Outdoor Furniture Plus' Blog

An arbor swing is a fun, beautiful, and functional addition to your backyard. If you want to create whimsy in your outdoor decorating, the arbor swing is the way to go.
Not only does it feature a relaxing and enjoyable swing, but this swing is supported by arbors, on which you can grow any climbing plant that you choose. So, why not go the extra mile and grow grape vines on your arbor swing?
Grapes are actually a lot easier to grow than you would think. And, you don’t have to live in the south to grow them. As long your climate has a frost-free period of 165-180 days in which your grapes can grow strong and healthy, you can harvest a crop of delicious, ripe and juicy grapes.
Grapes are a very versatile fruit. Not only are they delicious on their own, but they also can be used to make beverages such as juices and wines. Wine-making is a very complex, interesting, and entertaining hobby, and should you choose to grow grape vines on your arbor swing, it will open the doorway to this brand new world to you. How fun would it be to grow your own grapes, and if you are in the mood for a sweet snack, to simply walk into your own backyard and pluck a grape straight from the vine? Growing grapes is not as difficult as you might think; and if you put your full effort into it, it will be a very rewarding experience.

A garden swing glider is one of my favorite ways to bring fun and beauty into your backyard. One of the best ways to think of a glider is as a bench that swings. Since gliders are a unique type of furniture, they need a bit more attention than your average, motionless bench would require. The vast majority of gliders use a gliding track system to propel them back and forth.
This track system needs to be kept well-oiled, so that it can slide back and forth smoothly and easily. Insufficient oiling will cause the gliding motion to be inconsistent and choppy. If you ignore your glider swing’s oiling needs for too long, it could even lock in place; unable to move even in the slightest.
The regularity with which you should oil your glider’s track depends almost entirely on its location. Rain and other forms of precipitation are the most significant factor in determining how often you need to oil the track. Rain, sleet, snow, and ice all erode the oil, causing the protective coating which lets the glider glide to wear away at a much faster rate. So if you live in a rainier climate or place your glider in a location where it is more exposed to the elements, you will probably have to oil your glider’s track system more often.

A firewood rack is an essential piece of furniture, whether you have an outdoor fire pit or an indoor wood-burning stove or fireplace. Whether your firewood rack is indoors or outdoors, it serves the same basic purpose: keeping your firewood neat, orderly, and in the best condition possible. However, the difference between indoor and outdoor firewood racks lies mostly in their size and design.

Outdoor firewood racks tend to be much less ornate than their indoor firewood racks. Because they are typically out of the view of guests, they do not have to serve any decorative purposes; just functional ones. As a result of this, outdoor racks tend to be much plainer, but also sturdier. They also are typically of a larger size, because your backyard is much bigger than your living room. Usually, outdoor racks are made from simple metal or wood, and contain little to no ornamentation.
An indoor firewood rack, which is sometimes referred to as a log rack, is typically much smaller than an outdoor rack. It will sit on the firewood hearth and usually can only hold a few logs. Because the indoor rack is part of your living room’s décor, they are much more attractive than outdoor racks, but at the cost of functionality. Don’t count on your log rack to be too sturdy; so be sure not to overload it.

If you are looking to add a patio umbrella to your backyard, it is important that you know with just what you are dealing. Patio umbrellas can be split into two basic groups: market patio umbrellas and commercial patio umbrellas.
Commercial patio umbrellas are mostly used on home patios or in gardens and outdoor cafés. They are typically made with durable hardwood poles that easily slide into the umbrella hole which many patio and café tables feature. They are also appropriate for use with beach tables and chairs, restaurants, and other similar high-traffic situations. Usually made with acrylic fabric, commercial patio umbrellas are great when it comes to withstanding harmful elements of nature, such UV rays, wind, and rain. There are also many additional features you can choose from when purchasing one of these umbrellas, Commercial patio umbrellas range in price from $400 to over $550, depending on what brand you purchase and which features you want.
Market patio umbrellas, on the other hand, are patio shades made for use in sidewalk cafés. Before they were used in the United States, they became quite popular in Europe. Market patio umbrellas are known for their high quality and sophisticated designs. They are used mostly to provide shade from the sun, protecting your eyes and skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Most of these patio umbrellas are made of aluminum, and feature canopies that can easily be opened and closed with a simple crank mechanism. Depending on both the manufacturer and the brand, market patio umbrellas usually cost in the range of $300 to $400.

A patio umbrella is one of the most basic and essential pieces of outdoor furniture that exists. Today’s patio umbrellas, however, come with more bells and whistles than ever, which can make umbrella shopping quite confusing. It can be difficult to decide what features you want your umbrella to have, and what options are just not worth the expense to you.
Most patio umbrellas have simple crank lifts, which allow you to quickly open and close the umbrella with ease. However, some models feature an automatic open button, which is either located on the umbrella itself or on a detached remote control. This feature will also allow remote-control closing of the umbrella.

Other similar automatic features today’s patio umbrellas might include automatic tilt buttons, which enable the umbrellas to be tilted in whatever direction blocks the sun the best. Tilting patio umbrellas are perfect if you want to be able to use your patio furniture at any time of the days, and are especially helpful if most of your patio furniture is not portable.
All of these features will help to make your life easier, and the tilt feature especially will allow you to use your umbrella more often. However, it is up to you whether or not these extras are worth the additional cost, as these features with quickly drive up the price of your patio umbrella.