Outdoor Furniture Plus' Blog

There’s something just inherently gratifying about getting your hands dirty and coming out with a beautiful, finished project. But does that mean you should be submitted to backbreaking labor and a disorganized mess? Absolutely not. A healthy garden is usually the result of a happy gardener. So do yourself a favor and get your act together with every green thumb’s best kept secret: a potting bench.

Fact: Potting benches are good for your joints and muscles
Even with the addition of an outdoor kneepad, getting down in the dirt is hard work and bad for your back and knees. Too much bending over can lead to worse problems down the road. A potting bench is designed at an optimal height where you can work comfortably while standing up and without having to bend or reach.

Fact: Potting benches keep you organized
Your pruning shears are in the garage, potting soil is in the shed, work gloves, who knows where. A potting bench keeps everything you need all in one place, with ample storage and compactness. Many feature a corkboard or latticework upon which a number of hand tools can be hung and organized. Even the simplest models come with some basic shelving, ample workspace and usually a pullout tray, perfect for scooping and storing soil and sand. Some potting benches even come equipped with wheels, so your workspace can go where you go.

Fact: Potting benches are an attractive addition to any home
Besides being useful as get all, a nice potting bench is easy on the eyes and looks great on a deck or patio. Many are made from weatherproof hardwoods like cedar or teak, while others are made from rustproof metal, vinyl or resin. There are a multitude of styles, shapes and sizes available so you can find one that matches perfectly with your existing furniture.

Fact: Planter pots give you more control than regular gardens
Use your potting bench to put together a selection of gorgeous planter boxes. Unlike the garden in your backyard, with planters you can micromanage what’s planted where, the type of soil, and amount of sunlight and water your plants receive. Planters also reduce the appearance of weeds and you can better control pests, too.

Fact: Potting benches are low maintenance
While it brings another piece of furniture into your life, a potting bench does not require much upkeep, leaving you more time to work on your gardening. Made from a variety of weatherproof materials, they’re designed to withstand the elements. Plus, most are easy to clean and extremely durable and long-lasting.

It’s the time of year when most of the colder days are being replaced by warmer ones, when frost-laden nights give way to dewy spring mornings. During this time, you may rearrange your closet, put away winter coats and tuck away the down comforter. But did you know that your house could also benefit from an end of winter makeover? Spring-cleaning is not just for cleaning out the cobwebs; proper ventilation will flush out all of the stagnant, stale air that’s collected inside your home since you closed the windows last autumn, making it easier to enjoy fresh air indoors as well as out.

Dangers of “Bad Air”
For most people, stale air is merely a musty smelling nuisance. But for many people, the risks are much more palpable. Poor ventilation results in the collection of dust, pollen and other irritants trapped inside, that, once the heating or cooling is turned out, blast out from corners and vents, resulting in an allergy–sufferer’s worst nightmare. Allergies can affect people in a number of ways, from mild stuffiness and itchy eyes to much more serious consequences, so reducing the number of allergens indoors is key. People with other respiratory ailments will also greatly benefit from not having to work so hard to breathe fresh air. In the worst cases, poor ventilation and the occurrence of asbestos (especially in older homes) can even result in a rare form of cancer called Mesothelioma.

Fans
Fans are a simple and cost-efficient way to circulate the air already inside your home, which can vastly save you money on energy bills. Overhead fans work in two ways: in winter, they can be set to pull the warm air downward from where it naturally collects around the ceiling. Conversely, on hot days, the setting can be switched so that warm air is lifted upward, making it cooler and more comfortable. There is also something called a whole-house fan that effectively draws the outside air through the entirety of your home and can save lots of money on costly air conditioning. For concentrated blasts of cool air, rotating floor or desk fans can offer just the right amount of added comfort in small areas on particularly balmy days.

Attics
When it comes to old, musty, dusty air, the attic comes in first as the main culprit for where this air collects. Rarely opened, and with little ventilation, most attics experience virtually no air flow, but can still affect the air in the rest of your home. In summer, the lack of airflow will cause attics to overheat and radiate heat throughout your home. Consequently, your air conditioner will need work harder and your bill will go up. In winter, warm, humid air collects in attics, slowly causing damage to rafters and insulation. One way to circulate the air in attics is by installing a basic gable vent. Gable vents are slatted fixtures that install in gables or over doorways to allow air to pass without rain, pests or light from entering. There are studies that show a well-ventilated attic can be some 35 degrees F cooler than unventilated attics during summer.

EPA Tips
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cites some smart and useful tips for further optimizing year-round ventilation in your home:

-Eliminate the individual sources of pollution, which can contain asbestos or adjusted (like gas stoves) to decrease the amount of emissions
-Increase the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. Most heating and cooling systems do not mechanically bring fresh air inside a house. Open windows, doors, attic fans, window air conditioners, and bathroom and kitchen fans when the weather permits
-Invest in a quality air cleaner. While it won’t reduce gaseous emissions, it will significantly clean other pollutants in the air

Teak is the one of the most popular woods used in patio furniture, on ship decks, and as a durable building material. It’s versatile, attractive and infinitely long-lasting and worry-free. Take something as simple as teak benches. It doesn’t seem like anything exciting on the outset, but its usefulness is infinite. The best thing about teak is that it’s one material that looks as great as it does outside your home as it does inside. By using the basic teak bench as an example, let’s take a look at the various places throughout your home that could benefit from a touch of teak.

Outdoors
The main place you’ll see a teak bench is on a deck, in your backyard, on a patio or porch. Teak is considered to be the strongest of all hardwoods, and the proof is in the wood itself. Weatherproof and resistant to mildew, warping, insects and more, teak is practically indestructible and looks great year in and year out. Use it as an extra seat, a workbench, or whatever your outdoor needs may be.

