Mention metal patio fuiture and you probably think of the light, fly-away aluminium loungers of your youth or that half-ton cast iron table and chair set on your neighbour's lawn.
But metal outdoor fuiture has come a long way. Here's a quick primer on the available types and their care.
Construction Methods
Metal is fashioned into fuiture in one of three main ways: extrusion, casting, and welding.
Extrusion forces melted metal through long pipes and forms long narrow tubes of metal, sometimes solid, but often hollow.
Casting metal involves a form, or cast, shaped like the finished product. The molten metal is poured into the form and then the form is removed when the metal has solidified. Cast pieces are almost always solid.
Forging, a process in which metal is heated and hammered into shape produces the type of fuiture known as "wrought" metal. It uses pipes and various solid pieces of the metal and joins them together by welding or bolting.
Common Materials
The most common metal outdoor fuiture is made from iron or aluminium, although the use of steel, especially stainless steel, is growing.
Iron is a chemical element that is naturally malleable and rusts easily. Vintage pieces, usually in black or dark green, can be found at premium prices and must be carefully maintained to prevent further rusting. Mode reproduction pieces will usually have a rust-resistant finish or coating that protects against chipping, scratching and corrosion. There are a variety of finishes available such as primer and paint, aluminum profile powder coating coatings and galvanizing. They are available in a range of colors and styles.
Since iron is heavy and solid, it is well-suited for windy spots where light fuiture might be blown away. Don't expect it to be highly portable, though. Well-cared for, iron fuishings can last for 100 years.
Much of the iron fuiture available today is wrought iron, rather than cast iron. When you're buying wrought iron, look for pieces made with solid metal rather than hollow tubing, and that are welded, rather than bolted, together. Generally, the better fuiture is North American made.
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