Garden chairs are ever popular - after all, who doesn’t like a comfortable seat in sunshine sipping pina coladas on those warm summer nights? The trouble comes in choosing the type and style of garden chair that best suits you and your needs. Obviously a family will require different seating to a bachelor, but nevertheless your situation will most likely require at least some form of seating for outdoor purposes. Generally speaking, there are a few main types of garden chair that prove popular year on year that you might like to consider:

• Plastic seating - cheap and easy to move but flimsy, and lacking in comfort• Loungers - the height of comfortableness but rather immobile and awkward

• Deck chairs - lack comfort and sturdiness but easy to move and fold to save space

• Benching - good for family requirements but not ideal for entertaining guests

Whilst one or more of these options might seem instantly appealing, it is possible to use a combination of both to create a comfortable, well seated outdoor environment - whatever your particular requirements.Plastic Seating vs. Deck ChairsPlastic seating was once upon a time all the rage - almost every garden nationwide had a set of plastic chairs for the summer. Easy to use and move, the plastic chairs could usually be found stacked on top of each other in a corner or the garden or a dark shed, just waiting for the right time of year to come around. Of course, plastic chairs are seldom very comfortable, and you don’t often associate them with the lap of luxury. However, practically speaking they do the job, if not causing minor storage issues because of their bulk.

Deck chairs are one solution to the plastic seating problem, but they a little more expensive. They solve the space problem by folding up for storage purposes, although the fact that they contain fabric means they need to be stored inside when they’re not in use. Of course, these too are a bit lacking in the comfort department, but can be better if you entertain guests frequently or enjoy having outdoor functions.

Loungers v. BenchesLoungers are often seen as the ultimate in garden seating. Of course their major drawback is the price factor, not to mention the fact that the padding must be kept indoors to avoid weather damage when not in use. Coming with a reclining motion in most cases, these can be great is you like to bathe in the sunshine, but might be a little anti-social. At any rate they are also quite difficult to move around and carry, but they are right up there in the comfort stakes.

Benches on the other hand are ideal for family seating requirements. With a few strategically positioned benches you can sit the kids for breakfast, or quickly use it as a table when it’s time to apply the sun screen. They’re not too comfortable but can be handy as a fall-back when seating space is of a premium.

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