French Polishing and Bespoke Furniture
Solved! What’s the Best Wood for Outdoor Furniture? Acacia is cheap and rugged but prone to rotting on wet ground. Black locust offers superior weather resistance but is difficult to saw and varnish. Cypress is easy to work with but take care not to over-sand. Cedar fades beautifully but is easy to ding or dent.
So, yes, pressure treated wood is safe to use for your outdoor furniture , including picnic tables and chairs , benches, and so forth. We recommend using ACQ (alkaline copper quaternary) treated wood as it’s been found to be the safest.
Galvanized or stainless steel are the best options for outdoor furniture, as regular steel rusts and corrodes very easily when exposed to outside elements.
cedar
Western Red Cedar
There are three surefire ways to waterproof your wood for years to come. Use linseed or Tung oil to create a beautiful and protective hand-rubbed finish. Seal the wood with coating of polyurethane, varnish, or lacquer. Finish and waterproof wood simultaneously with a stain-sealant combo.
Lumber that has been treated with ACQ consistent with the EPA labeling may be used to make picnic tables , benches , and other outdoor structures. Notice the little caveat they give in this email: “consistent with the EPA labeling.” Based on the research I’ve done, you shouldn’t ever prepare food on treated lumber .
Pine does not naturally resist decay, and it is pressure treated to make it more durable outdoors . Pine is still a good choice for outdoor furniture, it just doesn’t naturally resist the elements as strongly as cedar does. Pressure-treated pine will last a long time and resist the outdoor elements.
Pressure treated wood has become a common material in the construction industry recently but is pressure treated wood safe for picnic tables ? YES, it is safe. The most commonly used chemicals in the pressure treatment of wood today contain non-toxic substances making it safe for use on picnic tables .
Metal
Wrought iron patio furniture for the most part should not be left out in the weather during the winter . It can rust because of the snow or freezing rain. It’s important to keep an eye on this type of patio furniture because it’s much harder to move around or into storage because of it’s weight.
To waterproof your wood furniture , try a wood deck stain, which will have a sealer in the formula. When it comes time to recoat, you can either use the stain again, or try a wood-specific clear waterproof sealer.
Naturally resistant woods that are commercially available include black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), teak ( Tectona grandis ), ipe (Tabebuia spp.), California redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). These have the highest resistance to rot over time.
These are the general finish dimensions for the bench . Remember when you purchase wood add a minimum 3-5 inches to the length, 1/2-1 inch to the width and a minimum1/4-inch to the thickness . Should you decide on a bench that is longer than 36 inches, you will need to calculate how long your aprons should be.
Our top choice is the Cozumel Cast-Aluminum Bench, which looks great with its lattice design and antique copper finish. Plus, its sturdy and durable while still being affordable. It’s important to choose the right material for your outdoor bench. Most are made from metal , wood , or resin .