Artistic Furniture Site

The American public’s favorite meal is pizza. There isn’t a family in the states that say they don’t enjoy pizza on an occasional or semi-regular basis whether it’s going out to a local pizza shop, or making pizza at home. Most Americans also like going outside on a beautiful summer day. Unfortunately, if pizza is cooked at home, it’s normally done in an indoor conventional oven or a wood fire oven inside making it nearly impossible to enjoy the outside air and cook a pizza at the same time. Thankfully, an outdoor pizza oven has been created to act as the pizza equivalent of a BBQ grill.

Cooking your own pizza saves money, but it has to be done inside where the oven is taking away from the time that could be spent outside. Nobody wants to spend all day preparing pizza inside when it could be done and is as enjoyable as cooking it outside. Thankfully, there are outdoor pizza ovens. Outdoor ovens provide an easy and comfortable way to make pizzas while enjoying the summer air.

The first and most commonly used is the electric ovens. Electric outdoor pizza ovens are powered by electricity so an outdoor outlet is necessary. Since it’s powered by the electricity of you own home, there’s no need to buy gas or anything for the oven. There’s also no guess work involved with the heating of the oven, but since it’s electric, there is a slight restriction with the distance the oven can travel.

For a little more freedom, one would choose the gas powered outdoor oven. Gas powered outdoor ovens, as expected, require gas to operate so it’s helpful to have some handy. Usually, these models require propane or butane which is normally sold in tanks by any petroleum dealer or retail store. It’s slightly inconvenient to have to buy and carry petroleum tanks, but since there’s no cord, there is more freedom with gas powered ovens, and also, gas isn’t very environmentally friendly. There may be times when wood burning is restricted while using the gas oven is OK.

A great way to have the freedom of the gas oven and the environmental qualities of the electric oven is with the wood fired oven. Wood fire ovens use wood for fuel which makes it environmentally friendly and provides freedom to the user. It can also burn longer without using a whole petroleum tank or running up an electric bill. It’s a little difficult preparing wood, but the environmental and money saving benefits of the wood oven pay for itself.

These different types of ovens provide conveniences based on the size of the family in question. The electric oven would benefit a small family with its use of energy. The gas grill is aimed more towards big families because of its burning time and freedom to move, but the wood can be used for bigger groups for its almost unending burn time. Different people have different needs, but all of these ovens provide great home made pizzas unmatched by anything arestaurant could produce.

When you batten down the hatches, turn up the heat and bundle up to keep out of the cold winter weather, do you ever consider what is happening to your patio furniture that is being left outside? While you may think those pieces are just inanimate objects, the truth is that your wood furniture is going to have to deal with some rough consequences of that weather change.

Here is a look at a few of the threats to your wood patio furniture:

Dryness – Often winter weather is very dry weather. You know how your lips and skin get dry and crack? Well the same thing can happen to wood furniture. In this case the drying and cracking can not only make the furniture less attractive, but also less sturdy.

Water Damage – Another threat is from that winter precipitation that is going to impact your furniture pieces. Once there is any cracking or splitting in the wood of the furniture, it becomes susceptible to water damage. What will happen is that rain or snow will fall on the furniture. Once it’s water, it will seep into the cracks of the wood and sit and wait. When the temperature dips overnight, it will freeze again. When water freezes it expands. In the case of your furniture this means it will make those cracks and splits bigger and damage your wood.

Warping – The constant changing in heat and cooling of your wood can also lead the wood itself to start to change shape. What you thought was a flat surface when you were last using it can suddenly be a warped piece of furniture.

Hardware – The changes in temperature during the winter can also start to cause problems with the hardware on your furniture. Often times pieces of hardware will work themselves loose with the constant constriction and release of the wood reacting to the weather. If these are not checked before you try to use the furniture it may fail or become damaged.

Prevention

So what can you do to stop from having all of these problems with your patio furniture? Prevent the problems in the first place. There are a couple of levels of prevention you can choose from.

The first level of prevention is to keep the precipitation that can cause damage out of the wood. This can be done by investing in outdoor furniture covers. These are meant to help protect your furniture pieces from the weather.

The next method is stopping your furniture from having to be out in the cold. When the winter weather moves in and you know you will not be outside as much anymore, why not bring your furniture in as well. Whether you bring the pieces into the garage or have a storage area where you can put them, bringing them inside for the winter can help them avoid all the problems with the cold weather. This can also help your wood furniture last much longer than it would out in the elements.

Some of the most beautiful Outdoor Patio and Deck Furniture is made from wood. Wood is a natural product, but when exposed to moisture and changes in temperature and humidity, wood will respond in a variety of ways. Proper maintenance of your Wood Patio Furniture will ensure longevity through years of exposure to the elements.

Caring For Different Types of Wood

Teak is perhaps the most desirable and, arguably, the most expensive outdoor wood furniture available. Teak is a beautiful, honey-colored, dense, tropical hardwood that is resistant to insect infestation and contains natural oils which make it resistant to rot and decay. Unfortunately, teak trees require at least 60 years to reach harvestable size, and, because teak furniture is in such high demand, teak supply is not as readily available as supplies of other woods like cedar, oak, or pine. With supplies not able to meet demand, the price of teak has increased dramatically. The advantage of teak, though, is that, with proper maintenance, it can last for more than 50 years, which makes the initial investment worth it for many homeowners.

