Archive for May, 2008

The World of Cedar Furniture

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

Cedar is one of the most durable and fashionable woods that furniture can be constructed from.  Cedar is a beautiful type of wood and is very popular wood due to its practicality as well as its beauty.  Cedar is a wood that comes naturally resistant to things like decay, insect, and weather damage.  It has a quite superior resistance to almost any other wood.  Cedar is often used in outdoor settings for fencing, outdoor furniture, and even siding on home.  However, indoor cedar furniture is just as popular as the outdoor versions.   Cedar also has an amazing strength to weight ratio, which makes it both durable and easy to move around and relocate if need be.  Because of its natural resistance to many things, it does not shrink or warp as so many other woods will do if not treated.  Cedar needs no treating to be this tough.  No special processes are used to make cedar as durable and long lasting as it is.  Pressure treated wood furniture usually have chemical additives, where as in cedar you do not have this to worry about.  Cedar is a good family wood.  

There is much of the indoor cedar furniture that is made from northern white cedar, which is a different cedar than what is normally used outside.  Western red cedar is used more for the outdoor cedar jobs.  These woods are selected for specific reasons, of course.  The northern white cedar is selected for indoor because of its creamier white color and its ever enduring strength.  When white cedar is used to make outdoor furniture, it will turn a silvery gray color over time and this is why western red cedar is used outside.  Western red cedar does not show signs of turning this silvery gray color. 

Whatever piece of furniture you are interested in buying, you will surely be able to find it in cedar.  Cedar furniture tends be a little pricey because of its durability and natural resistance to things.  However, lucky for us, there are a lot of cedar trees out there so this keeps the cost down as much as possible.  There are plenty of cedars to go around.  Cedar indoor furniture includes everything from bunk beds to recliners.  The outdoor cedar furniture is the same way.  There are cedar lawn chairs, cedar tables, cedar foot stools, and cedar for every other occasion.  When you purchase a piece of cedar furniture you are making a great investment.  A piece of cedar furniture can last a person their entire lifetime, even with minimal upkeep. 

There are many various cedar retailers online and offline.  Many of these retailers specialize in nothing but cedar.  Depending on what piece of cedar furniture you are looking to buy, you may end up paying a good amount of money for it.  The good thing is, is that cedar furniture is not only something that is useful, but it is something like an investment.  Cedar furniture is so durable that it can be passed along family lines if need be.  Investing in a piece of this furniture could really pay off in the long run, so to speak.  Buying a piece or set of cedar furniture can keep you from having to buy that particular piece or set of furniture ever again.

Types of Wooden Planters

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

Not all wooden planters are made out of cedar wood.  Some of them are made out of oak or even compressed wood.  The type of wood that you choose is usually determined by your own taste for décor as well as price. 

The best type of wooden planters are made from hardwoods, naturally.  Wood is a natural product and it allows soil and roots to breathe.  It is also porous so you have to be careful that outdoor plants in wooden planters do not get flooded.  For this reason, cedar wooden planters seem to be the planter of choice for outside planters. 

You can find cedar wooden planters just about anywhere.  Most home improvement stores have these planters as well as garden centers.  You can even find them online.  Once you have a cedar planter, you need to fill it with topsoil and allow it to sit for a day before adding plants.

Always add plants with the soil that they are in when planting them in a wooden planter.  This way the plant is not shocked and will not die.  You can also add worms to the soil in the wooden planter to get the soil to turn in a natural fashion.  This is how the soil in the land is turned so it is good to emulate nature in this manner. 

Other wooden planters include oak.  Oak is another hard wood but is not as efficient as cedar when it comes to being water proof. Cedar is more durable but oak is another hard wood that is build to last.  In addition to oak and cedar wooden planters, you can also use birch, ash or maple.  All of these woods are used in wooden planters. 

You can make your own wooden planters from these woods or purchase them in garden centers and even home improvement stores.  They are also available on the internet.  Those wooden planters that are made from pure wood such as cedar and oak are generally more expensive than those that are made from byproducts and wooden composites.  Wooden composite planters are generally cheaper but do not last as long. 

