Choose Patio Furniture Carefully

There are two ways to choose patio and deck furniture. The easy way is to just go out and buy it. No questions asked. Fish out the plastic. Get it over with. Just do it.

The second takes a bit more time, but makes a whole lot more sense to us. It goes like this: Patio and deck furnishings should be chosen like any other piece of furniture. It’s an investment. To get the most for our money, we should do a little investigating. Ask questions. Know something about the different materials out there - and there are plenty.

“Casual Decor: A Guide to Outdoor/Indoor Furnishings” is an 80-page guide to casual furnishings produced by Hearth & Home, the trade journal of the casual furnishings industry. It has the ins and outs of buying patio and deck furnishings nailed.

Here, from the guide, is a quick rundown of some of the things you should know when on the prowl for patio and deck furnishings:

Aluminum: The most popular frame material for outdoor furnishings. Strong. Doesn’t rust. Lightweight. Durable. Minimum maintenance (apply a coat of liquid wax each summer). Retains its good looks through blistering summer sun. Should last for at least 10 years.

Screws, bolts or nuts should be stainless steel, anodized or properly plated. Welds should be smooth. Inferior-quality aluminum weighs less.

Iron and steel: Heavy. Durable. Graceful, flowing designs. The back legs of chairs and chaises should be reinforced with braces or double rods. Iron mesh should feel sturdy and be unrippled. Quality tabletops should be held in place by a channel, not tack welded.

A major disadvantage is that iron and steel furnishings can rust. Maintain as you would your car’s finish. Wash occasionally and apply liquid car wax at least once a year. Two or three times is even better. With proper maintenance, quality iron and steel furnishings can last a lifetime.

Resin: It’s actually polypropylene (plastic) to which chemicals have been added to enhance strength, color, and resistance to dirt and sun. Long life, low maintenance. Simply wipe clean with damp cloth. A coat of paste wax applied annually will help flat or satin-finish resin keep its good looks.

Prices can be low, but beware. You get what you pay for. The more costly chair usually is heavier, roomier and more comfortable.

Wood: Versatile. Traditional and contemporary designs. Several finish options (natural, stain, paint, oiled). Durability and longevity vary with wood type.

Quality unpainted wood should be smooth to the touch with a tight grain. Watch out for knots. They are weak spots. But remember that wood was a living substance, and some imperfections are part of the charm. Look for mortise and tenon joints, wood dowels and brass or stainless-steel hardware - all signs of quality.

Unfinished wood will weather to the silver hues of driftwood. If you decide on a painted finish, it will require repainting every year or so. Check at your patio and deck furniture store for a free copy of “Casual Decor: A Guide to Outdoor/Indoor Furnishings.”