Spring and summer means the return of barbecues that most of us enjoy or the occasional evening entertaining friends or family in an outdoor setting. It is because we relish our outdoor life that we build and decorate our patio or deck.

Nothing will impress your guests more than providing them with comfortable and good looking patio furniture. The right selection will improve the look of you backyard or patio as well as provide the atmosphere you seek to impart.

Patio furniture should be chosen based on the following characteristics: Good quality to withstand the activities that we will impose on it Good looks to fit the decor of the house and the personality, style and taste of the owner

We have many materials to choose from today when buying patio furniture. Technology has improved all of them. Wood or wicker, metal or plastic, all offer some advantages and some disadvantages. The choice is really personal decision.

In this article I will only compare Teak wood and Cedar.

Native of Southeast Asia Teak is a very dense wood. It can be use for patios and backyards because of its properties. It contains natural oils that make it highly resistant to weather, heat or cold, dryness or humidity do not affect it. It is a very durable wood and an excellent choice.

Teak was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s in a style often known as Danish Modern, it seems to enjoy today a second boom in popularity.

Teak remains cool even under a very hot sun, and it does not splinter. These qualities have made it a most sought after material not only for today’s furniture but also for vintage furniture.

Teak biggest drawback is of course its price but we cannot say that it is surprising considering its popularity and its outstanding qualities. The good news are that manufacturers of Teak products are taking strategies to bring the prices down worldwide, so more people will be able to afford it.

Cedar is another popular wood, and cedar furniture enjoys its supporters. Cedar has a yellow color and a strong odor that is very distinctive, and contributes to its insecticide qualities. It is resistant to humidity and dryness.

Cedar is often used for construction of patio and pergolas, for any kind of outdoor construction as well as garden furniture. It will age and dry without contracting or warping. It is easy to work with cedar as it does not splinter, and any finish even paint is easily applied.

It is a wood that is warm feeling, calming and comforting. It will give you patio a special style, while being much more affordable than teak.

Which you will choose is really a matter of individual preference as both these woods will give you years of satisfaction and use with relatively little maintenance. If care and maintenance is the prevalent decision maker then teak should be the winner.

Tags: backyard living, gardening, home-and-garden, outdoor living, teak

Print This Post

Rate this post:

Related Posts:

• No related posts

This entry was posted on Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 10:30 am and is filed under gardening, outdoor furniture, patio furniture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.