design are carefully considered and expertly crafted from beginning to end.
Take the Outer aluminum collection, for example. Our aluminum frames are built with best-in-class welds for a sturdy structure. Plus, every frame is finished with a top-of-the-line powder coating for ultimate protection against the elements.
This means that each piece is durable enough to stay in place through inclement weather but light enough for one person to conveniently carry. We’ve brought the best of both worlds together, all while maintaining a sleek, streamlined aesthetic.
Life-Proof Fabrics
No frame is complete without a comfortable cushion to go with it, and being outside means plenty of potential messes to stain your favorite seat in the yard.
Selecting life-proof fabrics for your outdoor furniture gives you clean cushions and peace of mind so you can spend less time worrying and more time relaxing. While many natural fabrics like cotton absorb spills, quality synthetic fabrics repel them.
At Outer, our cushions’ life-proof fabric is hand-sewn and able to repel any mess that your kids, pets, or local weather can manage. It’s one of many ways that we offer everyday protection for your outdoor furniture.
Humidity in the forecast? No sweat. Morning dew? Outer has you covered. With our patented OuterShell design, simply roll out the built-in cover over the cushions to protect from everyday dirt, debris, and anything in-between.
And to top it all off, sitting on our multi-layer memory foam cushion is like sitting on a cloud. It’s a luxurious touch that is usually found in premium mattresses, right in the comfort of your own backyard.
Weather Resistance
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, weather resistance is important. Your outdoor furniture is going to spend a long life outdoors, so it needs to be designed to handle just about anything life throws at it.
Checking that your outdoor furniture is weather-resistant lets you know that your purchase isn’t going to get ruined in the rain a few weeks later. This means that even when exposed to harsh weather conditions, the furniture won’t corrode.
Most importantly, weather resistance is dependent on the materials used, so the option you choose can make a major difference. Let’s take a look at how to pick the right materials for your outdoor furniture.
Best Materials For Durable Outdoor Furniture
Metals
There are several options when deciding between durable materials. Metals are an excellent choice for a sleek and modern look with unmatched strength and durability.
The key is to look for metals that don’t rust or corrode. Stainless steel and wrought iron are common options because of their weather-resistant properties, but they both have their downfalls.
For example, wrought iron is tough, but its durability comes at the cost of being extremely heavy and difficult for one person to carry.
Similarly, stainless steel is great for protection against the elements, but it’s sensitive to cold and heat. This makes the entire frame unbearably hot or icy whenever the temperature isn’t comfortable.
Aluminum solves both of these issues while remaining durable for the outdoors and low maintenance for cleaning. Our modern aluminum design at Outer combines comfort, innovation, durability, and sustainability into one timeless product.
Wood
Another material that offers strength and protection is wood, but the type you choose will impact your furniture’s longevity. Using the wrong wood means having outdoor furniture that’s bound to decay and deteriorate in a few years.
Wood varieties like acacia, cedar, and cypress are good, weather-resistant choices, but the gold standard of wooden outdoor furniture is teak.
What makes teak products like our Outdoor Loveseat such a reliable option? Teakwood is abundant with natural oils that perform several functions in nature. These oils repel water, prevent rotting, and keep insects and pests away.
On top of all this, teak is essentially impervious to harsh weather conditions, making it an ideal material for the outdoors.
All-Weather Wicker
The final material we’ll mention for the most durable outdoor furniture is all-weather wicker. Even though “wicker” is technically the name of the weaving process and not of the material itself, the name has shifted to identify the final product as well.
Wicker is available in many different forms. Some versions are specifically designed to be kept indoors, while others are made to protect against unpredictable weather. In the case of choosing durable outdoor furniture, the distinction is critical.
One of the main differences between these two is that regular wicker easily absorbs moisture, and all-weather wicker repels it. Using indoor wicker in your backyard would mean your furniture would quickly warp and deteriorate after a few storms or humid days.
To truly maximize the strength of our wicker furniture at Outer, we crafted a stainless steel outdoor chair leg like no other using a process called lost-wax sand casting. During this process, the leg is first produced in wax, and then a cast is built around it.
Now that we know everything to look for in durable outdoor furniture, it’s time to think about the finishing touches and minor details. Here are a few final tips to consider when figuring out which option is right for you.
Durable Outdoor Furniture: Expert Tips
Brush Up On Maintenance
A great feature of durable outdoor furniture is that it doesn’t require a lot of cleaning. Still, an innovative and low-maintenance design can’t protect against everything. Sometimes dirt and debris get trapped in the frame.
For routine maintenance and seasonal cleaning, it’s a good idea to check how to properly clean your furniture. Some materials only need a quick spray with the hose and a light wipe down, while others need a bit more soap and scrubbing to get everything out.
To find the right cleaning method that fits your furniture’s needs, take a look at our comprehensive list of how to care for different materials so you can keep your furniture lasting even longer.
Store Your Furniture Strategically
An easy way to increase the lifespan of your furniture is by giving it some added protection from the weather. Setting up your outdoor oasis beneath a gazebo or a covered patio can add years to your furniture’s use while adding a unique style to your space.
Cover Up
Another way to increase your outdoor furniture’s durability is to invest in a quality cover. Our All-Weather Cover at Outer is tailored for a perfect fit every time. The material is fade-resistant, recyclable, and is easy to zip for quick and reliable protection.
Vents on the back of the cover prevent heat and moisture from building up by allowing airflow. And even through severe weather, built-in wind straps and buckles secure the All-Weather Cover to your furniture in up to 70-mile-per-hour winds.
Opt For Eco-Friendly
Most outdoor sofas get thrown into a landfill at the end of their life, further adding to the harmful impacts of climate change. Here at Outer, we choose to live responsibly by creating sustainable, eco-conscious furniture made from recycled materials.
Keeping future generations in mind has always been a top priority for us. That’s why we ensure durability and sustainability with every product, whether it’s our teak Outdoor Coffee Table or our 1188 Eco-Friendly Outdoor Rugs.
Choose Outer For Durable Design
Everything you need for choosing the design and material for your durable outdoor furniture is right here for you to reference as you shop.
Don’t forget to ask important questions about weather resistance and the quality of materials used, and you’ll be as relaxed as your furniture is protected.
Whether you’re looking for eco-friendly or timelessly sophisticated, Outer has a durable option built for you. From our Aluminum 3-Seat Outdoor Sofa to recent innovations like our Fire Pit Table, there are many ways that you can live better, outside.