Outdoor Furniture, Outdoor Patio and Outdoor Gardens

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   where can i find the best patio furniture?
   we're looking for weather-proof high quality lounge chairs in white and/or blue.

   • ANSWER:
     http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Montauk_Lounge_Chair/410/

2. QUESTION:
   Best Patio Furniture cover?
   What patio furniture cover materials or manufacturers are best for protecting outdoor furniture in Northern California weather?

   • ANSWER:
     There may be something of use here.

3. QUESTION:
   How to keep patio furniture looking best?
   http://www.wickerchina.com/news-1466/How_to_keep_patio_furniture_looking_best?

   • ANSWER:

4. QUESTION:
   What kind of patio furniture is the best for the value?
   Don't know if I should spend a lot and hope it lasts for many years or spend less and replace it every 2-3 years.

   • ANSWER:
     The plastic adirondack style lawn chairs seem to hold up well. We've just used soapy water to clean them every year. Add outdoor cushions & you have very comfortable seating!

5. QUESTION:
   Where is the best place to buy quality patio furniture at the best price?

   • ANSWER:
     Patio furniture should be "on sale" now such as Lowes or Home Depot. However, I like Overstock.com and of course there's Ebay. Happy Shopping!

6. QUESTION:
   Where is the best place to find patio furniture?
   Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Smith & Hawken, Home Depot...any others?

   • ANSWER:
     I would say Home Depot

7. QUESTION:
   what is the best way to clean patio furniture using only bottles and hoses---no scrubbing?

   • ANSWER:
     I like bleach-wrecks a spray bottle but spray on, watch the goo die, spray a little more on & hose off-try one, you may like the results...
     watch out for your eyes and clothes though-

8. QUESTION:
   outdoor patio furniture best deals?
   does anyone know of an outlet/warehouse for patio furniture (retail price) in the long beach CALIFORNIA area?

   • ANSWER:
     ebay.com......

9. QUESTION:
   What is the best way to clean patio furniture?

   • ANSWER:
     With a powerwasher that uses nothing more than a very strong stream of clean water. I have rented these before from home improvement stores and they work great! The work for you is minimal. You just stand there and point.

10. QUESTION:
    What is the best type of cleaner to use on patio furniture?
    I have a swing on my porch that has brown cushions. I want to clean it without ruining color. Any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      I use Simple Green cleaner mixed in a bucket with water on all my outdoor furniture then spray it with a hose and dry it with an old towel. It also comes in a spray bottle. It cleans better than 409 or anything else I have tried and it is a safe product to use. The mildew and dirt comes off easily without a lot of scrubbing. I don't know if your cushions are plastic, vinyl or cloth. I would spray or wipe a small area on the underneath side with a sponge to see if it works on the cushion. If they have a cloth cover and you can remove them, I would wash them in cold water on the gentle cycle of your washing machine or soak them in the sink or bathtub and wash by hand then hang them to dry to prevent shrinking. I use Cheer Free liquid detergent because it has no color or perfume added and it works great on everything I wash in the machine or by hand.

11. QUESTION:
    Whats the best way to get moss off patio furniture?

    • ANSWER:
      One of my favorite tools is a little home duty power washer. It takes in water via a garden hose, and an electric motor pumps it up to a very high pressure. The nozzle allows you to adjust the high speed stream from a more gentle broad fan right down to a needle jet.

      It's very effective at taking moss off of many surfaces, including furniture. If moss is on the deck or patio, it will restore the surface to new. If you've got old redwood exposed to the elements, you'll quickly see the dirt removed and the beautiful original color of the wood removed.

      Beware, though -- the high pressure water focused in the very tight jet can carve the wood, causing damage very quickly. You'll find more uses for it, too, like washing the house of dirt and such.

      You can find them at any hardware supplier, at a range of costs and sizes. You can get one for this purpose for around a hundred dollars.

