Objection: “Wicker or teak? That stuff’s too expensive!”

Rebuttal: On the surface, you will likely spend more on wicker patio furniture or teak patio furniture of high quality and craftsmanship than you would on big box plastic offerings. While it may feel good to hold on to your money, it feels less exhilarating when the furniture sets tear up and you find yourself in need of another purchase the following year. Over time, the costs of wicker patio furniture or teak patio furniture go way down. The reason for this: they are products that can literally last for decades.

Objection: Wicker or teak can’t possibly hold up to the elements!

Rebuttal: While big box plastic furniture buyers will confess their product of choice is flimsy, they operate under the mistaken assumption that wicker patio furniture and teak patio furniture are just as destructible in harsh weather conditions. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Teak and other wood elements are from nature. They survive and even thrive in harsh environments. They will do just fine sitting on your back porch or patio, and most owners of these products will agree that there is little upkeep required over time to keep the same standards of beauty and quality in place.

Objection: Wicker or teak manufacturing sources can’t be trusted!

Rebuttal: While it may be true that some vendors out there make a living overcharging for inferior product, there are a variety of online locations and manufacturers that you can depend on. Wicker patio furniture and teak patio furniture have many enthusiasts from all over the world, and by using sites like VictoryFurniture, you can get the skinny on any manufacturer that you may have questions or concerns about.

While the arguments against wicker and teak are out there, the rebuttals are more powerful and the potential benefit that you will get from ignoring them and moving ahead with a purchase can last for all of your lifetime.

Sourcing Matters

teak patio furniture

Where does the teak or wood selection come from in the manufacturing of these premium types of furniture? Certain areas, such as Indonesia, are particularly well known for the growth of these materials, and while you cannot always be guaranteed quality, you may be able to make a safer bet by focusing on sources that collect from high quality areas. Remember, teak patio furniture and wicker patio furniture are only as good as the materials that go into them.

Craftsmanship Matters

Even the best materials in the hands of an amateur can produce weak product. By all means, a quality piece of teak patio furniture or wicker patio furniture should last you for years, some say even decades. Focus on manufacturers that will stand behind their products with a long-life guarantee, and you will get years of enjoyment out of these products.  Ideally, you want to stay with the recognized names in the furniture manufacturing industry and avoid unnecessary chances.

Care and Delivery Matters

Two very important considerations that individuals often overlook when purchasing these types of furniture are that of care and that of delivery. Care is the level of responsibility that you must take on when maintaining your wicker or teak patio furniture. If you are constantly required to apply treatments in order to protect the integrity of the wood, then you may wish to find another selection. Likewise, teak and wicker patio furniture delivery is of great importance when placing an order. You want to make sure that delivery methods are high quality and that your product is protected against mishandling.

Taking all these elements into consideration, you can find a piece of patio furniture that you won’t have to replace each year—one that can give you decades of use at an affordable cost.

Gloster Furniture - Outdoor furniture for winter or summer.

With new lines of Gloster Furniture including the Kingston, Horizon Club, and Kore patio sets, the company continues its tradition of producing durable products that will stand up to the weather and meet every expectation that you have as a customer. Spending more time outdoors during the warmer months gives you an opportunity to commune with nature and each other in a variety of ways thanks to the company’s unending efforts toward versatility.

Gloster Furniture can meet a variety of needs. For the more portably minded customer, it can make trips to the beach for long hours on the sand, under the sun or an umbrella. For the homebodies out there, it fulfills the desire of enjoying meals outside or working on that suntan by the pool. Boasting both bold colors and an array of natural, timeless shades, this is the style of furniture that sets the overall mood of your outdoor living area. Mixing in the sturdiest of materials such as teak and rattan, the company strives to produce a coordinated effort toward durability and comfort.

Gloster Furniture continues to produce new materials each year. As the weather grows warmer, you will be grateful that you started planning now for the style of backyard or traveling patio furniture that you want to come along with you on those long trips to little league baseball games or beachfront activities. This is one brand that travels light and holds up for years to come. So avoid the setbacks of cheap plastic big box furniture and make an investment in your comfort with Gloster. Once you do so, you’ll be glad you did.

*   DINING TABLES – there are dining tables available from 30″ – 63″round, 60″ -120″,oval, some square, and rectangular up to 130″in length! The tops range from glass, cast aluminum, punched aluminum, faux stone to real stone..

Santorini Dining Sets and Furniture

*   DINING CHAIRS & SWIVEL ROCKERS – available in strap, sling, cast aluminum, extruded cushioned aluminum, wrought iron and outdoor wicker. Most resin and wood dining chairs do not swivel.

