Outdoor Patio Wood Furniture

What Type of Wood is Right for Your Wood Bench?

There are many materials that a person can have their garden bench constructed from these days.  The most popular of these materials is still wood, and may always be.  There are many different woods to choose from when ordering or purchasing a bench.  There are the different kinds of cedar, the different pines, cherry, poplar, many hard woods, eucalyptus, beech, birch, and still others.  Each wood has its own special qualities and aging processes.  Many people prefer wood because of the graceful aging process that many of these for mentioned woods go through over the course of time.  The different cedars are well known for their transformation from their beautiful browns to a majestic looking silvery gray.  Depending on a person’s personal preferences, any of these woods are a great choice.

The cedars remain on of the most popular woods and one of the most environmentally friendly models of benches and other furniture.  There is northern white cedar, western red cedar, and plain cedar.  Northern white cedar is popular in New England and all over the west coats, but is used mostly for the construction of indoor furniture.  However, northern white cedar is also quite impervious and resistant to decay, insects, and weather as are the other cedars.  Western red cedar is more of a softwood that has beautiful natural colors that are preferable to many people.  Even though it is more of a soft wood, it is just as durable and impervious to the weather and elements as the two other cedars.  Regular cedar is nearly as strong as oak.  Cedar has been ideal for outdoor furniture like wooden benches for many years.  Cedar is naturally resistant to the outdoors and is a wonderful choice.

There are also several different types of pine that have become popular for building benches and other outdoor furniture.  Brazilian pine and yellow pine are the two most popular pines for making and constructing benches.  Brazilian pine is known for its exceptional ability to hold screws.  It is also known to be easy to finish, which gives it a honey colored look.  This Brazilian pine does not produce the natural oils that fight insects, rotting, and weather like the cedars.  However, it is still strong, durable, and can be kept looking young and strong by applying a finish to it once or twice a year.  Yellow pine is a harder wood and is more closely related to white pine than its Brazilian brother.  Yellow pine has a certain natural beauty that is sought after by many people; however, yellow pine can degrade quickly when unprotected.  It is also not good for holding paint or other heavy finishes.

When choosing a wood for your wooden bench, keep in mind where you are located and what your weather is like.  Certain woods are better in certain climates, and some woods are great in all climates like cedar.  It is also good to keep in mind how much maintenance you are going to want to do over the years.  Most people want as low maintenance as possible, and there are some woods that will not allow this.