12. QUESTION:
    When is the best time of year to buy patio furniture?

    • ANSWER:
      Usually the best prices are after the season is about over but the selection is down. Stores price there furniture so that they can reduce the price at the end of the season and still have a profit. So I would look around late July or September.

13. QUESTION:
    Where can I find the best deals on new or used patio furniture? Big difference in waiting a month?

    • ANSWER:
      Big lots for new Salvation army or similar organization also check craigslist.com

14. QUESTION:
    What's the best way to clean outdoor patio furniture? Thanks?

    • ANSWER:
      It really depends on the type of furniture you have. If you have outdoor furniture that is made from Treated Pine, Cedar, or other types of wood, you may not want to use a pressure washer as it may be too harsh for the wood. I would recommend soap and water and a sponge or a gentle brush.
      A pressure washer would be fine for other types of outdoor furniture such as metal, etc. Just be careful not to have the pressure too high - it could damage the furniture and the finish.

15. QUESTION:
    what kind of patio furniture should I get?
    what kind of patio furniture is best to get that will not rust???

    • ANSWER:
      Most patio furniture these days is either lightweight aluminum or cast iron if you want a quality look. Aluminum is best because it requires no maintenance. Most sets are aluminum. They are attractive, stylish, and come in many prices from high to low depending on your budget. The fabrics for seat cushions and umbrellas are all weather resistant fabrics so they withstand all the elements and are fade resistant.

16. QUESTION:
    Where Can i get the Best Outdoor Patio Products?
    I want some outdoor patio furniture and outdoor patio products to decorate my lawn, I need to some good sources from where i can get these outdoor patio products. Online sources can also be considered?

    • ANSWER:
      I have been involved with home improvement from past couple of months for my home. I also did some improvements in my outdoors for which i have installed some stylish lights and some fancy decorative items. Also i need some seating arrangements in my outdoors for which i preferred outdoor patio furniture. I checked home improvement superstore from where i bought other things as well. I hope that this will also help you out.....

17. QUESTION:
    What's the best way to refurbish teak wood patio furniture?
    I have been refurbishing wood for over 7 years now and I love it. I redid our redwood deck, patio furniture, 2 roll top desks, kitchen table, cabinets, upstairs bathroom and much more. But have not worked with teak wood yet. My neighbors recently asked me if I would like to earn some extra $ by redoing their teak wood patio set that they have owned for 7 years. They complimented me on all the work they have seen me do over the years and wanted to get my "professional" opinon. I went over and checked their patio set out and said I would get back to them in a couple of days. I've researched several websites and have gotten lots of ideas, but they are all so different in the how-to's. I would like to do a great job for them and make some money at the same time but am a little apprehensive. I would also like to know if anyone could give me an estimate or ballpark figure on how much one usually charges for something like this. It's a 5 piece octogonal table and chairs with slates

    • ANSWER:
      Step 1:
      Treat the wood with general care and attention. As hard and durable as teak is, it is also sensitive to stains and damage which can permanently mar its surface. Keep flames, chemicals and even black-soled shoes away from the wood's surface to prevent irreparable damage.

      Step 2:
      Spray the surface with water. Use a fine jet of water to clean the teak's surface of loose dirt and grime. A garden hose will provide sufficient water pressure for this initial cleaning process.

      Step 3:
      Clean the wood with special teak cleaner. There are a number of high quality teak cleaners on the market. Use a cleaner like Amazon teak cleaner to do a thorough cleaning. Dilute the cleaner as directed by the label and then use a non-metallic brush to scrub the cleaner into the wood. Rinse the surface thoroughly afterwards.

      Step 4:
      Let the teak dry for 24 hours. If the teak is the color you want it after cleaning then move on to the next step. If the color is too dark then give the wood another cleaning.

      Step 5:
      Finish the process with a teak oil. Teak oils are specially designed products to keep the teak strong and beautiful. Use an oil such as Teak Guard or Amazon's Teak Oil to treat the teak with oil. Apply the oil to a clean and dry teak surface by wiping the wood with a rag soaked in the oil. Apply as many coats as the label of the product directs or until the teak has acquired the color you want.

