Garden furniture

Your choice of garden furniture can be important in ensuring minimal maintenance. Plastic or aluminium garden furniture will require little or no maintenance, although they may not suit every garden. Hardwood furniture is an expensive, but relatively low maintenance choice. It will require annual oiling (particularly if left outside all year round) to keep it in tip top condition, but shouldn’t require more than that.

Cast iron furniture is hard wearing, but will require occasional re-painting to prevent rust. Softwood is a cheaper alternative, but regular painting and preserving is much more crucial than for hardwood furniture.

If you have indoor storage space then the simplest answer may be to take your furniture outside only when it’s required. This would be a good solution for a small coffee table and folding chairs, but may not be quite so practical for a 6 seater dining set!