Four Things You Need for Furniture

Four Things You Need, Outdoor-Furniture Speaking

Life outside is just better.

I spend a lot of time outside, but this year I spent more than normal. A big storm came through in early August and brought down a half dozen trees. I spent twenty-two straight days chain sawing, chipping, and getting rid of a mountain of dead branches and brush. And it was hot, necessitating lots of early morning work before the sun reached its full blaze. And when I was done for the day, did I head back indoors? Only briefly. I found it much more satisfying to be outdoors, albeit seated on my back deck on comfortable furniture I got at Eastgate Pools nearly thirty years ago. I got it before the advent of “throw-away furniture”, often found at discount stores and lumber yards. I have Telescope Casual and Berlin Gardens, but this writing isn’t about them. It’s about what goes with them.

A great umbrella and the proper umbrella base.

One of the reasons I prefer being outside, even when it is hot, is because I can control the amount of direct sun that hits me. And when it is as hot as this summer has been, I want plenty of shade. I have an oval table and the umbrella I have over it is enormous. I jokingly tell people the umbrella is bigger than the roof on my first house. Not exactly accurate, but you get the picture. It also features a great fabric that in year eleven still looks great because it is a solution dyed acrylic where the color goes all the way through. I could have gotten a cheap umbrella online or at a discount store but would have been back in the market for a new one just a couple years later. Quality matters.

It is naturally important to have the proper umbrella base. By ‘proper’, I mean one that is heavy enough to hold the umbrella in place and keep the table from tipping over in a gentle breeze. There are many different styles. Some are designed to match the furniture frame, and some inexpensive ones rely on the customer to fill it with sand or rock. Unfortunately, those usually weigh far less than needed to keep an umbrella from turning into a parachute and taking the table with it. My personal choice is a 50-pound pre-filled concrete base from U.S. Weight. True, it does not exactly match the furniture frame, but a neutral color is good enough for me. Plus, I’ve never had anyone sit at the furniture and sadly lament that the base doesn’t match the set. Folks, it’s an umbrella base and the purpose is to help protect your outdoor furniture investment. Of course, it is quite imperative to lower the umbrella when you are through sitting outside. Storms pop up frequently and outdoor furniture damage due to wind is not a warranty event.

Outdoor furniture cleaners and covers.

The planet Saturn has almost three-hundred moons orbiting it. I don’t think there are that many different outdoor furniture cleaners out there, but it’s probably close. With many of these, you had better read the directions closely before purchasing and check out the ingredient list. Some can stain or even bleach out fabric, especially the cheaper fabrics found on throw-away furniture chairs. And don’t forget the table and frames. Make sure what you are selecting won’t cause heartache and regret. Some contain so much chlorine that, when applied directly to fabrics or frames, bleaches them out.

Eastgate Pools carries two main products for cleaning outdoor furniture. First is Feron Clean. We’ve carried it for thirty years because it works! It removes deep-seated dirt and grime, all with an absolute minimum of manual effort. We also carry a poly furniture cleaner from the maker of our Amish-made poly furniture, Berlin Gardens. Again, read the instructions and component ingredients to make sure it is right for your application.

In this region there ultimately comes time to put the furniture to bed until next spring. I recommend covering it with a quality outdoor furniture cover. Available for individual tables and chairs, our most popular cover is one that goes over everything. Just slide the chairs into their normal position and drape the cover over everything. One cover does it all. There are also side piece covers, but some people simply put smaller end tables under the main table before covering the set. A properly covered table makes spring cleaning and prep a snap, especially if the set was cleaned before the cover is applied.

Adding pieces.

One thing I really like about my Berlin Gardens poly furniture is the ability to add pieces that complement the original purchase, even if done years later. I have added counter height tables, a coffee table, cup holders that easily attach to the chairs, and a glider. All match the original items I purchased twenty years ago. This is because their “lumber” has pigment that goes all the way through boards created from it. And when it is time to finally retire that traditional outdoor set I mentioned earlier in this piece, I may well go the Berling Gardens route to make it a matching set.

If a buyer chooses to go with a traditional furniture set with four to six chairs and a table with umbrella hole, Eastgate Pools carries many sets that also have add-on items. Try to get that from the local grocery or lumber yard.

A fire table.

As summer becomes fall, the evenings can get chilly. A neat way to stay warm is with an outdoor fire. But I’m not talking open burn, although I have LOTS of wood due to that storm I mentioned. I prefer propane and for several reasons. Firstly, Ohio has open-burn laws that apply. It is illegal to open burn in Ohio in March, April, and May, as well as in October and November. Some communities have even more stringent rules and laws. This is because sparks could start fires in dead leaves and foliage. Secondly, I hate dealing with the smoke. When I was young, my mom used to tell me that smoke follows beauty. I must be a real prize because no matter where I sit around a wood fire, smoke finds me. So, I get up and move and within a minute, it’s back invading my space. When I go inside for the evening, I smell like I just smoked a whole box of cheap cigars. Lastly, when I am ready to go inside, I press a button and the flame is extinguished. Completely. If I had a wood fire, I’d need to watch it until it was 100% certain that the hot embers and coals weren’t going to be the cause of a forest fire that burned down half of Clermont County.

But a fire table isn’t just for fall. It’s a natural family gathering spot where everyone can sit, relax, and … talk! That’s a year-round benefit that seems to get more valuable as the years pass by.

That’s a wrap!

This completes my “Four Things You Need” series. I’ve looked at in-ground and above-ground pool needs, hot tub/spa needs, and of course, this essay on outdoor furniture. For those that have read the series, l hope it has answered some questions and gotten you thinking.