*   BAR STOOLS – bar stools are now being made in differing heights to accommodate built-in BBQ islands and bars. A barstool’s height is measured from the ground to the top of the seat and are usually 30″ (bar ht.) and 26″ (counter ht.) There is a factory that will customize your stool up to 34″ high.  When building your bar it is important to keep the measurement from the ground to the top of the bar to 42″ (bar ht) or 38″ (counter ht) as this will assure you of a large selection in stools. When shopping for bar stools you also need to know the depth of the “lip” around the counter as this will determine the correct height for the arm on the stool. Sometimes it is wise to shop for bar stools before constructing the bar!

*   DEEP SEATING – sofas, love seats, club chairs, ottomans. We now have club chairs that rock,swivel, glide or a combination of two or more motions – the selection is amazing! Also, the outdoor sectional has arrived, giving flexibility in outdoor seating arrangements – these work well in front of a fireplace or around a fire pit.

Aluminum Outdoor Furniture

This product is very popular now – some of the chair designs
are very intricate – the frames are heavy, thus good in windy areas. The
color selection is limited, and most of pieces are more comfortable only
with cushions. The collections are quite extensive so that you can
coordinate dining, deep seating, bar stools and more. We don’t advise using
this furniture on the beachfront if you cannot wash it down weekly. Cast
Aluminum is somewhat brittle – it does not bend, but it does break;
therefore shipping cast is more demanding than most other materials

EXTRUDED ALUMINUM OUTDOOR FURNITURE:

Lighter weight aluminum which is hollow and can be
extruded in different shapes such as round, oval and squared. This process
gives us a greater variety in designs from contemporary to traditional, with
some of the more traditional pieces having a combination of cast aluminum
for the arms and back decoration. Most of the high end extruded aluminum is
made domestically and these factories offer a large color palette and quick
delivery. High quality powder coated extruded aluminum is fine for
beachfront but requires consistent maintenance to remove the salt residue.
WOVEN OUTDOOR FURNITURE:

Woven Outdoor Furniture

This furniture is made from either colored resin or vinyl
woven over an extruded aluminum or steel frame which has been powder
coated..The style is determined by the shape of the frame and can look like
traditional wicker or sleek contemporary furniture. Wicker seating with
cushions has a great comfort level and can be combined with cast or extruded
aluminum for dining although there are very attractive wicker dining sets on
the market.
WOOD OUTDOOR FURNITURE:

Wood Outdoor Furniture

Wood such as teak and other dense oily wood gives you weighty frames
that are suitable for windy areas and also beachfront. The frames are
definitely more comfortable with cushions. Regular maintenance is required
to keep the frames in their original condition..If left alone teak will age
to silver grey – eventually!

How did you furnish your house?

1.      Did you go into a room, like the dining room, and say we need some
furniture in here and then go out to buy a dining set with little regard to
the size, color, and comfort level, how it was made, or how it coordinated
with other colors and furniture within your house?

2.      Or did you just put the handed down set into the dining room?

The key point – there is a significant difference between just furnishing
versus planning, designing and decorating. If you are not interested in your
interior design, then you are not interested in doing the patio right the
first time. Unless you are one of the few that realize outdoor furnishings
will be seen a lot more than inside not to mention it is a reflection of
your taste, style and decorating abilities.

If you are interested in design and decorating, then this guide will help
you, if you have the time. If you don’t have the time, send us an email
including:

*       answers to the key questions below
*       pictures of your patio area as well as a few of your interior

We will give you a free design recommendation.
A few key questions to help develop your plan:

1. What do you want to accomplish with your furniture and accessories?

a.      Improved leisure time & lifestyle?
b.      Increased entertaining area?
c.      Exterior decorating?

2. How often will you be enjoying your furniture?

a.      Daily?
b.      Weekends?
c.      Special occasions only?

3. How will you use your outdoor spaces?

a.      Dining?
b.      Conversational seating?
c.      Sunbathing? Relaxing? Reading? Other?

4. How many people will be sharing your outdoor furniture?

a.      Normal family use?
b.      While entertaining?

5. Is your patio furniture visible from inside?
If so, what colors are you using in the interior? (we want to
harmonize the color scheme from one side of the window to the other.)

6. Is the area for the furniture exposed to:

a.      Strong wind?
b.      Full sun?
c.      Sprinklers?
d.      Salt?

7. Describe the type of surface on which the furniture will be placed.

8. Will the furniture be used near a pool or spa?

9. The dimensions of the spaces. Covered or partially covered?

10. Maximum dollar amount you plan to spend on patio furnishings?

11. Should I do this in stages? or all at once?

12. What are the important selection factors?

The above questions are very basic, but most shoppers have not properly
answered them. Many have only thought about a few, if any. Why not? One
reason is, most have very little experience in buying patio furniture and
very limited knowledge. Without a plan and product knowledge, how are you
going to make good buying decisions? You must know your objectives! You must
have a plan if you are going to do it right the first time. Once you have a
plan, then you can start reviewing product options.