All entries tagged with “patio furniture”
Posted by The Great Escape Blog on Tuesday Jun 28, 2011 9:30 am
British craftsmen of the 18th-century discovered what t heir Eastern counterparts had known for centuries, that teak has qualities unlike any other wood. Its abilities to withstand the rigors of adverse climate, yet weather attractively, make it the ideal choice for exterior furnishings. Kingsley-Bate uses only premium quality teak and precise mortise and tenon joinery in the construction of their furniture. And while their reputation was founded on teak, their furniture designs have expanded to incorporate the finest stainless steel and all-weather wicker as well. This combination of quality material and craftsmanship provides you with exterior furnishings of exceptional style and durability.
Posted by The Great Escape Blog on Monday Jun 27, 2011 9:50 am
Tropitone innovation has changed the face of the aluminum outdoor patio furniture industry. Again and again.
Innovation in design. Innovation in materials. Innovation in finishes. Innovations that have made us a leader in the aluminum outdoor patio furniture industry.
These innovations have included the beauty and lasting strength of powder coating, stronger tube-in-tube joints, strikingly realistic faux-stone and tile tabletops, marine-grade stainless hardware - the list goes on.
Today, the Tropitone tradition of innovation lives on in the design and manufacture of casual indoor and outdoor patio furniture, pool furniture, contract and hospitality furnishings, patio umbrellas, market umbrellas and shade solutions.
Tropitone can help you create living solutions for outdoor spaces with outdoor patio furniture design collections from gracious traditional looks in highly-detailed cast aluminum to contemporary choices at home in the most modern surroundings. Tropitone also offers the widest section of styles, finishes, colors and fabrics. Just about everything they build is a custom design based upon your specifications.
Tropitone goes to these lengths for only one reason …to help you create the perfect outdoor environment. With outdoor patio furniture that always lives up to your standard of timeless style and unmatched comfort and to anyone's standard of uncompromising quality.
Posted by The Great Escape Blog on Thursday Jun 23, 2011 8:49 am
FRAMES
Cleaning: Use mild soap and warm water. Do not use abrasive materials, cleansers or bleach products. Rinse with clean water and dry thoroughly. Drain any water accumulated inside the frames by removing the adjuster glides or foot caps from the bottom of the legs.
WARNING: Water allowed to accumulate inside the frames and then exposed to freezing temperatures can cause damage to the frames. Such damage is not covered under warranty.
Always clean, drain and dry thoroughly before storing for the winter. Maintain glossy finishes by applying a coat of high quality auto wax after cleaning.
FABRICS
Cleaning: Wipe minor spills immediately. Clean with mild soap, warm water and soft cloth. Although the fabric has been treated to resist stains, over time it may be necessary to use stain removers. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Maintenance: The best way to maintain the beauty of your furniture is to store them in a dry area out of extreme temperatures or severe weather. If your furniture is being used in areas where birds and trees are plentiful, covering your furniture is especially recommended.
Posted by Marc Rush on Thursday Apr 07, 2011 7:17 pm
As published in Consumer Reports
Consider maintenance
 The furniture's material determines maintenance requirements. Routine washing with warm, soapy water works for most outdoor furniture. That's about all you need to do with aluminum pieces.
Hose down plastic outdoor wicker to remove airborne dust and dirt; that way, you can wash it with soap less often. However, it's a good idea to keep water away from genuine wicker.
Unfinished teak will weather to a silvery gray. If that's the look you're after, you need do nothing to achieve it. (Teak, a naturally oily wood, is used for ship decking and other marine applications; rain won't harm it.) But if you want to preserve teak's rich, golden-brown color, you'll have to sand the furniture and apply teak oil annually.
Steel and wrought iron need to be painted to prevent rust. You can cover the furniture to keep rain away; just uncover it when the skies clear so that condensation under the cover doesn't lead to rust.
Many furniture makers provide a small bottle of touch-up paint so that you can cover up chips in the finish. You may need to touch up painted aluminum, too, but only to preserve its appearance.
Some metal furniture is painted; some, generally higher-priced brands, is powder-coated. We've found that powder coating provides a thicker, more uniform coating than paint.
Check comfort
Sit in the chairs to get a feel for fit and comfort. Pull them to the table as you would for dining. Take note of the following:
- Does the seat height seem right for the table height? A table that feels too high or too low won't be conducive to relaxed entertaining.
- Is the table designed to give everyone's legs plenty of clearance, or do the legs seem to get in the way? Does the tabletop have an ample overhang to allow people to pull their chairs close?
- Are armrests matched to the table height, or are they so high that you can't pull chairs close?
- Are armrests designed for comfort? Wide, flat armrests are generally better, but that's often a function of style. Wicker, for example, usually has very wide armrests, while wrought iron may have very narrow ones. The crucial test is whether they feel comfortable to you.
- Are chair seats roomy side to side and front to back? Are chair backs slanted at a comfortable angle? Obviously, you don't want to feel as if you have to squeeze in between the armrests. But you also don't want to feel dwarfed by the chairs, unable to slide all the way into the seat to reach the chair back.
- How good are the cushions? Metal furniture usually comes with cushions; wood and resin typically don't. Be sure the cushions fit the seats well and have ample padding.
Inspect in-store samples
Checking these details can tell you a lot about the overall quality of the furniture:
- Does wood furniture have closely fitted joints? It's not a good sign if you see gaps where table legs join the table skirt, for example, or if stretchers connecting the front and rear chair legs don't fit into the legs tightly.
- Are welded joints on metal furniture neatly done and unobtrusive? Better still are welds that have been ground smooth and coated to match the rest of the piece.
- Is the finish evenly and carefully done? Wood should be sanded smooth all over, not just on tabletops and armrests. Painted surfaces should be uniform, with no drips, ripples, or missed spots. There should be no sharp, unfinished edges on metal furniture; check under the edge of the table, where knees may touch, and the underside of armrests.
- Is the furniture designed so that nuts and bolts holding pieces together are hidden or capped? (The caps aren't just for looks; they help keep moisture away from screws and bolts.) If fasteners are exposed, are they made of stainless steel, which won't rust? If literature on the floor sample doesn't provide the information you need, ask a clerk or ask to see the assembly instructions.
- Are individual pieces rigid? Wiggle table and chairs to see whether they move. Slight flexing is OK.
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