While cleaning teak is not necessary, it is not a bad idea to clean outdoor teak furniture each year to remove any buildup of pollen, sap, or mildew. Follow each cleaning with a coat of teak oil (optional) if you wish to keep the wood its original honey color.

Other tropical hardwoods, like Eucalyptus, have become increasingly popular as the price of teak has grown prohibitive for many homeowners. Eucalyptus wood, like teak, is beautiful, dense, durable, and resistant to rot and insect infestation. The rapid growth of eucalyptus trees makes them more readily available and more easily affordable. Like outdoor teak furniture, outdoor eucalyptus furniture can be treated with teak oil following an annual cleaning to help preserve the wood’s natural color (if desired).

Other popular choices for outdoor wooden furniture include cedar, redwood, oak, and pine. These woods, though (especially pine), must be treated with a preservative to prevent decay, which can occur quickly depending on weather conditions. Protecting this wood furniture with a water-resistant stain, protective oil, or polyurethane is also recommended. Your local hardware store will have many options from which to choose, and a store associate should be able to assist you in selecting the most appropriate protectant for the weather conditions in your area. Furniture should be cleaned annually, and the protectant you choose will need to be reapplied regularly (check manufacturer’s instructions for details).

Cleaning Your Wood Furniture

Outdoor wood furniture should be cleaned once a year. Mix one tablespoon of bleach, five tablespoons of a gentle dishwashing liquid, and a gallon of water, and gently scrub the mixture on the surface of your wood furniture with a soft bristle brush. Wash the solution from the furniture, and allow it to dry completely in the sun. Repainting or restaining wood furniture may be necessary at this time to cover and protect any worn or damaged areas.

Protecting Your Furniture From Water, Temperature, and Chemical Damage

No matter what type of wood is used for your outdoor furniture, all woods are susceptible to rot and decay if left in moist, wet, or shady areas for extended periods of time. Wood that becomes saturated with rain water is more likely to warp and rot, so using waterproof protective covers when your furniture is not in use is highly recommended to keep your wooden patio furniture in good shape. The bases of furniture legs are probably the most vulnerable when it comes to water damage. If wood furniture is kept in the grass, at the poolside, or on a surface that collects even a small level of rain water, the legs can become easily saturated and damaged. Covering the bottoms of each furniture leg with rubberized material or small sections of cedar fencing material will help protect your furniture from rotting from the bottom up.

In addition, temperature extremes can take a toll on wood furniture. During the cold winter months, keeping your wooden patio furniture protected in a shed or garage is highly recommended.

Finally, exposure to chemicals including solvents and chlorine, and exposure to common items such as alcoholic beverages, plants and flower nectar, and hot items (off of a grill, for example) can stain or damage wood and many wood finishes. It is also important to prevent plastic objects, like plastic table cloths, toys, placemats, and appliance covers, from lying on wood furniture for a long period of time because plastic can discolor wood. Plastic can also stick to and damage a wood finish.

Lifespan of Outdoor Wood Furniture

The lifespan for any wooden patio furniture depends greatly on the type of wood used and local weather conditions. Properly maintaining your outdoor wood furniture can significantly improve its lifespan and maximize your investment. Outdoor wood furniture makes a comfortable, natural addition to any backyard, deck, patio, or garden, and, with care, it will continue to make a beautiful impression for many years.

Will you spend this summer in your romantic Gazebo? Picking a style that fits the decor of the house and yard will help you enjoy those hot summer days.

Most gazebo plans are often separated according to size and style. Gazebos are available from very small to giant size. Miniature gazebos fit perfect in a garden and can be used to store tools. Many are placed within the garden only for decorative purposes. I find that a medium sized gazebo is the ‘norm’ that you see. These structures can be set up with a seating area, maybe with flowers like climbing roses or are they can be the covering for a hot tub. Large gazebos are not usually seen in yards as designed to hold several dozen people.

Most home owners use the medium size gazebo plan. In the range of medium size gazebos there are a number of plans and styles to choose from. A good woodworking catalog will feature all of the basic designs like the Victorian. The Victorian gazebo is built in the same fashion as a Victorian home. Build your gazebo to match the style and setting of home and your taste.

Wood gazebos are more of an old fashioned style and are built more for looks and decoration than practicality. Most wooden gazebos today are made out of hard wood which make them durable as well as long lasting. Some people are going to metal gazebos lately because some feel they are more modern and stylish.

To me, wooden gazebos look better and are more romantic and completely comfortable. If you live in a place with a lot of bugs, a wooden gazebo is easier to add screen to keep those pesky bugs out and let the fresh air in.

Gazebos are categorized according to size, shape and style. You can find plans that range from a miniature model that is used as a decorative structure to medium sized garden gazebos that contain a sitting area or one to hide a hot tub. The most common gazebos include square or rectangular (four-sided), hexagonal (six-sided), octagonal (eight-sided). Finding the right plan will add to the pleasure and enjoyment of your back yard.