Pros & Cons: Best Materials for Minimalist Outdoor Furniture

minimalist outdoor furniture

Furniture or home furnishings have two types: indoor and outdoor furniture. Materials choices for outdoor furniture need to be more careful than those for indoor furniture. The reason is that outdoor furniture must withstand external disturbances, such as changes in temperature and weather. This article will compile the best materials for your minimalist outdoor furniture option.

Choosing furniture for an outdoor space, such as a front porch, backyard, or balcony, should not be arbitrary. It is essential to consider the primary material of the furniture.

Outside weather conditions are very ferocious and can easily damage furniture. Some furniture with anti-mildew material, and the color is not easy to fade.

The Best and Most Popular Minimalist Outdoor Furniture Materials

• Wood

Furniture made from wood, such as teak or pine wood, is the most popular. In addition to being durable, wood-based furniture will also give a natural and warm impression.

For a minimalist outdoor lounge chair, you can use wood. However, the wood used should not be careless so that the furniture can last a long time.

Here are some types of wood that you can choose for your furniture.

• Merbau wood

Merbau wood is almost as strong as teak in terms of durability and hardness. Merbau wood is generally resistant to weather, temperature, and insects or pests. So, it is suitable for minimalist outdoor furniture.

Merbau wood has a reddish-brown hue, which will look fantastic if processed into furniture or used in construction.

• Meranti

Meranti or Bengkirai wood is quite popular as a material for furniture and building construction. This wood is suitable for outdoor furniture because it has an intricate structure, is easy to shape, and is durable.

In addition, Meranti wood has a characteristic of straight trunk fibers and large diameter, so it can give the appearance of furniture like a minimalist garden sofa that is almost perfect.

• Teak wood

When talking about high-quality wood, teak is never left behind. The reason is that teak is a type of wood that is strong, durable, and resistant to weather exposure. Minimalist patio ideas made from teak are suitable for outdoor furniture use.

• • Reporting from Cortina, teak wood is also easy to cut and shape even though it is hard and strong. Teak wood is also effortless to care for because it does not require special care.

• Ironwood

Besides teak, ironwood is also often used as minimalist outdoor furniture and house building materials. Naming ironwood is certainly not without reason. Ironwood has a complex and rough texture that makes it challenging to nail or saw. In addition, this wood has high durability and is not prone to damage even when used under any conditions.

• Agarwood

Finally, agarwood is said to be the most expensive wood in the world. This name is certainly not without reason because agarwood does have high quality and is resistant to exposure to weather.

Typically, Outdoor furniture uses this material, as well as door frames and window frames in the home. However, Agarwood furniture is not widely produced due to limited resources.

• Woven Rattan

Minimalist outdoor furniture made from woven rattan or bamboo can also be an option. Not only showing the aesthetic side, but woven furniture is also very comfortable to wear. Just make sure the webbing is of good quality and smooth.

If you want to process rattan yourself, pay attention to which types of should you choose and which ones should not. Here are some kinds of rattan that are generally used for making furniture.

• Big Jernang Rattan

Jernang Rattan has another name Daemonorops Draco Blume. This rattan is originally from Sumatra. The color of this rattan is yellowish-brown with a glossy appearance. The rattan size can have a length of 18-35 cm and a diameter of 12 mm.

• Dahanan Rattan 

Another type is Korthalsia flagellaris Miq, from Sumatra and Kalimantan. If it is ready to harvest, the length can reach 50 meters with a diameter of 15-30 mm. It is pretty challenging to harvest because of the size and clump growth. The color of rattan is brown and has a rough texture.

• Semambu Rattan

It has another name Calamus Scipionum Lour. This rattan grows a lot in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Many grow in areas with an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. When ready to harvest, the diameter reaches 30 mm with a segment length of 20-30 cm. When dry, the color of the rattan changes to reddish-brown.

The length of the rattan itself can reach 20 meters. The large diameter makes this type of rattan suitable only for furniture construction.

• Plastic

Undoubtedly, furniture with plastic bases is lighter, anti-fungal, and easier to clean. So don’t be surprised if many homeowners use plastic-based minimalist outdoor furniture. Choose a beautiful design so it doesn’t seem cheap.

Types of plastics commonly used as furniture materials:

• Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, or what is often called ABS, is an organic polymer-forming plastic with relatively high durability. People choose this type of plastic because the material is easy to shape and has a good level of durability. ABS also has a high level of resistance, is resistant to heat, and is cheap. 

In addition, minimalist outdoor furniture made of ABS will not leave scratches if accidentally rubbed by sharp objects such as knives or iron rulers.

ABS plastic can be recycled, making it environmentally friendly. In addition, ABS plastic is the most accessible material to glue with other objects using glue and given a layer of paint color.

• Polypropylene (PP)

Polypropylene, or PP, is often used in food product packaging, spare parts for various transportation equipment, and textile materials. Although often used in these three products, PP is also widely used as a material for carpets and garden chairs. 

PP is flexible, so it is easy to shape into various shapes of any goods. Even so, that does not mean PP is easily broken. No matter how it is molded into Polycarbonate (PC) and in any form, PP plastic will not break. PP plastic is lightweight like other types, making it easy to move anywhere.

• Polycarbonate (PC)

The physical form of polycarbonate or PC plastic almost resembles glass because it is translucent. Another characteristic of the PC is that it is strong and durable. Like the two previous types of plastic, PCs have elements that make it easy to shape them into various items, such as components in multiple means of transportation, CD and DVD pieces, and camera lenses or other optical objects.

We can also find PC plastic at home, you know. Some PCs look like table legs in addition to chairs. 

• Wrought Iron

Although heavier, furniture made of wrought iron is more durable, sturdy and gives an elegant impression. Several types of wrought iron can be used as minimalist outdoor furniture.

• Stainless Steel

Furniture made of stainless steel has a very sturdy and solid character. For years, furniture makers have chosen stainless steel as their material. Another plus, stainless steel material is also resistant to all weather. Therefore, this material will not rust easily.

Usually, stainless steel is the raw material for making outdoor furniture. Some furniture that can be made from this material are lounge chairs, dining tables, and work tables. Although it has some advantages, this material also has some disadvantages. Some of them are a heavy load, less flexible, and expensive.

• Hollow Iron

Hollow iron is an iron shaped like a long pipe with a rectangular cavity in the middle of the frame.

Many people use this type of iron because it is easy to maintain and does not corrode easily. In addition, this type of iron is also relatively easier to shape than stainless steel or cast iron. Usually, the hollow iron used to make furniture is hollow iron measuring 36 x 36 mm.

You can also combine hollow iron with other materials, such as wood. For example, you can make a chair frame from hollow iron, while the seat and backrest are wood. This material also has drawbacks, including being unable to withstand heavy loads. Therefore, if you want to use this material, you have to make a solid frame.

• Aluminum 

Aluminum is also very suitable for outdoor use. Besides not rusting and not fading quickly, furniture made of aluminum is easy to maintain and clean.

The main advantage of this material is that it is relatively lightweight. Therefore, aluminum is more accessible than other types of iron. In addition, aluminum material is very cheap, so it will not drain your pocket. Another plus, this material will not rust, so it is easy to maintain.

Final Takeaway

It may also be necessary to treat some of the materials above based on their derived materials. Visit the official Bajanusa website at bajanusa.com, where we provide various materials to beautify your backyard with minimalist outdoor furniture.