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When landscaping your garden, it’s important to remember that man-made objects catch the eye and become a focal point.
Choosing garden décor crafted from natural materials will complement your design without jarring the viewer out of a nature-induced reverie. At the end of a winding path, you may delight the eye with a well-placed wooden garden bench. A picnic table may grace your patio. Next to your vegetable or flower garden, you may find an outdoor storage bench to be useful.
Before purchasing outdoor furnishings, it’s wise to consider the attributes of the most popular types of wood used in their creation. Criteria for choosing wood furniture include longevity; sustainability; resistance to insects and rot; how well it weathers over time; and of course, price. Here are the most popular varieties of wood used in outdoor furniture making, and how they rate on those five criteria.
Teak
Longevity: This gorgeous hardwood outranks all others when it comes to long life. Teak’s tight grain and natural oils are the key. Too much maintenance can actually shorten the lifespan of this wood. All it requires is a yearly application of teak oil.
Sustainability: Teak started off low on the sustainability meter because old-growth forests were considered the most desirable. Now that it has been proven that young, plantation-grown trees are just as durable as their elders, teak has become a wood that can be used guilt-free.
Resistance: Insects and rot don’t stand a chance with this wood.
Weathering: Teak resists swelling and shrinking, and the color holds up well.
Price: Expensive. In exchange for all of these fabulous attributes, you can expect to pay quite a bit more.
Acacia
Longevity: Reasonable longevity, especially when used on a deck or patio.
Sustainability: Acacia is an excellent choice for those concerned with environmental issues. Essentially, it is an invasive weed, so harvesting acacia is good for the planet.
Resistance: Good resistance to rot, but not to insects.
Weathering: Natural durability, but best when it is stained or sealed.
Price: Affordable.
Cedar
Longevity: Cedar furniture can last a long time, but only if it is sealed on a yearly basis.
Sustainability: Red cedar is easily harvested in a sustainable manner, using best practices.
Resistance: Resins within the wood resist both rot and insects.
Weathering: Cedar becomes rough to the touch if it is not sealed. The color fades to a silvery-gray. However, it readily accepts stain, paint, or sealant. Cedar’s moisture-retention properties keep it from cracking.
Price: Affordable.
Shorea
Longevity: A very strong wood, which holds up well to constant use.
Sustainability: Shorea grows in the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Look for responsible manufacturers, such as Oxford Garden, that certify that they purchase sustainably-grown trees.
Resistance: Highly resistant to decay and attack by insects.
Weathering: The tight grain makes it impervious to the elements.
Price: Somewhat pricey, but less expensive than teak.
Now that you have determined which type of wood suits your needs, it’s time to choose the furniture that will become the focal point of your garden. And that means adding one more deciding factor to your list of criteria: beauty.
A former furniture maker, Stan Horst now specializes in sourcing quality benches by publishing a website, http://www.betterbenches.com. He lives in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains with his wife, two teenagers and constant companion Toby Jax, a rat terrier. He rents out mountain cabins (http://www.cabincreekwood.com) and enjoys hiking, fishing, and camping with his family.
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