Patio chairs make the perfect addition to outdoor seating areas. The trick is finding the right one that has the ultimate combination of quality, style, and comfort.
At Outer, we’re on a mission to bring life back outside. We know exactly what to look for when it comes to buying new outdoor furniture, and today, we’re going to share our expert tips to ensure your new pieces are the right fit for your needs.
Keep reading to learn more about the key features to look for in patio chairs, what to avoid, and how to style your outdoor space so well that anyone would think it’d been done by a professional. Let’s dive in!
How To Choose The Best Patio Chairs
1) Opt For High-Quality Materials
Our first tip when it comes to shopping for patio chairs is to choose high-quality materials. It doesn’t matter whether your new furniture is made from All-Weather Wicker, metal such as Aluminum, or a hardwood like Teak — it needs to be expertly crafted using first-class materials.
If you’re partial to the appearance of all-weather wicker, take a close look at the weave of the patio chairs to make sure it’s tight and free from any cracks or loose areas that might cause problems.
If a metal furniture option like aluminum is more your style, it’s best to check out the joints of your potential new chairs to ensure they’re properly welded. Make sure there’s no bending around the legs or in the frame, and if you see rust, run for the hills! True aluminum never rusts.
Hardwood furniture options such as teak are another sophisticated style that we love. Inspect wooden patio chairs to see if the grain is tight — this helps to prevent warping and cracking down the road.
2) Consider Durability
You’re probably hoping your new patio chairs will stick around for a while and live a long, happy life as part of your outdoor setup. If that’s the case, be sure to choose options that are hard-wearing and long-lasting.
You can do this by learning about how your chairs’ frames, legs, and fabric are made. Are they mass-produced by machines in a huge factory, or are they hand-made by expert craftsmen? This can make all the difference in the durability of your patio furniture.
Whether you choose our sustainably sourced Grade A teak, our hand-woven wicker, or our rust-proof aluminum, you’ll find that each of our patio chairs is expertly designed and meticulously built to be totally lifeproof.
From the marine-grade stainless steel legs and 100% recyclable weather-resistant wicker featured in our Wicker Outdoor Armless Chair to the self-oiling wood in our Teak Outdoor Armchair Conversation Set, every feature of our patio chairs is designed for durability.
Each chair also comes with our exceptionally comfortable, highly durable cushions. The performance fabric we use to create our seating is finished with the same nano-coating found in waterproof camping gear, so you know it’s made to withstand tough elements.
Our cushions are resistant to UV rays, bleach, mold, dirt, and water, so even sticky fingers and dirty paws are no match for Outer chairs.
3) Prioritize Comfort
Picture this: you’ve just laid your eyes on a beautiful set of patio chairs. You sit on them to check out how comfortable they are only to discover they’re hard as rocks! This story gets worse if you choose to buy them regardless of how they feel simply because they look great.
When shopping for your new patio chairs, we always recommend prioritizing comfort. After all, patio chairs should be designed to be a pleasure to relax in — otherwise, they’re simply not doing their job.
Many outdoor furniture options feature hard, flat, uncomfortable cushions that, quite frankly, just don’t compare to the comfort you’d find in an indoor couch. So our design goals are simple — bring indoor comfort outside.
All Outer cushions — included in our patio chairs and our entire range of sofas and sectionals — feature the same innovative design. We adjusted the dimensions commonly seen in outdoor seating until we found the perfect proportions for maximum comfort.
We took the firm-yet-soft feel you’d find in a premium mattress and created our own cushion inserts. The result is a thick, triple-layered cushion that makes you want to stay seated all afternoon. You don’t find that every day!
4) Don’t Forget Style
We know you’re not all about the looks, but let’s face it — you still want your patio chairs to be stylish. Fortunately, you can have both next-level comfort and a timeless appearance in one product thanks to Outer.
As we’ve touched on throughout this buying guide, our range of patio chairs comes in three distinct designs — all-weather wicker, teak, and aluminum. This allows you to choose your favorite look without compromising quality or comfort.
Our durable seating cushions come in two contemporary colors: Pacific Fog Gray and Palisades Cream. The classic, neutral tones pair seamlessly with a variety of color schemes, making it a breeze to style your outdoor space (keep reading for tips on that later).
In addition to our different material and fabric color options, each of our patio chairs is available as an armchair or an armless chair. This adds even more versatility and customization to our outdoor furniture, letting you decide exactly what you want your outdoor space to look like.
So whether you choose our Teak Outdoor Armless Chair, our Wicker Outdoor Armchair, or a set like our Aluminum Outdoor Armchair Conversation Set, your patio will always look timeless and sophisticated — Outer style.
How To Maintain Your Patio Chairs
Once you’ve chosen the perfect patio chairs for your outdoor space, it’s important to know how to maintain them to keep them looking and feeling fresh all year round.
The solution is our innovative OuterShell™. This built-in cushion cover is featured in every Outer seating option, including our patio chairs. It tucks discreetly behind your cushions as an added level of protection to be used whenever you’re not sitting outdoors.
It eliminates the annoyances of being an outdoor furniture owner — wet cushions after morning dew or a downpour during the night, sneaky bird droppings, and having to transport the cushions under cover when the weather forecast isn’t looking great.
The waterproof, stain-resistant OuterShell™ has got you, well, covered! Simply roll it out and over your Outer cushions whenever they’re not in use to keep them clean and dry for your guests to enjoy at a moment’s notice.
Our covers also reduce the duration and frequency of cleaning your outdoor furniture, which is a win in our books! But when the time inevitably comes to clean your patio chairs, simply follow the tips in our cleaning guide to make the job as quick and easy as possible.
How To Style Your Patio Chairs
The goal in styling your outdoor space should be to bring the comforts of indoors, outdoors. In addition to your patio chairs, consider adding other elements of coziness to your backyard to make it feel welcoming and relaxing.
Here are our favorite tips:
- Lay down a rug, like our 1188 Eco-Friendly Rugs, to define your seating area and create a feeling of warmth.
- Add a functional piece, like a coffee table from our range of Teak Coffee Tables. Each style is unique, sophisticated, and sure to have your guests asking where you bought it!
- Increase the comfort level of your patio chairs by throwing in some Outdoor Throw Pillows and our innovative Bug Shield Blankets.
- Finish by incorporating a simple pot plant or two (or 10; it’s your call!). Adding a touch of greenery to your patio helps tie your space together, and bold, colorful pots can bring new life to an old space.
If design and styling just isn’t your thing but you still want your outdoor space to look and feel like home, we’ve got the perfect solution. Learn about our expert Design Consultations and how we can help make your patio somewhere you can’t wait to spend time.
Quality, Style, And Comfort — You Really Can Have It All
You might think that to find the perfect patio chairs, you’ll have to sacrifice style for comfort or settle for materials that only last a short time. Thankfully, with Outer, you can have it all!
By following the tips in our buying guide, you can prioritize comfort while maintaining style and still ensure your patio chairs are made from durable, high-quality materials that will last you and your family years to come.
Thanks to our versatile range of patio chairs — from our Teak Outdoor Armless Chair to our Wicker Outdoor Armchair and our Aluminum Outdoor Armchair Conversation Set — the only hard decision you’ll have to make is choosing which option will look best in your outdoor space!