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Guide - Cast Metal Furniture
This type of furniture is these days produced in either cast iron or cast aluminium. Cast iron was one of the earliest materials used for outdoor furniture and was greatly favoured by the Victorians. Due to its ability to reproduce intricate moulded shapes it was used for very elaborate and ornate designs, many of which have survived until today, particularly in parks, hotel and pub gardens. Cast iron is still used today for making garden furniture. It is very hard and strong but can break if dropped or hit a heavy blow. Cast iron does not rust to any degree, suffering only surface rusting which may lead to discolouration of the finish if the article is painted. Cast iron furniture is very heavy and is therefore used in situations where it is unlikely to be moved other than very occasionally. It can be left out in the weather the whole year round.
Cast aluminium is much lighter and is usually sold in both made up and knock-down form for cash and carry sales. Many of the designs are similar to those used for cast iron and most often are in reproduction styles. Aluminium alloy cast furniture is fully resistant to normal weather conditions and can be left outside all year round in the same way as cast iron furniture. If dropped or struck a heavy blow it is less likely to snap but rather to bend.
This furniture is generally used on patios, alongside pools and frequently in dining rooms or sun-lounges. Cushions are available but, of course, should not be left out in all weathers since they will lose their colour on prolonged exposure to very strong sunlight and will deteriorate if allowed to get wet repeatedly.
Cast metal furniture is available these days in a variety of colours, but the most popular is white, particularly for cast aluminium. Other colours are generally used more for furniture in dining rooms where the white can prove too great a contrast to the rest of the colour scheme. Black is the most popular colour for cast iron although recently it has become fashionable to have the cast metal burnished and lacquered.