Choosing wooden garden furniture is the most eco-friendly way to decorate your outdoor living space. Whether you choose softwood or hardwood, nothing beats the look of real timber with its natural knots, grooves and features that make each piece unique.
Not only is wood a more ethical alternative to other synthetic materials, but it is also versatile and can be customised with paints and stains to suit your style. Brands we work with such as Churnet Valley, Rowlinson and Rutland Country supply their timber goods in a natural finish, so you can have a blank canvas to make your mark.
When sourced responsibly, wooden garden furniture is the most environmentally friendly choice you can make for your garden, and it is the preferred choice for those looking to cut down on plastic. The brands we work with ensure that all their timber is sourced from FSC (Forest Management Certification) approved woodlands so that you can be confident that the wood is sourced ethically and sustainably.
Both sustainable and renewable, wooden garden furniture can stand the test of time compared to other materials. You will often find that other furniture sets are only available in a limited choice of colours, whereas timber furniture can but updated and repainted to keep up with changing styles, saving money and the environment.
When maintained, wooden furniture can last a lifetime. However, a number of physical and environmental factors can deteriorate timber over time. Unfortunately, damp UK weather is not exactly timber friendly. Damp conditions cause the wood to rot. Fortunately, most of the furniture we have on our site will be supplied with either a surface treatment, or pressure treatment to protect it against the elements.
The typical warranty for pressure treated wood can be in excess of 10 years. However, the life of your timber furniture can be prolonged with good, proper annual care to maintain this protection.
Insects and mould are physical factors that can cause timber to deteriorate. Again, this can be prevented with a good anti-fungal wood preservative and regular stewardship.
There are many different varieties of wood with qualities that are ideal for outdoor furniture. But to narrow it down, timber can be categorised into two groups: Hardwood and Softwood.
Softwood such as Swedish Redwood is a popular choice for garden furniture manufacturers as it is versatile and easy to work with. Swedish Redwood benefits from a number of features that occur naturally in the wood, such as being rot, insect and moisture repellent.
The main hardwoods we have on our site are Eucalyptus, Acacia and Teak. These hardwoods are extremely dense, due to the 100+ years it takes for the tree to grow before it is ready for harvest. This dense structure to the wood makes hardwood very durable, rot and moisture repellent.
Hardwoods take over a lifetime to grow, but when it comes to aftercare, the maintenance is fairly minimal compared to untreated softwood. Softwood, on the other hand, is known to be less durable as hardwood, but a well-treated softwood will last just as long with that extra added effort.
Softwoods take over half the time to grow and replenish, making it a much more sustainable option compared to hardwoods which can often be unethically sourced. Because of this, you will find that softwood products are cheaper, making it a favourite for customers looking for eco-friendly furniture that doesn't break the bank.
Whether you have hardwood or softwood furniture, aftercare will be required to some extent. Natural, untreated hardwood will have naturally occurring oils, the most you will be required to do is an annual wash and rinse with soapy water, followed by an optional oil treatment to maintain its colour.
When it comes to re-treating your timber furniture, we recommend an annual treatment to keep your furniture looking its best. However, depending on the location of the furniture and your geographical location, you may find that you can get away with 12-18 months between treatments, however if you feel that your furniture is more exposed, a frequent treatment may be more appropriate.
If you're looking for an eco-friendly timber treatment to go with your furniture, we recommend a water-based treatment such as Protek's range of timber preservatives. Not only do their paints and stains protect timber from mould, fungi and insects, their formula is non- toxic, and is child, animal, plant, bee and bird friendly. What's not to love?
