subject: Looking For The Best Wood For Outdoor Furniture [print this page] When you are shopping for outdoor furniture you want to make the right choice as far as the material is concerned. There are many different types of wood to choose from, but only one that is the best wood for outdoor furniture. Oak is a good choice, but is very heavy and holds heat so it is not the best wood for outdoor furniture.
A lot of cheaper furniture will use pine, but again this is not the best wood for outdoor furniture. By far and away the best wood for outdoor furniture is Cedar. There are many reasons why Cedar is the best wood for outdoor furniture which I will get into below.
Why Cedar is the Best Wood for Outdoor Furniture
The firs reason that Cedar is a great wood to use in either furniture you buy or your outdoor wood furniture plans is that it is extremely lightweight. This has several positive affects on the furniture, the first of which is that it makes the furniture extremely light. Even though it is so light, it still retains eighty percent of the strength of Oak, meaning that it is more then strong enough for your everyday needs.
It is all a dimensionally stable wood that will lie flat and stay straight, meaning unlike other woods it is naturally resistant to crack and check. This distinct cell structure also means the wood will dry out faster than furniture made from other hardwoods, making it ideal for outdoor use.
Cedar is also extremely thermally efficient meaning that on those blazingly hot days the furniture will still be cool to the touch. Cedar also has inside of it natural oils that will help the wood resist rot and decay making it an outstanding choice for use in damp environments. Because of this Cedar is a very popular material for hot tub and sauna areas. The wood there is able to resist the water and steam from the tub without completely rotting out.
In addition to this cedar also gives off a distinct aroma that is pleasant to humans but a deterrent to insects, moths, and other wood pests. Because of this Cedar is chosen to be in closets as well as chests holding blankets.
As you can see the many unique qualities of Cedar make it the best wood for outdoor furniture. There is no single one thing that makes it better then the rest, but a combination of all of these features makes it an outstanding wood for outdoor furniture of any kind.
