Wood Patio Furniture: Crafting a Natural Patio Vibe

Wood was one of the first materials used by man to make furniture out of, presumably because it’s easier to cut wood than rocks. But the fact that we still use it today when stone, metal, and other materials are available to us proves that there’s something enduringly wonderful about wood.

If you do it just right, wood patio furniture can look like it grew there naturally, just for you to enjoy. It’s the go-to material if you’re looking for an organic backyard vibe. For extra credit, there are quite a few eco-friendly reclaimed wood patio furniture pieces and even some beautiful (and fairly easy) DIY plans for making your own wood patio furniture. Turns out wood is still easier to cut than rocks.

Alternatively, the patio furniture industry hasn’t forgotten its roots, so to speak, and thus has produced plenty of consumer wood patio furniture sets. Their lines are straighter than nature tends to grow, but they certainly have their advantages and the earthy feeling of wood is nonetheless unmistakable.

Finally, for the wood patio furniture owner who just wants something that works, looks nice, and will last a lifetime, faux wood patio furniture is no slouch. It has its own distinct advantages, which we’ll talk about below.

Let’s dive in!

 

Creating an Organic Backyard Vibe

An organic backyard vibe is all about loving and using nature as it is, or as close to that as possible. The idea is to make it look like nature noticed you and gave you something nice to sit on.

That’s why oftentimes, organic-feeling backyard furniture is made of scrap and reclaimed wood. It already looks rough, natural, even rustic–it just has to be shaped to suit your needs. If you’re so-inclined, you can find lots of plans online for how to create your own DIY backyard wood furniture. These projects are especially good for beginners because cosmetic imperfections genuinely just add to the organic feel of the piece.

On the other hand, if you like the vibe but don’t feel like picking up a carpentry hobby right now, the internet has made it easy to find downright stunning organic, backyard furniture pieces at your whim. Independent artistic professionals everywhere are showing what can be done with reclaimed wood and a little inspiration. Check out these pieces by Shorty Glenn.

One more idea that can really add to the organic backyard vibe: gardening. Even if you don’t want a full-on vegetable garden that can feed your family, some well-placed plants, edible or not–especially around the patio–can do so much to make the place feel “hugged” by Mother Nature. A wood planting bed can continue the visual theme of your patio furniture, and crawling ivy on wood patio covers is classic for a reason.

 

Wood Patio Furniture Sets

Of course, machine-manufactured doesn’t mean boring. There are some absolutely beautiful wood patio furniture sets on the mainstream market. And in contrast to many organic-feeling options out there, premade wood patio furniture sets sport the advantage of appearing at your front door, at least partially assembled already, a few days after you click “Order”.

Also, it’s sometimes easier to find cushions and appropriate cushion covers for premade wood patio furniture sets that look right. It seems like sometimes, when a person focuses on constructing something like DIY furniture, the project is so novel and absorbing that they forget that it has to be comfortable. On the other hand, a commercially manufactured lawn chair might even come with a cushion; if it doesn’t, there is usually nothing unnatural-looking about adding one.

 

Faux Wood Patio Furniture

Now, we’ve been talking about making your own organic-feeling wood patio furniture out of reclaimed wood, or at least buying consumer patio furniture sets that are made of real wood–but forget not, there is nothing wrong with faux wood patio furniture. Especially if you want it to last you a lifetime. And in addition to durability, faux wood patio furniture is usually lighter and easier to move.

Take this faux wood patio furniture set made by Trex, the faux wood decking company. They practically invented faux wood for decks; it’s only natural that they’ve branched out into furniture to use on those decks. The above item has a 20-year warranty which, frankly, you probably won’t even need. That’s how sturdy faux wood patio furniture can be.

 

Making Your Final Selections

Stand outside your back door and survey your kingdom. Gaze at it. Imagine what you’d like to see in your backyard or on your patio, if you could have anything you want. You might have to do this more than one time to arrive at your final selections and that’s okay. You’ve decided you want wood patio furniture, the most natural-looking material; let your imagination take its time to arrive at its most natural conclusion.

If you’re really stumped (pun unintended but gleefully left in), spend a few minutes imagining each type of wood patio furniture discussed in this article. Would something organic look right? Are there trees in your yard to compliment that organic backyard vibe? Would a one-off artistic piece be an appropriate accent? How about a second one over there? Or is your yard made up of grass and straight, pressure-treated wood fencing? Would a smooth, moisture-sealed wood patio furniture set make the most sense? Obviously, approaches can be mixed and matched if environments can, and environments most certainly can be mixed and matched. Maybe your yard is empty save for one tree that provides the perfect amount of shade?

You’ve got to make a decision sometime, but there’s also no hurry. Your selections should make you glad when you see them out the window and excited (not to mention comfortable) when you get to use them. This is an investment in your home and your social life that will pay dividends for years to come. Have some fun!