Collaborative Post
When it comes to gardens, there are some of us that are green-fingered to the bone. But not all of us enjoy getting on our knees in the mud to manipulate plants and flowers; some of us have other hobbies to find, carpentry perhaps amongst them.
One of the first big projects you might undertake as a budding carpenter is a simple piece of outdoor furniture. You’ll quickly outgrow messing around with palettes, so what materials should you be considering when it comes to making your own outdoor furniture?
Hardwoods vs. Softwoods
First, though, it is important to lay down some groundwork for understanding wood as a material. For one, there are two distinct types of wood with which you can work: hardwood, and softwood. Softwoods are the product of evergreen trees, which keep their leaves all year round; think pine, conifer, cedar and spruce. Hardwoods, meanwhile, are the product of deciduous trees, which shed their leaves as part of an annual cycle. Hardwoods range from oak and teak to ash, beech, birch and beyond.
Generally speaking, hardwoods are more advantageous to use for outdoor furniture construction. They are denser and harder-wearing than softwoods, and hence can be trusted against the elements and against a bit of rough treatment. However, softwoods are cheaper and much easier to manipulate, too. With the right treatment, pine can be just as hardy if not hardier – and better at fighting off infections, to boot.
Exotic Appeal
Of course, material suitability is only one part of a much larger equation. There is also the matter of aesthetics to consider, which is where the import of exotic woods becomes part of the conversation. Exotic woods are more expensive by far to procure, but also provide some incredible patterns and surfaces with which to work – to say nothing of the ease with which some can be worked. Exotic woods like teak and mahogany are also quite well-suited to outdoor use on account of their natural moisture- and insect-repellent properties.
Budget-Friendly Options
Budget, though, becomes an even more significant part of that same equation by necessity. Exotic woods can not only be highly expensive to purchase, but highly expensive to source in the first place. Timber shortages have seen the price of even basic materials shoot up, to say nothing of controlled and rare woods.
Softwoods are the natural fallback for cheap and workable materials, but there are also treated timber products available in abundance. These are often impregnated with chemical solutions that ward off insects and stave off infection or moisture-related decay. These can make short work of erecting structures, particularly those that are designed to provide shelter. By using a wide array of materials, you can avail of the properties of each to make your outdoor furniture set last for years.