18. QUESTION:
    What is the best rock to purchase for making a patio setting on.?
    I cant keep grass growing where my porch ends so I am going to extend with some kind of rock. Mabe to put cooker on and extra patio furniture on. We live in Oklahoma if that makes any differences.

    • ANSWER:
      flagstone or granite pavers, maybe..

19. QUESTION:
    What's the best type of outdoor furniture for a rainy climate?
    I live in the Pacific Northwest which is famous for its frequent rain. We relish the few months of nice weather we have, but even in the summertime we can get some rainfall. I want to have some outdoor furniture in our back yard, but I don't want it to be ruined if it gets wet. I like the idea of padded chairs, but since we don't have a shed or covered patio, they are likely to get rained on and I don't want them to grow mildewy or whatnot.

    What materials are the best for rain?

    • ANSWER:
      Enamel coated extruded aluminum will outlast both of us. In any climate. It is a bit pricey, but if you wait until fall, you will find great sales.

20. QUESTION:
    Which one of these fabrics is the best for patio cushions?
    I was looking at some cushions for my patio furniture? I notice some of them are made from acrylic material, some are Poly/Olefin another material is filament polyester and then there is spun polyester. The acrylic cushions are the more expensive ones on Lowes website. I realize that could mean the acrylic is better, but is all that much better than the others. Is it comfortable to sit on or what. I do not what to get some and they fall apart in a few months. I have read up on what the fabric is but I do not what is best. Any recommendations?

    • ANSWER:
      i think you should go to lowes and check them out..feel the fabric you want something that is not going to mold or fade out so fast from the sun...if you are more worried about comfort..i would def go touch them ...

21. QUESTION:
    Removing rust from patio furniture?
    What the best products to remove rust and other build up from my second hand patio furniture?!

    • ANSWER:
      It's called media blasting. It's a technique, not a material. The materials actually used range from very small glass beads to sand to plastic beads to walnut shells and husks. Depends upon what is being blasted and the desired unprotected finish.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_blasting

22. QUESTION:
    What are the BEST stores to register at for my wedding?
    I know that Bed, Bath, & Beyond has the best return policy of many of the stores, but I have no idea what other stores to register at! My fiancee and I already own our first home, and what we need most are things like a grill, patio furniture, and tools, besides the traditional kitchen/bedroom things. What are some stores with good reputations that are not too pricey? Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      That depends on what stores are close to where you live. I would say register at Wal-Mart, but there are no Wal-Marts within 60 miles of where I live (San Francisco), so if I had to return/exchange something, I'd be out of luck! I think Target has a lousy return policy, and depends heavily on your guests remembering to both get a gift receipt and enclosing it with your gift. So, as much as I like Target, I wouldn't register there either. Other than that - I'd go with Macy's, Crate and Barrel, and Sears. Sears is inexpensive and would have a lot of the grill type items you would need. Your fiance could also register for some home tool type things so he doesn't feel completely left out of the registry process. Macy's is more on the expensive side, but they are ALWAYS having sales and ALWAYS have some type of coupon floating around out there in cyberspace. They have some nicer things like china and server ware that you may want for future entertaining. Crate and Barrel has a nice blend of expensive and inexpensive things. I am a total sucker for their grill stuff too! Good luck!

23. QUESTION:
    What's the best DARK BROWN SPRAY PAINT for wicker furniture?
    I have a white wicker indoor patio set that I'm thinking of spray painting dark brown. If anyone has done this before please tell me the brand of spray paint you used and the name of the shade. I'm trying to achieve a natural wood feel.

    • ANSWER:
      In all my years of being a painting contractor and a graffiti artist prior to that I would say Kraylon is the best spray paint out there. As for a color that's a personal preference. The only advise I can give is use a satin cause a flat will stain easily and a semi-gloss will show defects. Apply light coats, 2 to 3 of them to avoid runs in the paint. That and paint it in an open area cuz the oil based over spray will drift in the wind.

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