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Garden furniture is often sold as a patio set consisting of a table, four or six chairs and a parasol. Garden parasols are a specialist type of umbrella designed to provide shade from the sun. Parasols fit through a hole in the centre of the table and are secured in a base. Long chairs, referred to as chaise lounges, are also common items. Patio heaters, that run on bottled butane or propane, are often used to enable people to sit outside at night or in cold weather. A picnic table is used for the purpose of eating a meal outdoors such as in a garden.
The materials used to manufacture modern patio furniture include stones, metals, vinyl, plastics, resins, glass, and treated woods.
Plastic garden furniture is naturally waterproof, so you can leave it out year-round. However, rain water will collect at the back of chairs and in nooks and crannies. As such, a surprising amount of dirt can form.
Wooden garden furniture can suffer through exposure to the elements and therefore needs to be periodically treated, for example with varnish. Teak is a commonly used material for outdoor furniture. It naturally contains silica, which makes it resistant to fungal decay, many of the effects of water (such as rot, swelling and warping), as well as chemicals. It is also resistant to fire, acid and alkalis, and there are certain oils specifically for the treatment of teak to help it resist weather and the adverse effects of being outside.
Aluminum garden furniture is robust and long-lasting. Despite that, agents such as suntan lotions, perspiration and car exhaust can eat away at the powder coating that protects it, although aluminum does not rust. If the protective coating is compromised it will corrode and cannot usually be salvaged.
