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Letter to the editor

Show them to best seats outside house

By ELIZABETH BETTENDORF, Times Staff Writer
Published October 24, 2007

Here's the great thing about Florida: while friends and family in the North are packing away their patio furniture for that long stretch of icy winter, our beautiful fair-weather season is just beginning. Finally, the sizzling heat abates and balmy breezes blow. That means getting our decks and patios ready for months of enjoyment.

Selecting outdoor furniture in this subtropical climate can be tricky, especially if you live on or near the water or if your patio area is exposed to high winds.

"We really question our customers extensively," says Denise Bertucci, store manager for Elegant Outdoor Furniture at 7229 N Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. "We want to know where you're living at, what's your lifestyle like, are you here all year or just part-time. Down here, people have to think about the most durablefurniture possible."

There are five types of basic materials, excluding cushions, from which to choose: iron, rattan or wicker, wood, resin and aluminum. Bertucci says quality resin and aluminum are the two top choices for this area.

Unless you have an enclosed sun porch, forget wicker and rattan, they generally don't hold up to the harsh Florida elements, either, she says.

Cross iron furniture off the list, too. "We don't even carry it in the store. We can get it for you if you have to have it, but I don't recommend it," Bertucci says.

Instead, consider heavier, better-grade cast-aluminum furnishings because they won't blow away in normal winds and they don't contain fillers like nickel, magnesium and zinc. Those fillers are what cause cheaper cast-aluminum to pit, Bertucci explains.

The other best-bet for patio furniture is a good resin with aluminum or stainless steel framing. Resin is just a fancy word for plastic and it's now woven to look like wicker, so you can get that cottage look even in an intense climate.

If you have your heart set on wood outdoor furniture, don't even think about mahogany down here because it won't hold up,Bertucci says.

"Cypress grows in the swamp, so it's okay, but teak is the best bet of the woods (for this area)," she says.

Just remember teak needs to be sealed every six months to a year or it will eventually turn an ashen gray.

Cushions also need to be considered. For all-weather wear, your best bet is a marine-grade or large-pore foam filler in a cushion that's been covered in Sunbrella fabric that can be washed down with water and a little bleach.

If you're serious about your outdoor living furniture actually holding up, you won't slide by on the cheap down here.

Elizabeth Bettendorf can be reached at ebettendorf@hotmail.com.

[Last modified October 23, 2007, 23:34:24]