The Party Starters Guide

This article aims to give you a brief introduction to garden furniture and some advice on buying the right equipment to get your summer garden parties going with a bang.

With garden parties becoming a more popular event this year it’s important to be prepared for the summer, you are going to need to catch those hot days when you can so purchasing your equipment pre season may just be the answer you are looking for. You will find many websites and stores currently selling there garden furniture, the first factor you need to consider is material type. You have 3 basic choices for your furniture; metal, wood or plastic. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Wooden Garden Furniture

Wooden garden furniture is the most common material that appears in gardens these days. Wooden garden furniture is durable and attractive and fits in with almost any garden design due to its natural appearance and once correctly treated, will easily withstand the elements. Wood is also a flexible material meaning modifications such as extending or foldable sections work without the issues that more rigid, fragile materials have. Due to its texture and density (especially when professionally finished) wooden furniture is fairly comfortable to sit on with or without cushions which can raise the cost of a furniture set. Folding sets are also fantastic for storage as they can easily fold away for the winter or any other occasion that requires extra space in your garden. Wooden products are also very long lasting and will look great in your garden for years to come. Wooden furniture usually comes in one of the following woods; acacia, eucalyptus, keruing, teak, pine and cladocalyx. Major manufacturers include BillyOh, Lifestyle and Grange. Treating your wooden garden furniture is the only downside, it will be a relatively small cost (especially considering the benefits) but takes an hour or so to complete. It should be reapplied around twice a year.

Metal Garden Furniture

Metal garden furniture is also a popular choice. It is durable, cheap and resistant to the weather. Depending upon your garden design it can look very stylish and provide a great alternative to wooden furniture sets. Metal sets are often made of a specially formatted alloy that is resistant to weather conditions and will not rust. Although comfortable the temperature absorbing properties of metal may make cushions more of a necessity as if left in the hot sun they may begin to get slightly warm. Metal sets are usually a little lighter than wooden sets (unless they have a glass or slate insert) and so are easy to move around and position, although they tend not to fold. The great thing about metal tables is that they can also harbour parasols and some accessories and can fit in fantastically with other stainless steel garden accessories such as patio heaters and bbqs. Maintenance on metal furniture is also very easy, a simile alloy cleaner is all that will be needed, if a glass or acrylic top is included you may require an additional cleaner or surface protector but nowhere near the time taken to treat wooden furniture sets. Popular metal furniture manufactures include BillyOh and Evolutif.

Plastic Garden Furniture

Plastic garden furniture is not as fashionable in today’s market but is still a perfectly viable option. It is light and easy to store by stacking and collapsing simple slot in/slot out pieces. It is also relatively cheap in comparison the other two materials and while occasionally more fragile (if dealt a heavy blow), it is hard wearing and will not be spoilt by a few spills or rain. Plastic furniture also makes it very easy to arrange a large party as it is easy and cheap to construct large sets and easy to clean afterwards. Plastic also require very little maintenance and will not need treating every year.

Outdoor Heating

There are only really a few options with regards to outdoor heating, these are patio heaters, fire pits and chimineas. Patio heaters are the main choice in today’s gardens. They are easy to use, simple to assemble and readily available. They also look as unobtrusive as ever since the size has been reduced on the standard patio heater. They come in a variety of colours from black to stainless steel to suit the other pieces of furniture in your garden or blend in to its surroundings. The great thing about patio heaters is that they may be placed between two or even three tables of people to cast heat on the whole group. Patio heaters offer the fantastic advantages of allowing your parties to continue well into the night or later into the season. They are also great to have handy, you never know when some outdoor heating may come in handy.

Fire pits are something a little different for those who don’t feel a patio heater is right for their garden. They are generally suited for those with small gatherings (less people can gather round them) and they use solid fuels which can leave more of a smell and mess than their gas fuelled cousins. Many include a special detachable grill so they can double up as a BBQ grill although this will not be as effective as a specially made barbecue. They add a slightly more rustic appearance to your garden than a patio heater but are not as suitable with younger children around.

Chimneas are you final option, they are an attractive addition to any classically designed garden but also suffer from the problem of combustion by-products. Many have the additional option of a grill but as with fire pits these are not as effective as a real BBQ. They tend to burn solid fuels, such as wood or charcoal which give a warm and peaceful feel an aroma, perfect for small family or friend gatherings. Major manufactures of outdoor heating include BillyOh, Lifestyle, Direct Designs & Enders.

Outdoor Eating

A key ingredient to any party is the food. Outdoor cooking can be a fun and enjoyable way of entertaining guests as long as you have the right equipment and a bit of common sense. There are two major types of barbecue that you can buy to cook the party food, the first is gas barbecues and the second is charcoal barbecues.

Gas barbecues are an effective, easy way to cook food, and my recommendation as long as you have the room for one. They are quick and easy to light and cook food much more evenly than their solid fuel cousins. Cook times are also steady and predictable and heat is easily controllable so you can ensure you guests will get their meal when they want it and it will be correctly cooked, no blackened sausage embarrassment. Gas barbecues come in a variety of shapes and sizes so you pick one up that will fit into your garden design, a popular choice at the moment is the stainless tell hooded barbecues, durable and stylish these tend to come in 4-6 burner and are perfect to go along with a patio heater.

Charcoal barbecues are a more traditional approach, they add a certain unique flavour to the foods you grill upon them but can often be a little more trouble than a gas fuelled BBQ. Due to having solid fuel you will need to employ more advanced tactics to light and warm your barbecues before you begin cooking. You will also loose the control of the flame that you have with gas barbecues but with time and practice charcoal barbecues can be mastered and take no more effort than a standard gas model.

Hopefully this has given you a brief idea on what you need to buy and arrange for a garden party, visit our retail sites flaming barbecues (.co.uk) and simply garden furniture (.co.uk) is you want to find out more including prices and specs.