What Material is best for Patio Furniture?
The first characteristic you should look at to determine the quality of patio furniture is the material of the pieces. Patio furniture can be made out of many different materials such as steel, iron, aluminum, wood, rattan, molded plastic, or resin. This post discusses the pros and cons of the most popular materials. Aluminum is widely considered the best metal for patio furniture. The biggest advantage of aluminum over iron or steel is that it doesn't rust. When aluminum comes in contact with air, an oxide layer forms that keeps out oxygen and water (unlike iron, which has a permeable oxide layer which water and oxygen can continue to pass through). This characteristic lets you keep aluminum furniture out in rain, wind, and snow. Aluminum is much lighter than...