One of the many beautiful things about living in Sydney is that we are blessed with a mild and brief winter. This means that as Sydneysiders, we tend to spend a lot more time exercising and entertaining outdoors. This is not to mention the many beautiful beaches and harbourside outdoor space that Sydneysiders are accustomed to.
Furnishing the exterior of your beach/harbourside property comes with a specific set of challenges. It demands that your outdoor furniture withstand the intense sunlight, heavy rain, alongside the strong winds and salt water spray.
Here are some top tips when choosing the right outdoor furniture to ensure that it will last next to the water.
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Avoid Metals - whenever possible avoid any form of metal furniture. This is especially true for steel (including most stainless steel) and in case of powder coated aluminium furniture, it remains best to avoid them as the powder coating will eventually fade. You should also consider that metal furniture will get really hot in the summer as it is an excellent conductor of heat.
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Make sure it's A-Grade Teak - A-Grade Teak being the highest grade of teak found at the heart of the timber log, contains a strong yet fine grain and is rich in natural oil. It is this natural oil that protects the timber from the weather, including salt water. So if you happen to forget oiling or varnishing your A-Grade Teak outdoor furniture, it will be just fine, whereas if you forgot to apply finishing on any other timber furniture, it will end up splitting/cracking.
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Avoid heat conducting surfaces - choosing material such as HPL, concrete or stone as a tabletop surface for a fully exposed outdoor area means that you may end up with a very hot tabletop in the summer, as these materials conduct heat.
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Make sure all hardware is rust free - most furniture will have metal hardware such as hinges and screws for an extending or folding mechanism. The key is to make sure that all of this hardware is crafted from rust-free material such as brass or marine grade stainless steel.
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Choose Quick Drying Foam - the most important thing about the soft furnishing for your outdoor area is to have a fast drying outdoor foam. A fast drying foam is composed of open pores that allows water to seep through within 20 minutes following a heavy downpour. This is the key to quality outdoor soft furnishing, as it will not retain moisture and consequently will not become mouldy.
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Choose Quality Outdoor Fabric - constant exposure to sun and saltwater will degrade fabric colours and materials. This means that you need to choose an acrylic or olefin based material that is designed for the outdoors. Also make sure that all cushion covers can be removed for washing or replaced when needed.
At Wintons Teak, we are dedicated to producing quality outdoor furniture. Our coastal and traditional selections have remained extremely popular among our customers, because the quality of our furniture ensures it will withstand any environment. By making quality material our biggest priority, Wintons Teak furniture is able to survive the beachside elements of Sydney.