Patio Sets - the various types

• Patio dining sets: Round, oval, square, rectangle or octagon tables with sets of four to six patio chairs. Patio dining sets may also come with a patio umbrella that slides through the center of the patio table.
• Patio bar sets: A table and two or more chairs at bar height (42”).


Patio Dining Set

• Conversation sets: Conversations sets contain a pair of patio chairs, a love seat, patio cushions and a coffee table. Some sets also come with a side table.
• Folding patio sets: A patio dining set or conversation set where the furniture pieces are designed to fold flat for easy portability and storage.
• Patio chair sets: Sets of two to four patio chairs by themselves.
• Bistro sets: Smaller patio table and a pair of patio chairs. May also come with a smaller patio umbrella.

Patio Set Materials

• Aluminum patio sets: Aluminum sets can be either high end pieces made of cast aluminum or cheaper thin walled aluminum tubing. Cast aluminum is sturdy and strong and comes in a variety of finishes like pewter and bronze.
• Plastic patio sets: Recycled plastic patio furniture has a bad reputation as cheap and flimsy but you can find better quality pieces that are strong, sturdy and almost elegant. Plastic has the great qualities of being less expensive than other materials, weather resistance, light weight, easy to clean, and comes is a variety of color choices.
• Wicker patio sets: Wicker patio sets bring a lot of charm and character to your patio area. Wicker is a woven fiber (organic and plastic) that is formed into a ridged piece of furniture. Wicker is light and sturdy which makes it easy to move.
• Teak patio sets: Teak patio sets are very common, they look great and the stand up to the weather very well. Cedar is another wood that has great weather resistant qualities but it is less common than teak.
• Wrought iron patio sets and Cast iron patio sets: Iron furniture sets are very durable and have a classic look to them. They are often pair with glass table tops that make a great contrasting look between the materials. Iron furniture pieces are either painted or powder coated for an even more durable finish.
• Glass: Glass table tops for dining tables, coffee tables and side tables are a common feature for patio sets. The glass top make for easy cleanup along with its weather resistance. Tempered glass is a must for safety.

Have an overall plan for how you want your outdoor patio set to evolve and then grow it one piece at a time until you have reached your visions. Once you have chosen your patio set there are many ways to accessorize you new outdoor furniture. One of the first things to add on are patio set covers to keep your new furniture clean and inviting. We will cover patio set accessories in a future article.

Patio dining sets usually come in pretty standard configurations. The first element is the dining table. You can find shapes that are round, oval, rectangles, hexagons and octagons. Tow of the key determining factors for choosing the shape of the table are first to make sure it fits well in your patio space and second to accommodate the right number of people you expect to be serving. Typically setting sizes start with the intimate bistro table that seats two people all the way up to 8 or more.

Patio dining chairs are the next element to look at when buying a patio dining set. I look first to find sturdy construction so the chairs will last and then look to comfort and aesthetics. Seating can range from a simple bench to high end office chair luxury. Look for light weight chairs if you plan to move your configuration regularly. If you have children durability and ease of clean up are musts. Even simple patio chairs can be spruced up with stylish patio chair cushions and you can have custom patio cushions made in the fabric of your choosing if you don’t find exactly what you are looking for pre-made. One of my favorites are retro plastic chairs because they are cheap and easy to clean.

Umbrellas are a great addition to a patio dining sets but they don’t always come with the dining sets. Check to make sure that your dining table has a hole in the center of the table top and a heavy base if you plan on using a patio umbrella with your dining set. Patio umbrellas come in a wide variety of styles and fabric patterns. Like patio cushions, you can also have an umbrella made with any outdoor fabric you desire to get just the right look to match your patio decor.

Common materials for patio dining sets include wicker, wrought iron, cast aluminum, plastic resins, and wood such as teak or cedar. As far as wood goes, you can’t go wrong with teak outdoor furniture. It is definitely more expensive than many other options, but its beauty and durability will make it a great investment for many year to come. Many patio accessories (planters, serving carts, storage bins, etc) come in teak so you will be able to match any teak furniture that you buy.

