Minimising Insect Damage to Your Outdoor Furniture

Ideally, your outdoor furniture will be a source of relaxation and entertainment for many years. However, outdoor furniture must endure a variety of elements as the seasons pass. In addition to weather conditions and the risk of sun damage, there's another small but insidious cause of outdoor furniture damage: insects.

 
Insect Damaged Outdoor Furniture

Destructive Insects to Watch Out For

Wooden outdoor furniture is the most at risk for insect damage, especially if it is not properly treated, finished or cared for. Wood that becomes sun or water damaged can develop cracks in it that give insects a place to enter and take up residence. Some of the most destructive bugs to your wooden outdoor furniture include:

The furniture beetle. As you can tell by its common name, this borer loves to feast upon wooden furniture. Its efforts can cause major damage, especially to softwoods and old, dried out wood. This borer can even lay eggs within crevices or cracks in your furniture where it has become damaged. The larvae can gestate and feed on your furniture for years. Worst of all, these borers eat in a random, haphazard way, which produces a network of tunnels within your wooden furniture, ruining its integrity.

Wood-boring weevil. This insect is mostly known for feasting on softwoods such as pine. Like the furniture beetle, they also dine in a meandering, random manner, creating an interior honeycomb pattern that destroys your furniture's integrity.

Carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are among the most destructive of ants to wood furniture. They are able to bore through wood much like beetles and weevils and leave a telltale powdery sawdust in their wake called "frass." If you see this substance around your outdoor furniture, carpenter ants may be the culprits.

Other Pest Problems for Outdoor Furniture

Spiders. While spiders generally do not eat or destroy wood or other furniture materials, they can take it over and leave unsightly signs of their residence. If spiders take a liking to your outdoor furniture, expect to have to maintain it regularly by brushing away unsightly cobwebs and debris.

While many types of outdoor furniture can be subject to wear and tear, today's innovative synthetic materials can help to minimise or eliminate the risk of insect damage. Outdoor Furniture Ideas offers beautiful furniture options crafted in Italy from a high quality, UV resistant polypropylene resin. This material is characterised by a strong resistance to factors like insects as well as atmospheric pollutants. Shop Outdoor Furniture Ideas for some of the most beautiful and durable outdoor furniture money can buy.