Why Quality Matters – The Hidden Cost of “Cheap” Garden Furniture:

Factors that indicate quality
With garden furniture what are the factors that increase longevity, make a piece comfortable and are well crafted and also look great? Garden furniture particularly needs to be hardy. Your furniture will need to be able to bear the brunt of the rain, snow, frost, sun and the odd garden party mishap. It will need to last throughout the seasons.
Quality is distinctive and indicators include:
• Solid joinery.
• Weather resistant fabrics and finishes.
• Rust proof metal – like in our aluminium pergolas , but also in frames.
• Weather or rot resistant wood such as teak (which will need periodic attention).
• Chairs and tables that are well balanced.

Recent innovations in better quality have brought such pieces as the fire pit dining table as above. The picture is of our Bramblecrest – Amsterdam L-Shape Aluminium Corner Sofa inc Firepit Table – Crownhill

The Hidden Cost of Cheap Furniture
Cheap furniture is not a price point alone. Cheap is a quality aspect characterised by:
• Products that need replacement or repair after a short period. Products that discolour after exposure to the sun, metal that rusts after a few short years. The quality product will last 10 years or more, the budget set will last a fraction of that time.
• Comfort and safety. Those cheap sofa cushions can be uncomfortable and the fabric will fray. We only supply quality as specified by our management team. That cheap table that was bought for minimal outlay that wobbles because the screws are not fit for purpose.
• The cost to the environment. Not only are you having to replace but your first purchase will need recycling or disposing of contributing to landfill. Plastics are difficult to recycle.

Quality vs Cheap Furniture
Our strict quality control is for a good reason. We see that buying high quality product will over time be more cost effective than the budget alternative. For example:
A budget rattan dining set for 4 for approximately £500 which lasts you for 2 summers will cost you £2500 over a ten year period if you continually replace. A better quality that will last you for all 10 summers can be priced at less than £1000.
Pergolas are fabulous outdoor shelters and extra rooms. Some of these can be made from inferior metals, are not sturdy and will sway in the wind. The aluminium ones that we recommend are strong, will not rust and will last years. The cost of the cheap ones can be as little as under £200 but where will you throw away the metal parts when they have rusted. Good pergolas such as our collection will cost upwards of £999, but you will not worry when the roof has snow on it that it may collapse or that the gale force winds we sometimes get will blow them over.

Our pergola range in aluminium is quality checked and regularly installed by our technicians…Aluminium Pergolas / Gazebos Archives – Crownhill. Aluminium is an excellent solution for outdoor variations in furniture.

In the long term the benefits of quality
• Style and design are superior.
• Replacements are fewer and further between.
• The sense of pride and satisfaction is far greater.

The Right Materials
Choosing the right materials will define garden furniture longevity as well as appearance and upkeep.
The best materials are:
• Aluminium – ensure that the frames of tables, chairs, sofas, pergolas are made from aluminium.
Aluminium is lightweight but strong, it does not rust, it has a long lifespan. A good set can last 10-15 years.

• Synthetic Rattan – looks like rattan but does not age like rattan or have the fragility of rattan.

• If you must go for wood then use teak – it ages well, is weather proof but absolutely needs regular oiling. For those who are conscious of the ecology then FSC wood will guarantee sustainability.

Just before you buy…..
Before you add to basket, and prior to purchasing the garden furniture piece ask yourself:
• Is it built to last?
• What do the reviews say?
• Is the product guaranteed?
• Is the dealer reputable?

Your garden deserves it!