Best Type of Outdoor Furniture

Wicker vs. Cast Aluminum Furniture

In your quest to choose the right outdoor furniture pieces for your home, you’ve no doubt run across two major contenders in the game – wicker and cast aluminum. Both styles come in a wide variety of traditional and contemporary styles, and in most cases similar styles of each material can be found for comparable prices. However, the differences in the materials, durability and maintenance of the pieces are what will ultimately secure your decision to purchase one over the other.

On the other hand, cast aluminum is liquid aluminum that has been poured into a mold, and shaped into a desired piece of furniture as it cools down in the mold. Cast aluminum furniture resembles iron furniture, but is generally a lot lighter than iron, yet heavier than wicker. Being lighter it is easier to move and relocate.

Durability and Lifespan

The area in which you live can ultimately dictate your decision to purchase cast aluminum outdoor furniture over its wicker counterparts. If you live in an area of the country that experiences a lot of rain, you might notice that your wicker patio furniture is susceptible to weather-inflicted corrosion and rot. Damp wicker furniture has also been known to attract insects who feed off of the wet natural or synthetic fibers. In contract, cast aluminum furniture does not rust when repeatedly exposed to moisture. Cast iron or wrought iron furniture can rust however prompt attention to any exposed metal will alleviate any rust problems.

Outdoor Furniture Maintenance

All you generally need to keep wicker furniture clean is a garden hose. On occasion, you might want to hand wash your wicker furniture pieces with mild dish washing liquid and water. Over time, you might also have to replace bent or missing wicker patio furniture reeds. This process, which requires a lot of DIY patience or out-of-pocket professional repairing expense, can add a lot of time and restoration costs to the final overall price of your wicker outdoor furniture choice. After considerable use you may need to repaint your wicker furniture. This usually requires only a light cleaning, and a couple of hours with a few cans of spray paint.

You can also keep cast aluminum patio furniture clean with soap and water. This material is virtually unbreakable. Therefore, you do not have to worry much about major repairs, just minor nicks or scratches in the pain that can be usually corrected with touch-up paint.

Best Furniture For Your Money

Setting aside issues of style preferences any type of high end metal outdoor furniture, cast aluminum or wrought iron, will prove to be a choice that can virtually last a lifetime. In normal use solid metal furniture is not prone to breaking, bending or otherwise become weak from use. Wicker is popular and stylish but may need periodic painting to retain a beautiful appearance. Either furniture can be refreshed with new cushions. As a long term investment, metal furniture is your best choice for durable outdoor furniture.