Monday, May 6, 2013

Western Red Cedar And Why It Is Appropriate For Adirondack Chairs



Choosing cedar Adirondack chairs has numerous advantage over other types of wood and other types of outdoor furniture. An investment in quality furniture will provide benefits for a lifetime or more. Appearance, durability and resistance to many of the common environmental issues are key reasons why you should pick Western Red Cedar for the products. Here are a few details that will reinforce the information pool about the choice of this type of furniture for Adirondack chairs.

A brief description of the characteristics of this type of cedar is helpful. It is a sizable tree reaching nearly 200 feet in height at maturity. The needles (leaves) are made up of four rows of opposite pairs. The aroma is one of the notable characteristics and contributes to the appeal of the wood. The trees grow mostly where the climate is cool, moist and mild at low to middle elevations. The prime growth soil is one with high nutrients and moist to wet conditions. The trees will grow in shade and have a lifespan sometimes exceeding a millennium.

The wood of a cedar tree is very light weight, which is an advantage when placing furniture pieces on patio groupings. At the same time, it it far from flimsy. It is one of the most durable woods. It is said that fallen trees will remain sound on the forest floor for as long as a century. The resistance to decay and insect damage is a characteristic desirable in outdoor furniture.

Appearance of this wood is another reason for choosing cedar for outdoor furniture. It is a pale wood with a reddish cast that weathers to a silver gray if not treated. It also takes a stain well, which helps to retain the appearance and brings out the wood grain.

With regular cleaning and maintenance of furniture made of cedar, they will be unlikely to require replacement for generations. The furniture should not be placed directly on the ground, since that provides a path for moisture and insects to attack the wood. The natural resistance of this species will still prevent much of the pest damage that would occur with other materials.

Cedar Adirondack chairs represent an investment in outdoor furnishings that looks good and is durable. It can be customized for comfort and functionality. It resists moisture and insect damage for years. The useful life of this type of chair is much longer than cheaper pine products, making cedar a better investment.

Monday, April 22, 2013

How To Care For Your Cedar Adirondack Chairs



Adirondack chairs made of cedar are known for their beauty, strength and longevity. The Adirondack chair made of Western Red Cedar is particularly suited for outdoor furniture. It holds up well outdoors, even when the weather is wet, windy or hot sunshine. Over time, untreated wood will fade from the reddish brown natural color to a soft silver gray such as seen in driftwood. Some of the style choices can be seen by looking for TheBestAdirondackChair.com online.

You may decide that you want the aged look for the furniture, but that doesn't mean that the wood has to be rough and snag your clothing. A smooth finish is easy to maintain without destroying the desired silver color. Some owners move the furniture into storage in the worst weather season, but that is not necessary to maintain the look over many years.

Due to the softness of Cedar, these outdoor furniture pieces can be sanded by hand easily. In fact, using hand tools may prevent the kinds of gouges and scratches that are easy to create with this type of wood. A regular review of the entire surface of the chairs or other pieces should be done and corrective action taken to remove any flaws and smooth the surface.

When you leave the pieces unstained, the gray color will be more even than if a stain or finish is used. Since the main purpose of stain is to maintain the natural color, it is important to note that adding stain typically affects the colors to some degree. Usually it is to make the wood appear more golden that the natural unstained finish would appear.

An Adirondack chair makes a good choice for outdoor furniture to be placed on a deck, patio, balcony, gazebo or garden. You won't need to spend a lot of time caring for the furniture. In fact it make not be necessary to sand down the surface until several years have elapsed.