Brisbane has plenty of things to offer that other Australian cities can only envy. It has successfully branded itself as one of the most livable cities in the country. But it couldn’t have done it without the efforts of the city planners to lay down the groundwork in terms of healthcare, economic stability, culture, environment, and education. The city can also thank nature for blessing it with nearly 300 days of sunshine every year.
With almost daily sun, Brisbanites can extend their living space beyond the four corners of their homes using outdoor furniture.
However, even with showroom offering good quality outdoor furniture in Brisbane, there are some of the mistakes you should avoid, and they are:
- Not Investing in Quality Materials
You may think that cheap furniture is the logical choice since they are exposed to the elements anyway. But it is the more reason to buy quality furniture to make sure they last. A less expensive piece of furniture is typically made of cheap and lightweight materials. As such, a little rain or wind can damage or blow it away. It could also be embarrassing for your guest to fall on their buttocks because the legs gave way.
- Not Thinking About Rain
Although Brisbane enjoys plenty of sunshine, it does not mean that rains do not come. On average, the city has 278 days of sun. It means that it will be a wet season for 87 days. In this regard, not only should you choose your furniture materials carefully but you should take the rain into account when shopping for cushions. Make sure to pick weather-proof materials to protect them from a drizzle or mist. But a downpour can still soak the cushion. So when that happens, you should bring them indoors. For wooden furniture, you can invest in cheap plastic to cover them during heavy rains.
- Not Investing in the Right Materials
When you say wooden furniture, you are talking about an entire gamut of choices. The most common timber used for outdoor furniture in Australia includes teak, treated pine, and eucalyptus. Some homeowners, however, make the mistake of buying softwood and putting it outside. You have Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, redwood, southern fine, and hem-fir, to name a few examples. Furniture from these species should stay covered since they get brittle quickly. If you go beyond wood, there are pros and cons, as well—for example, aluminium would not rust. But the downside is that it is lightweight. It might not be the best option if you live in elevated areas with high winds. Stainless steel is heavier, but it burns under the hot sun. Wrought iron is heavier and slow to burn, but it can rust.
As a bonus tip, if you have a deck made of wooden slats, choose chairs and tables with thicker legs because they can burrow into the wood. They might also fall into the crevices and spaces in between the planks. They can injure children or pets if they are lodged in between and fixed into position like metal or wooden pole.
Having outdoor furniture in Brisbane can be a relatively cheaper way to extend your living room beyond the door, thanks to the all sunny climate. But you need to do your due diligence to make sure you do not unnecessarily waste money.