For many of us our outdoor spaces are as important as our indoor ones. We work just as hard, and fret just as much over our decorating choices. And shopping for patio dining tables is no exception.


Wooden Patio Dining Tables

I think wood first comes to mind when you are thinking of furniture for outside. Wood was not only the first material used for such things, but it complements the fact that you are outside already anyway. Wood has an immense versatility. It can be stained a wide variety of shades, giving your color and keeping the woods natural beauty in tact. If you want a brighter look, you can certainly paint the wood any color you can dream off.

Wood requires a little more work that other materials. You have to make sure the wood is properly treated for the elements. You don’t want the wood to fade or warp. There is nothing worse than sitting at the table to eat and it wobbling all over the place.

If you intend to use the patio dining table for other things than dining, you might find the texture of wood to be an issue. If the kids come outside to color or draw, that rough surface might not work. And at the same time you have to watch out for splinters. Even the best sanded table can have splinters.

Metal Patio Dining Tables

Metal is a very common material used in out door furniture. Metal gives the furniture weight while at the same time being very delicate in it’s design. Metal can be quite thin, molded and shaped into intricate designs, while all welded together making a very sturdy piece of furniture.

While metal generally tends to be more elegant that doesn’t mean it has to be. Metal makes just as good a medium for more modern hard line designs as well.

Like wood you want to make sure that the metal has been treated in some way. Rust is your number one issue with metal. Anyone who has tried to get a rust stain out of their white pants, will swear off metal furniture in a hurry. But with the advances in technology, non-rusting metal isn’t hard to come by.

Plastic Patio Dining Tables

Speaking of modern technologies, plastics have some a long way. There isn’t much of anything you can’t make out of plastic. For the sake of this topic, plastics are more than durable enough to get the job done. Light enough so the patio dining tables are easy to move, and yet no worries that the table will collapse with too much weight.

Since plastic can be infused with color, you don’t have to worry about paint chipping off or the need to strip them and repaint them. If, your patio furniture is going to be in direct sunlight a good portion of the day, you may experience fading, but some outdoor furniture covers will easily remedy that foreseeable problem.

Plastic is a cinch to clean, needing little more than a damp cloth. Should the furniture start to mildew a little, a couple squirts of 409 and you are back in business.
For each material there is to chose from, there are pros and cons to consider. Take the time you ask yourself some questions to make sure you know what it is you are looking for. Talking to some experts won’t hurt either, as they have tried many things, and know from the best teacher out there, experience, the things that will and won’t work where patio dining tables are concerned. Taking the time now, to make the right choice will save you headaches in the future, and allow you to truly enjoy the outdoor space you have created.

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Filed under: Outdoor Dining Tables • Patio Dining Tables

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