If you want the right outside furniture that will last you several years instead of several seasons, you have to consider the material more than anything else. Metal and wood furniture can last you decades of usage if you buy furniture of good quality and take good care of the furniture, but they age in differently and are more suited for different situations.
How Metal Furniture Ages
When it comes to Aluminum, it barely changes. It will not rust or rot, and it will be the same in year ten as it was in day one. The finish of the aluminum furniture will fade if kept in full sunlight, but it will be stable. Cheaper aluminum furniture will be lightweight and can even blow around in strong winds.
Wrought iron and steel have more presence, but will rust if the protective coating gets damaged. Small scratches can expose the bare metal to moisture, and corrosion can begin. Some people appreciate the weathered look, but rust can damage the metal’s structure to be compromised.
Powder-coated steel is rusting to an aging metal look, but in the middle. The coating protects the metal well, but it can chip. Quality matters as well here, with cheap powder coating that can chip off an entire coating in just a couple of seasons.
Aluminium will always last longer and never get affected. Unlike iron and steel that require maintenance, even neglected metal furniture will not not become unusable, but will get even more weathered.
The Aging Of Custom Wooden Furniture
Teak, oak and eucalyptus are examples of hardwoods and can last decades when left outside. The natural oils that are in teak protect it from insects and rotting. When left untreated teak will turn silver-grey but will still be in perfect condition. Some like this aged look, while others are more towards maintaining golden color and that can be done with oils.
Softwoods like pine and cedar are more vulnerable as they are cheaper. If untreated stale moisture can get into wood and cause rotting. Treated softwoods can last from ten to fifteen years, but requires consistent retreatment every so often. Missing a year leads to rot and other big problems as moisture will get into untreated areas.
Joint areas and places where water can collect or seep in are where it usually weakens. The end of grains will suck moisture so make sure that dried undercover portions get sealed. Wood with changes temperature will lose packed joints as it expands and contracts, but this is usually fixable.
As wood gets older it will lose its packed structure and especially when moisture is added after drying. This mainly is a cosmetic problem, so its mainly fine. Deep cracks are weak spots as water will collect in them.
Maintenance Needs
Aluminium is about as maintenance free as a material can get. A wash with soapy water is enough to make it last decades. Steele and iron need rust checks annually as well as and treating and repainting every few years.
Wooden furniture is the most maintenance heavy. Most woods need to be oiled once a year and if you’re ok with a silvered teak feel free to skip it. Hardwood is more forgiving to missed years compared to softwood. Yearly check and tighten any loose joints.
Wood and metal don’t get along with high moisture levels. Metal can cope a bit better but even with water in joints, aluminium can get loose as it freezes. Wood also needs to drain and is worst off if standing water is left.
Weather Resistance
In British weather, metal furniture is not an issue. Aluminium rain and also moisture is not an issue. Steel also copes well with moisture as long as the coating is intact. The biggest corrosion issue is in coastal areas and with sudden weather changes.
All wooden furniture swells when wet and dries when it shrinks but in the UK’s variable climate, this constant movement and moisture stresses joints. Compared to softwood, hardwood and teak cope better but all woods do benefit from moisture drying quickly between wet periods.
Sometimes sitting on metal furniture can be very uncomfortable, especially on extremely hot days. Extreme dry heat can cause wooden furniture to dry out and crack. In extreme cold, wood rarely has any issues, although frozen water can split wooden furniture.
Expected Lifespan
High-quality aluminum furniture can easily last 20 to 40 years without any significant wear. and need to be replaced. You may need to replace the cushions and do a bit of maintenance here and there, but the furniture itself should be fine.
With a bit of maintenance, high-quality steel and wrought iron pieces can last just as long, although some vintage wrought iron sets from the 1950s have been repainted several times. Steel furniture suffers from a lack of maintenance and can only last around 15 years due to rust.
Some teak wood can last around 30 years with maintenance and other hardwoods can last around 20. Treated softwood furniture should be re-coated regularly to make it last around 10 years.
These time estimates assume the furniture is stored indoors during bad weather. Otherwise, the estimates can be improved considerably by bringing the furniture.
Cost
Aluminum can cost less initially as it is the cheapest metal and it costs less to replace furniture in the long run. Because aluminum furniture is low maintenance, there is not much cost in the long term. The main expense is replacing cushions to steel furniture every now and then.
With the initial price, hardwood, especially teak, does tend to have a higher value than the rest. Sometimes, teak can have a good value even after a long use. The initial cost mostly comes from the time spent oiling and maintaining the piece every so often. It rarely needs extensive repairs.
Like buying cheap fast food, buying poorly made furniture from either material is a wrong decision. If the wood is cheap, the furniture is made from poorly treated softwoods. They will not outlast the best pieces, leading to an even greater waste of money.
Comfort Differences
The cold in winter and the uncomfortable heat of summer creates discomfort with metal, especially when it is not cushioned. It is lighter, though.
It is more comfortŠ°ble with wood since they don’t conduct heat, and wooden furniture creates a comfort in variable temperatures.
Metal furnitre needs cushioining whilst wood does not.
Appearance
Metal maintains its appearance for a long period even when the metal is aluminum. It will not change much even with time. Patina can be formed with a metal and it can be rusty in some regions.
Wood always changes character. Teak brightens from a warm golden honey hue, and then silvers out to grey. Other woods also go through changes, and their changes tend to include darkening, lightening, and increased weathering. If you prefer to have your garden growing and furniture settling, choose wood. If you’d prefer for all of your garden furniture to always look the same, wood is not for you. Metal is better for this.
Making the Decision
If you want to do little to no maintenance and durable furniture, then metal is the best option. Quality aluminum and metal also do great for the coastal areas.
Wooden furniture is better accepted if you like naturally sourced materials, are okay with some maintenance, and want furniture that will change and gain more character with it’s usage. This ties into traditional aesthetics too, if your garden is more on the classic side.
At the end of the day, both these materials are designed to last a couple of decades. The question that needs to be answered is not how long these materials last, it’s about how long will these materials last in your hands. The amount of maintenance you’ll do on your garden and furniture is a deciding factor.
If you’re the kind of person that doesn’t do too much maintenance, aluminium is the best option for you. If you are the kind of person that is willing to spend some time every year looking after their furniture, then timber of a good hard wood will be the best option for you. A great compromise is using poweder-coated steel, it’s better then softwood in durability, and also not aluminium which is on the lower end of durability.
Both metal and wood will outlast cheaper alternatives by decades, but the furniture that will last the longest is whichfurniture best suites your situation and which will be best looked after.
