Outdoor Furniture - The Advantages of Using Rattan and Cedar

    A variety of woods are being used today to make outdoor furniture. The choicest of them all have been Redwood and Oak. However, the modern furniture markets are witnessing dramatic changes as more and more furniture made of Rattan and Cedar is being manufactured and supplied. Why Rattan and Cedar? Here are some of the reasons why Redwood and Oak have lost their sheen in the outdoor furniture market and Rattan and Cedar have taken over.

Advantages of Using Cedar for Constructing Outdoor Garden Furniture

    Cedar is used in making outdoor garden furniture for two reasons: It's resistant to bugs and does not rot that easily. To understand the properties of Cedar, you'll need to get acquainted with a few of its popular species. Here they are:

Eastern Red Cedar

    It is one of the most aromatic of all Cedar species and besides outdoor furniture, is frequently used to make closets and chests. The wood is strong and is weather resistant to a great extent. Furniture made from Eastern Red Cedar, if kept out in the open without any protection, will still last you over 5 decades! Eastern Red Cedar is full of knots and is very difficult to work with. As a result, it shows high resistance to termites and moisture which makes it perfect for outdoor use.

Western Red Cedar

    These Cedars, just like their eastern counterparts are very aromatic. They are often mistaken for redwoods due to their colour. Another reason why carpenters and furniture manufacturers prefer cedar over redwood and oak is the price. Cedars are a lot cheaper than both of them. Both these woods, owing to their weather-resistant properties are often used for making fence posts, tree houses and mountain cabins.

Advantages of Using Rattan for Constructing Outdoor Garden Furniture

    Rattan is a type of hardwood. Unlike most other hardwoods, quite similar to that of bamboos', rattans' grains grow vertically. However, unlike bamboo which is hollow inside, rattan is completely solid. This property of rattan makes it one of the most durable woods available in the markets today. As a result they are readily being used for constructing outdoor furniture. Besides this indigenous property, rattan is also resistant to splintering and is extremely durable.

    Why use rattan over redwood and oak? Firstly, the wood is cheaper than both redwood and oak. Secondly it accepts paint and polish. This makes it highly customisable and is preferred by customers over other woods. Rattan is resistant to termites, moisture and does not require any kind of special care and maintenance. This makes it a strong contender in the outdoor furniture category.

    Rattan is perfect for lining furniture that is made of woods with little resistance to weather. We tried to add as much information we could about both these wood types! Refer to online databases for more!