The Fire Pit: Patio Furniture

When you chose your fire pit, you took many things into consideration to make sure that it would fit in with your lawn and lifestyle. Patio furniture that will be used around a fire pit needs to be chosen carefully, as well. Among things to take into consideration are size and the number of people who will be using it regularly, function, and appearance.

Size of your Fire Pit

The size and number of pieces in your patio furniture set depends on not just the size of the area that they will sit in, but also on your family. If you have a large family and have many people over often, you will need more pieces of furniture that everyone can enjoy. Instead of buying a dozen smaller chairs, consider replacing a few of them with wider, love seat style patio chairs to create a variety of seats to give people a choice.

Also take the size of the area around the fire pit into account. If there is limited space and the fire pit will be used in cooking, it may be necessary to buy a patio table to place nearby so that everyone can eat comfortably.

Function

If the furniture will receive a great deal of use, it is important to buy pieces that will be able to take it. Compare the durability of plastic, wood, and metal furniture. While plastic might be tempting because it is so inexpensive, it is also far more likely to break with high use. Metal is a great choice, but make sure that you don’t buy spindly metal furniture if it is going to get a lot of rugged use. Wood is often the best deal, as it is sturdy and attractive. The wood can be stained or painted any colour or treated to appear older and weathered.

Appearance

Try to choose patio furniture that coordinates with your fire pit. It doesn’t have to match perfectly to coordinate. If your fire pit is highly decorative, furniture that is in made of the same material or in a similar colour scheme while being a bit plainer might look the best. If the fire pit is sleek metal or constructed of plain stone, more decorative furniture will give the area around it a bit more interest. If you want cushions in your chairs, make sure that they work with the furniture style as well as being easy to clean. Cushion covers should be removable so they can be tossed into the wash.

Ease of Care

No matter what variety of patio furniture you choose, it should be easy for you to clean. If you are unable to do intensive cleaning, make sure that you purchase furniture that is easily washed clean with a garden hose. Many materials now have coatings applied that are stain and rust resistant, making it very easy to simply wash off dirt and other stains with just a bit of water. It is important to clean outdoor furniture well, however, to keep it from breaking down under weathering.

Coverings are needed for outdoor furniture to protect it from the elements. This is especially important during cold weather and extreme heat. If you don’t want to cover protect furniture with plastic or fitted covers, it should be stored somewhere. Stacking chairs in a garden shed or spare room can keep them safe from the weather and make them last much longer.

Be sure that the patio furniture you choose can be repaired if it does break. Some manufacturers offer warranties, but don’t depend on them. Often, wooden chairs can be fixed with the application of a couple of screws or nails. Metal furniture might need a weld to repair it, but this is very easy for someone who knows how to do it and takes only moments. Another drawback of plastic furniture is repair difficulty, so take this into account when deciding which material and style of furniture will best serve you and flatter your fire pit.