There are many types and styles of garden seating on the market. They range from inexpensive plastic chairs through to Cast Iron Outdoor Dining Suites.
A lot of this furniture is fine when first brought but as it ages it can become a hazard.
When It All Falls Apart.
Many of the canvas chairs on the market, for example, eventually age if left outside and the material often becomes brittle and tears easily and unexpectedly. Stitching along many of the seams additionally shows its age by disintegrating or coming undone. Once this occurs, it is very easy for a person to fall through the chair. Many back injuries have occurred this way and at the very least, you will end up with a bruised pride.
Any furniture made of wood will eventually circum to the elements. For the sake of safety, always check your wooden furniture for signs of rot, this can be particularly prevalent at the joints. Sitting on a rotten chair and having it disintegrate beneath you can result in serious injuries.
Garden benches are often susceptible to splinters as their wooden parts are subjected to everyday wear and tear. Check the wooden parts for splinters regularly and if you find them forming sand the area or if possible replace the board responsible altogether.
Is Plastic So Fantastic?
Most people place a lot of faith in plastic outdoor seating being impervious to the weather. This is often not the case as after years of exposure to the elements the plastic becomes very brittle. If the chair should choose to disintegrate with you on it, the sharp plastic edges are quite capable of severely cutting you.
The Art of Seat Folding.
Folding seats additionally present a danger in the garden. If they are not set up correctly and all pieces locked into position, they can collapse very easily and cause you back injury or at the very least bruising.
Another danger they pose is in the folding mechanism. It is often extremely easy, particularly for youngsters, to get fingers jammed in the folding parts of the chair. Should this occur, put the jammed fingers into warm water straight away and it will take the sting out of them. If the injury looks serious, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention, especially if the skin is broken.
Look Around Before Buying.
If you are buying garden seating find out if the wood used in its manufacture has been treated for outdoor conditions, if it has this will eliminate the problem of the wood rotting and causing problems. Check to see if any bolts, nails, and fastenings are galvanised. Galvanised metal will withstand the rigors of being outdoors without rusting and making your seating unsafe.
When you decide on the type of seat you specifically want, and have checked it is suitable to withstand a life outdoors, consider where it is going to go in the garden.
Avoid That Sinking Feeling.
Is the ground the seat is going to be sitting on sound enough to support the weight of your seat and the people that will be sitting on it?
Is the area level enough to prevent the seat from tipping over?
Is there a possibility people may inadvertently walk into it in high traffic areas?
Cast iron seating often has sharp pieces on the decorative metal parts which can do a lot of damage should you accidentally walk into them.
Keep a close eye on your outdoor seating and if over time it shows wear and tear the safest option is to totally replace it rather than risk it causing harm to you or someone else.
Garden seating takes a lot of outdoor punishment and once deterioration sets in its time for a new lot.
To sit safely in your garden on a comfortable seat is one of the greatest pleasures a gardener can have. Don’t let it be spoilt through neglect.
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