Handy Hints - Metal
Wrought Iron furniture was used for much of the early garden furniture, wrought iron is currently enjoying a resurgence, sometimes teamed with wood slats.
A very robust product wrought metal furniture can be left out all year round. If used in conjunction with wooden slats it is advisable to treat them with a preservative.
Cast aluminum furniture was introduced in the early 1960's and found immediate acceptance for both indoor and outdoor use. The cast aluminium process can reproduce any of the designs made in iron, but is lighter and less brittle.
Die cast aluminium furniture is virtually indestructible, impervious to weather conditions and can be left outside all year round. Usually sold in kit form,with simple fixing instructions, finished in powder coating in a range of colours.
In terms of maintenance, if the furniture has been powder coated then all that should be required is a good clean with soapy water and a scrubbing brush. Avoid high pressure jet washing as this could damage the coating. Some older furniture may have been painted and successive coats of paint obscured the lattice work and detail design. This furniture particularly if antique can be restored to its former state by stripping off the paint, industrially using sand blasting and then powder coating. This can however be expensive and neeeds to be done professionally.
Your local blacksmith is often a good source of information on how to restore your metal furniture. If you are uncertain whether you have aluminium furniture or cast iron; a general rule is if you can lift it easily it is aluminium.