Living Rooms/Dens/Family Rooms
Unlike some stiffer, cold materials like resin or metal, teak boasts a warm color and inviting grain that makes it a perfectly suitable addition for your indoor setup as well. Anywhere you need a seat, a teak bench provides a rustic charm unmatched by other benches. Place one in the foyer for somewhere to rest while taking off your shoes, use one as a piano bench with your family’s old upright. The options are endless and teak is so low maintenance, all it takes is a little oiling every so often to keep the surface looking fresh and healthy day after day.

Bathrooms and Spas
Wood also adds an elegance and natural atmosphere to bathrooms and spas. In bathrooms, a teak bench is useful for extra support, to hang clothes on, or when changing. Because it’s so waterproof, teak holds up even against prolonged exposure to moisture. That’s just one of the reasons teak has been used so heavily in shipbuilding for centuries. In spas and saunas teak is a natural fit, especially if you own a Finnish wood sauna. Lesser woods will warp and mold from humidity caused by spas, but teak is native to the monsoon rainforests of southeast Asia and is used to handling humid conditions.

Don’t let teak be pigeonholed as a patio-only furniture. Teak can go wherever you go, and will easily outlast upholstered and inferior models of furniture. From something as simple as a bench to bistro sets, full dining tables, or what have you, redefine your indoor/outdoor décor and embrace the many choices offered by the lovely king of hardwoods.

For anyone with a wood burning stove, grill or fire pit, you know the value of proper wood storage. Soggy logs put a damper on all those would-be barbecues, bonfires and picnics. It may seem petty, but storing logs properly not only helps them to burn better and also keeps away unwanted visitors.

The first trick is getting logs up and off the ground. Logs kept on the ground will stay damp for much longer, making them harder to ignite, causing them to rot faster and also producing more smoke. At the same time, creepy crawlers like snakes and insects love the dark, cozy nooks provided in logs piles that are kept on the ground. If you have no option but to keep your wood on the ground, at least keep it secured with a waterproof tarp that’s tightly secured so that no moisture or wildlife can get in. To help ensure a snug fit and so that your tarp won’t go flying away in the first heavy wind, weigh it down with stones or something comparable.

However, a log rack of some kind is preferable to ground storage. Simple, yet effective, log racks can be purchased for a moderate price or built by hand. The main considerations when shopping around for or building a log rack is looking for materials that can both take a lot of weight and are extremely durable and weatherproof. Hardwoods and metals treated with rust inhibitors tend to work best.

In addition to your basic rack, a durable log rack cover is also recommended to keep wood dry. These flexible covers are like tarps but usually thicker, made from vinyl or reinforced canvas. The trick is finding a cover that fits snugly over your rack so that it will not fly away and keeps out the maximal amount of moisture. A lot of covers come with an easy front flap opening that allows you to grab up to a handful of logs at one time without having to uncover the whole pile. And in the middle of winter when you need to restock your fireplace, the last thing you’ll want to do is have to spend extra time out in the snow refitting your rack cover.

The optimal placement of your log pile is somewhere that’s both convenient and out of the way. You’ll want to pick somewhere close enough to your home that you won’t have to take a hike each time you need more wood, but also away from where walking paths. If you have the space, log racks placed up against the side of your home, shed or garage provides extra protection a natural wind block and protection from the elements.

Don’t let your next campfire fall flat because of improperly stored firewood. Just rack your wood, cover it up, and you’ll be good to go at any moment.

Outdoor furniture is meant to be able to take a beating; it’s tough, waterproof and manufactured to stand the test of time. But even the strongest furniture will start to fall into disrepair over time, no matter how much work you put into it. While most people realize the dangers of water, wind, ice and mold on outdoor furniture, rarely do people think about how the sun can pose a significant risk as well, drastically shortening the life of patio furniture. Yes, even on those beautiful summer days your furniture could steadily be losing its luster, without your even knowing it.

Umbrellas
One way to stop prolonged exposure to sunlight on your furniture is by investing in a quality patio umbrella. These easy to open and close accessories are good for both you and patio sets, providing a shady haven that simultaneously reduces color fade, cracking and damage from the sun. It will also help keep resin furniture from warping out of shape from the sun’s heat.

Regular Cleaning
One risk that’s indirectly linked to sunshine is one of the things you put on your skin. While on sunny days a good SPF sunscreen can mean all the difference between you and a painful sunburn, the same chemicals that keep your derm safe are bad for furniture. Once you slather up and grab a seat, any sunscreen that sits on furniture will cause damage over time, as the oil components will ruin finishes and slowly eat away at the furniture itself. By regularly cleaning off all surfaces with a hose or damp cloth, you can keep furniture clean and clear of danger.

Oiling
Ironically, while one kind of oil is bad for furniture, another type is actually healthy for it. The strong rays from the sun will more quickly dry out wood furniture, causing the grain to splinter, crack and warp. There are many oils specifically designed to treat wood furniture, many of which are made with natural ingredients found in other trees. Some woods, such as teak, produce their own resinous oils that keep the wood not only conditioned, but also resist the onslaught of mildew and insects. A word of warning though: over-oiling can produce negative effects, including have your furniture turn an off blackish color. As a rule, outdoor furniture needs to be oiled about twice as much as indoor furniture depending on the amount of sunlight.

Pack it Away
When it comes to the problem of color fading, fabric patio cushions are the most at risk. Some materials, such as olefin, have a higher chance of fading than stiffer, plasticized materials like PVC. The best plan, though, to keep your cushions brighter for longer is to simply store them away when you’re not using them. This will also save you time in case of unexpected rain showers. Kept indoors, or in a ventilated trunk, your cushions will enjoy a much longer shelf life.