It’s spring and the human urge is to get outside but it’s raining, and or snowing – again – and besides, the hockey playoffs are on television. If that sounds like a recipe for huddling inside, lighten up.
It’s spring and the human urge is to get outside but it’s raining, and or snowing – again – and besides, the hockey playoffs are on television. If that sounds like a recipe for huddling inside, lighten up. The living room is moving outside thanks to new weather-resistant materials and cozy fire pits that may be safely placed right on the back deck.
Outdoor furniture is becoming more and more durable even for an Alberta climate and it no longer looks portable, foldable or plastic. It looks and feels as great as any living or dining room furniture set you have in the house.
“The difference is in the fabrics which are treated so they dry quickly. The old foam cushions are long gone and now most of the cushions are Dacron wrapped so they air-dry better,” said Shelley Brown of Beachcomber Hot Tubs and Patio.
Indeed, mould, mildew and most parasites do not easily take hold in Dacron, a tough polyester that adds strength and form to cushions so they don’t cave or compress. Dacron is resistant to spills so when it gets wet, all you have to do is turn the cushion on its side and shake off the moisture. At the same time, the material does not have a plastic feel to it and is pliant and soft to the touch.
“It is weatherproof but we still recommend that you take it inside in the winter,” Brown said.
Rattan wicker is often the base under these new patio sets. Rattan is a strong jungle-growing vine that is resistant to moisture. It is woven into wicker-backed chairs and tables. Rustproof wrought iron is also a sturdy choice for outdoor furniture.
The new materials certainly make moving the couch outside more plausible, but there is more to the new patio look than just having comfortable, soft furniture. Now, with a gazebo or pergola for shade and shelter, and a gas or propane fueled fire pit table for heat, people are even moving the television outside onto the deck.
Gazebos and pergolas have essentially the same purpose, which is to provide minimum shelter, while allowing cooling breezes to circulate. Traditionally wooden, latticed gazebos are round and are on a raised foundation to prevent rotting. Pergolas are more often square and nowadays they are really simply elaborate tents that have tieback walls that can provide more protection from the elements or from mosquitoes when required.
Really fancy gazebos and pergolas may even come complete with lighting, including chandeliers. So as you sit on your Dacron-wrapped, thickly cushioned lounge, you may dim the lights if you like.
Add heat
It gets even better when you provide live fire.
The new fire pit tables have made a natural progression from gas barbecues and are equally safe to put on the patio or deck. A stainless steel dish filled with glass crystals that reflect the open flame usually hides a gas or propane connection in the centre of the table. The tables are often made from the same rattan or wrought iron as the other furniture and they may be topped with glass or faux stone or slate. The fire pit itself will have a cover that can rotate, like a lazy-susan, when the fire is not turned on.
Fire pit tables come in a variety of sizes and provide between 40,000 and 60,000 BTUs of heat. The smallest ones could fit in the back of a pick-up truck or camper. The largest tables would easily accommodate a circle of eight people.
“People take the smallest ones with them camping. They are really great because you don’t have to take firewood with you and you don’t have to worry about fire bans. For the same reasons, people like them in their backyards because they don’t have to worry about fire regulations,” said Paul Ellingson of St. Albert Chimney Guys.
Ellingson joked about the amount of heat these small gas burners provide.
“I don’t think you’d want to sit around them when it’s 40 below but if you put your drink on the table, the ice would melt. If you put your feet on the table, your running shoe soles would probably start to melt. It’s just like sitting around a campfire and you find yourself staring into the flame. Except you can adjust the flame,” he said.
Just as with any open flame, people need to watch their children near the fire pit tables, but otherwise the sturdy tables are low to the ground and safe against tipping. They may even be placed inside a gazebo or pergola, as long as there is adequate ventilation.
“They are made specifically for outdoors,” Ellingson said. “The only thing is, you need six feet of clearance above the burner.”
