Buying Guides
Buying Garden & Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor furniture can last for years if it’s cared for correctly. We’ll take you through how to care for your new investment, so you can enjoy it season after season.
Wooden furniture
Tropical hardwoods, such as teak and eucalyptus, are naturally weather resistant due to their high oil content. This makes pieces easy to look after, as you can keep them outside throughout the seasons.
Note that these hardwoods can develop cracks along the grain after they've been exposed to the elements.
Over time, teak will weather to a beautiful silvery grey colour. It's a natural timber so variations in colour and markings will occur from piece to piece.
How to care for it
Give your hardwood furniture a yearly scrub with soapy water, followed by a thorough rinse. This removes algae and pollution to restore the timber's surface, keeping it in good condition.
If you want your teak furniture to look less weathered, restore some of the original colour by applying cleaner, followed by brightener and finish off with oil. Make sure the timber is completely dry when you apply the oil, otherwise it can blacken.
Rattan Effect Furniture
Most of our woven furniture is made from synthetic wicker. It looks like the real thing but has the advantage of being weatherproof. Soft to the touch, man-made wicker is highly supple and both UV and tear resistant.
Although it can withstand very cold or very hot conditions, you'll find synthetic wicker becomes stiffer as it gets cold. Conversely, as it gets warm it'll soften and return to its original suppleness.
How to care for it
As it’s low maintenance, woven furniture's easy to clean: just use a pressure hose on a low setting. There are also non-foaming cleaners available that are specially formulated for woven furniture. Please note however, that foam residue does tend to get trapped in the weave and attract dirt.
Metal furniture
Wrought iron and steel
Wrought iron and steel furniture is given an anti-rust treatment and finished with a tough coating to ensure it lasts. We can't guarantee that the steel won't corrode, but the occasional summer shower shouldn’t harm it. Our steel furniture is powder coated for durability against the elements.
Cast aluminium
Cast aluminium furniture can’t rust, but if the polyester coating is damaged it could peel.
How to care for it
Caring for metal furniture is generally quite easy, as it's usually been given a hardwearing finishing coat. Gently wash pieces with a sponge and warm, soapy water – don’t scrub with anything abrasive, as this could scratch the finish.
If the surface of your wrought iron, steel or cast aluminium furniture has chipped and the bare metal beneath is exposed, touch up the paintwork either with the paint provided or with car paint in a matching colour.
Caring for garden furniture accessories
Parasols
If parasols get wet, leave them open to dry out. They should always be taken down and stored in high winds and throughout winter.
Cushions
Our cushions are covered in a variety of textiles that need to be cared for differently.
Printed cotton covers are soft and comfortable, but can fade if exposed to too much sunlight. All are treated with a soil-resistant coating.
- Store in a dry place
- Do not leave out in the rain
- Sponge clean with upholstery shampoo
- Keep under cover when not in use: the covers won't be damaged if they get wet, but the fillings may take a while to dry out
- Do not store cushions in polythene bags or they may develop mould
Furniture covers
Our garden furniture covers are made from weather-proof fabric that allows air to circulate. Before fitting the covers, ensure that the furniture, cushions and parasols are dry.
