The outdoor furniture industry is close to $800 million strong, cites a November IBISWorld report. While traditional home-furnishing stores often designate floor space to outdoor vignettes, individual pieces and whole deck or patio sets can get pricey. For those pinching pennies, there are economical options.
Dealnews.com and its app shares up-to-date lists of products available online and in stores. Viewers can search for outdoor furnishings by brand and price range. The RetailMeNot app alerts for latest deals in specific product categories. Plenty of mass merchandisers and overstock sites offer everything needed to dress an exterior space on a budget.
Plus, visit local home-focused thrift and consignment shops as well as garage and yard sales for great deals. Curbed.com suggests keeping these tips in mind before setting out on the hunt for used outdoor furnishings:
— Look for dense-grained tropical hardwoods that will hold up and resist warping, swelling and splintering. Purchased new, quality wood furnishings are expensive, so finding a used set can result in significant cost savings.
— Aluminum is the metal that requires the least maintenance while steel needs a coating with a protective finish.
— Avoid plastic pieces unless heavy-duty, such as products made with a high-density polyethylene.
— Avoid natural wicker unless planning to spray paint with an outdoor protective coating or use on a covered porch where furnishings will not get wet; synthetic resin wicker withstands elements and lasts.
Finally, check out DIY ideas and instructions on Pinterest and hgtv.com to learn how to spruce up tired furnishings. Sometimes an item may need a paint job or new outdoor-safe cushions, but low price points offset extra costs.
Affordable outdoor pillows are all a used piece might need. HGTV’s “Splurge or Save? Trendy Patio Furniture for Every Budget” offers ways to bring back to life various pieces, such as an old wood chaise lounge chair: It may just need a good cleaning, sanding and staining, and then embellishing with a stylish stencil and a little oil-based paint.
Whether buying new or used, check product out carefully.