A patio dining set is a great purchase to get your patio a jump start to fine outdoor living.

Dining sets are the most common patio furniture sets. We have an entire article on outdoor patio dining sets so we aren’t going to go into too much detail here. The basics are that the dining set is an outdoor version of your indoor kitchen table or dining table sets. A Bistro set is an interesting option if you have a small patio. It seats 2 and some are made to sit against an exterior wall or fence to take up even less space in the middle of your patio area.

Patio Furniture Set

A conversation set is an other great choice to start your outdoor patio area. A conversation set is a group of chairs and a love seat that are at a lower height than a dining table. They create a more relaxed setting and are often arranged around an outdoor coffee table. In addition to a coffee table, your set may also come with a side table or two. Conversation sets can be found made of the same materials as patio dining sets but very often come with patio cushions. The patio cushions add a lot of style and comfort to the seating of a conversation set. There are a large number of options when it comes to patio cushions so you should be able to find some that match your sense of patio style.

Bar sets are a fun addition to any patio. They usually have the bar and a pair of matching bar stools. Bars usually take up significant space unless they are designed to be placed against a wall or gate with all access designed to take place from the front side.

When it comes to buying patio furniture sets, just be sure to buy quality. Storing your patio furniture in the garage during the off season is a good idea. If you don;t have the room to do this, you may want to look into getting patio furniture covers. These are usually inexpensive and they can save a lot of seasonal wear and tear from your patio furniture.

Teak furniture patio sets come in different types of sets. The core patio furniture sets are covered in detail in another article. The basics of furniture sets include patio dining sets, bistro sets, bar sets and conversation sets.

Garden benches are another very popular teak furniture item. There are many design styles and they can be found in matching styles to most of your other patio furniture.

Teak patio sets also include sets that are complimentary to your core furniture. These accessory sets include planter box sets, patio lights and lanterns, teak dining table place mats and more. Other teak patio accessory items include wall decor, patio umbrellas and storage containers.

Because teak is a very easy to work with wood, you can also have custom teak patio furniture and accessories made to you specifications. It is especially straight forward for an accomplished woodworker to duplicate a piece of furniture made with another material into teak.

Maintaining teak furniture is straight forward. First off, teak is heavy with natural oils so it self-maintains better than most woods. All it really needs is a good hand washing with soap and water about once a year to remove dirt and moss. The teak will weather to a natural light gray color if left untreated. If you want to keep the original fresh wood color and shine, then you have a couple of options including applying oil, sealers or varnish. Make sure the product you chose matches your intended use (indoor or outdoor, lots of sunlight, etc).

Teak is a great choice for outdoor furniture. Its warms and beauty should last many years with just a little bit of regular maintenance. Buying teak patio sets usually saves you a little bit of money which is nice because teak furniture costs significantly more than many otehr materials. It is still a super choice if the price doesn’t get you down.

Most patio covers are made of vinyl and are waterproof and often UV treated to resist deterioration. The higher quality covers with have a soft fleece lining on the inside to prevent scratching of your furniture. Patio covers usually have Velcro fasteners to keep the covers snug on the furniture to keep them secure on windy days.

There aren’t vary many color choices when it comes to patio covers. Most are gray, black or white. Going with the lighter colors helps keep the furniture from baking due to lots of direct sunlight.

When buying patio covers as sets, just make sure all of the covers fit the various furniture pieces that you have. Most packages for patio furniture covers have dimensions and measurement instructions to aid in this process. Another option is to get universal sized covers that will fit standard sized patio furniture pieces. Prices range from about $20 for single covers up to $100 or more for full dining cover sets.

Even with patio covers, it is a good idea to remove any patio cushions and store them in a dry place. Otherwise the cushions will retain moisture and begin to grow mold and mildew. Patio cushion storage bags may be another good option to keep your patio cushions organized.

There are covers for many of your other patio accessories. These include covers for your patio umbrella, patio heaters, grills, fire pits and more. At the end of the day, spending $100 now to add a few years of life to your patio furniture sounds like a wise investment.