You’ve been through several sets of adirondack chairs in the last few years, but you notice that your neighbor seems to have been using the same set of furniture the whole time, and it still looks amazing.  When you ask about it, you find out that it’s cedar, and your neighbor tells you that cedar is supposed to last a very long time.  That’s evident from how long your neighbor has had the furniture, but you want to know what it is about cedar furniture that lasts so long.

Cedar is a hard wood that produces its own natural oils, so you don’t have to varnish or seal it against weather in any way.  This means that cedar patio furniture is naturally weather resistant, so it can outlast other materials in harsh weather.  Cedar oil is also aromatic, which adds a nice fragrance to your outdoor wood furniture.  As an added bonus, this musk repels moths, so when you sit outside at night with the porch light on, moths won’t bother you in their attempt to reach the light.

Cedar outdoor furniture is of high quality, durable material that is resistant to decay as well as weather, so you don’t have to worry about a lot of different diseases that can affect wood and cause it to crumble easily.  While it is always best to store your wood patio furniture during the winter months when they are not in use for greatest protection, cedar can even stay out in harsh cold with little or no concern for damage.

If you are looking into the purchase of some of this furniture, note that not all cedar is the same.  In fact, red cedar or “aromatic” red cedar outdoor furniture is actually another species entirely.  This is mad from juniper wood, which actually has many similar properties – durability, natural oils, aroma, and strength – but is lighter than actual cedar and not related in any way at all to the other species.  This is good for patio furniture that you want to move around and store since the light weight makes it more mobile.

Cedar is in high demand now for use outdoors, and luckily it is abundant in North America so it is not extremely expensive to produce the raw materials.  Instead of spending a fortune replacing your garden furniture frequently, you should think about investing in cedar.  This material will last for decades with minimal maintenance – simply wash it off every once in awhile, store it in the winter, and sand off any splinters or weak spots each spring – and will look amazing in your yard.  In terms of quality for the price, outdoor cedar furniture is difficult to beat, and you can look forward to a long lasting relationship with your outdoor furniture.