Outdoor furniture, patio furniture, garden furniture, casual furniture and pool furniture are all the same thing right? For the most part they all describe the same basic thing: furniture that is durable enough to survive outside. But when dealing with “pool furniture” that spends the majority of its life poolside, there are a few things you will want to consider before purchasing.
Start with a solid foundation
If your furniture is going to be placed around your pool you want to make sure it is impervious to water. Unlike iron and steel, aluminum is a nonferrous metal and naturally will not rust. Being rust proof is a very important trait for outdoor furniture that has to combat constant moisture. Dealing with rusty furniture is an all around headache. Not only is it unappealing to the eye but the rust can rub off and damage your clothing and pool deck or flooring. If your furniture is going to spend the majority of its life in direct sunlight then it needs to have a protective powder coating with UV inhibitors. It is never a good idea to leave furniture with a gloss finish in direct sunlight. Aluminum furniture also has the added benefit of being lightweight, which makes repositioning it around the pool as the day goes on a whole lot easier. Another benefit aluminum has over its metal peers is that it does not retain heat. After a long swim in the pool you want to be able to fully lounge and relax on your furniture not be seared by it (think of how hot a car’s steel seatbelt buckle gets).
Poolside Seating
Not only do you want a rust proof furniture frame but you also want seating material that was intended to be wet. While all outdoor fabrics are designed to be able to get wet without rotting or growing mildew, some perform better than others in certain aspects. Sling furniture is the most popular type of pool furniture and for good reason. Sling fabric is thin and breathable and it dries considerably faster than cushions. You can sit on a piece of sling furniture wet and let the water drip through the chair and onto the ground. Within moments the chair will be dry for the next person. I think everyone can relate to the joys of sitting on a wet soggy cushion.
Protecting You And Your Investment
Good old-fashioned fun in the pool is usually had on a nice sunny day. We are all aware of the dangers of prolonged sun exposure and the damage UV rays can cause our skin. Did you know that patio umbrellas equipped with Sunbrella outdoor fabric can block up to 98% of harmful UV rays and is recommended as an effective UV protectant by the Skin Cancer Foundation? Not only will an umbrella help protect you but it will also extend the life of your outdoor furniture by keeping the sun off of it too. For more information please read a detailed right up on the most important benefit of a patio umbrella.
Mix & Match
A popular trend for pool furniture these days is the matching of sling pieces with cushioned sets. For instance, Mallin offers the Canyon collection in both cushion and sling seating (pictured above is the Canyon sling chaise lounge). The bronze aluminum frames are nearly identical and the cushion and sling fabric are very similar in color. Some use sling chaise lounges for around the pool and compliment them with a cushioned dining set near by.
What’s your favorite type of furniture to lounge on poolside?