Wooden planters look good just about anywhere around your house.  They add a touch of class to your house and have a better quality look than plastic planters which can look somewhat cheap.  Once you have purchased wooden planters, you will not want to go back to plastic.  And wooden planters will last a good long time as well, especially if you get one that is made of cedar or oak. 

Whether you want to put it in your backyard, front yard or on your balcony or deck, a wooden planter can do wonders for the décor of your garden and your home.  There are so many different wooden planters on the market and they are all very versatile.  You can use your imagination a bit and really come up with some ideas to make your garden and the outside of your home into a floral showplace using wooden planters.

Save your knees and add a wooden potting bench to your decor

Tuesday, May 27th, 2008

If you find yourself working a lot in the garden but always hunting for your tools or the material you need to complete the project than you might want to consider investing in a wooden potting bench. If you find that you are always making a mess and the hassle of cleaning up after you complete your work is just too much then a wooden potting bench might just be the answer to your needs.

By investing in a wooden potting bench you will save yourself the time it takes to locate all your tools and then cleaning up the mess when you are finished with your project. A wooden potting bench has shelves and also places where you can hang your material and tools from. This will make locating them quick and easy to get to while you are working.

A wooden potting bench is also a great place to do your projects on. A wooden potting bench will save you pain in your knees and back from bending over your project or from kneeling on the hard ground while you work or while crawling on the ground. This will mean you are less likely to forget to put your tools and materials away because your mind will be more focused on them and not focused on the pain you are having due to being on the ground. You will have everything you need in arms reach because it will always get put back in its place. Gone are the days of trying to find that one or two missing tools in the garage or shed, say hello to the days of having everything you need in its proper place.

One of the great woods that can be made into a wooden potting bench is a cedar potting bench. These benches can be placed anywhere you choose, even in an open area exposed to the elements. This is possible because cedar is naturally weather resistant so not only can you place it anywhere but you will never have to worry about staining or treating the wood. Cedar is so durable that you can leave it for years to come in an exposed location and it will stand up to all weather conditions, rain, sun and even snow.

One more great thing about a wooden <a href=”http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/pottingbenches.html”>potting bench</a> is the fact that not only is it great for storing your gardening tools and materials or makes for a quick and easy clean up, it also acts as a piece of garden or lawn décor. Some wooden potting benches are made to be able to be used as garden furniture when you are not using it for your potting and gardening needs.

Wooden potting benches are not only great for working on but they are also timeless when it comes to backyard furniture. So why not save yourself the work of finding your tools, the pain of being in the garden while adding a beautiful wooden potting bench to your outdoor décor.

Polywood is More than a Plastic Chair

Wednesday, May 21st, 2008

When people think of plastic chairs, polywood furniture is not the first thing that comes to mind. Most picture the cheap plastic chairs that blow across the yard with the slightest breeze and fade to a dull, indescribable color the first year they are left in the elements.

Since 1990, the polywood industry has been working to change the vision of what plastic furniture looks like. This new polywood furniture is designed to look like traditional lumber with grains built in. It has the strength of wood and the durability of plastic. It also has ultraviolet inhibitors built in so that it holds its color and doesn’t have to be repainted.

The polywood is being used to make everything from footstools to Adirondack style chairs. The polywood furniture can be found in colors that are bright and vibrant or more subdued and wood toned. The choices seem only limited by the imagination of the buyer. Since you can also build your deck from the same product, then it is possible to truly match your furniture and deck completely.

This is not your ordinary plastic furniture. Because of the heavy duty construction and the durability, polywood furniture falls in the category of quality outdoor furniture. Be prepared to pay a little more than you might for even traditional wood furniture. Keep in mind that the polywood will not be plagued by the elements the way wood will be. It is likely that your polywood furniture could be around for many more years than any traditional wood products.

Polywood furniture is made from recycled plastics. Not only is it a great investment for your home, but it is also an investment in the future of the planet. Take some time to investigate this new “green” product. You will be surprised and delighted at what you find it has to offer you.