To choose the best metal patio furniture, consider the type and size of your outdoor space. If your patio is exposed to the elements, you'll need rustproof metal furniture or you'll probably have to refinish these outdoor pieces often. Also think of the type of metal furniture you prefer and what will best suit your home's outdoor living area. Steel mesh, wrought iron, aluminum and shaped metal patio furniture are some of the most popular types of outdoor seating pieces and tables.
Shaped metal patio chairs and tables often have rounded backs that taper in at the middle. The chair seat may also be rounded or irregular in shape. These types of metal chairs and side tables suitable for patios are usually quite retro looking; they're often colorful and in shapes reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s. Typically, these shaped patio furniture pieces are sold in bright colors such as yellow, red and blue. If you want to brighten your patio with a casual, retro sort of look, this type of metal furniture may work for you.
Aluminum patio furniture tends to have a much more modern look than the more colorful, shaped pieces. Aluminum tables and chairs may have black metal accent stripes worked into their design, but other than that, just silver-colored metal is usually featured on these pieces. A key benefit of metal patio furniture made from aluminum is that it's very lightweight. This feature is also why many aluminum outdoor furniture pieces are folding. The convenience of folding aluminum tables and chairs allows them to be easily moved from the patio to picnics, sports games, camping or other locations.
Wrought iron outdoor furniture is considered to be both durable and beautiful. The timeless, romantically scrolled openwork metal of wrought iron pieces is detailed in pattern and can really add a lot of interest to plainer looking patios. If you love classic elegance and want to add pattern to your patio, this type of furniture is typically on the more expensive side, but it tends to stand up well in all types of weather. Wrought iron metal patio furniture in smaller sized pieces is ideal for apartment balconies, while larger tables and seating options such as benches or chaises work best for bigger decks.
If you like the openwork appeal of wrought iron, but would rather have a modern industrial look, steel mesh metal patio furniture could be a good choice for you. Steel mesh furniture is typically black, but sometimes is available in silver-colored metal. Unless you want a subtle look without much contrast, use the silver mesh against darker exterior walls and decking and black metal against a lighter background.