We have all been adding furniture to our patios, chairs and tables, now that the back yard is nice and comfy we are making it even more so by adding an outdoor rug. Last weekend we went shopping for a new rug for the patio. Until now, I had only thought that a door mat was all we needed, but it seems that there are many choices of outdoor rugs and that I needed to expend my knowledge.
I picked up an Outdoor Rugs Guide at the local shop, and I thought it was funny because they said that the most basic outdoor rug is the door mat (I knew that). Now I am laughing but I did learn a few things about materials. Did you know that the most durable type of material for an outdoor mat is polypropylene. This is a type of plastic that can mimic other types of material. Polypropylene with a tight weave can also trap dirt very well. For a mat with extra traction—very good for seniors and other people prone to falling—all in all rubber mats are a decent choice.
While looking at the larger rugs to put on the patio I found that many are also made of synthetic materials, but some were made with wool. I would think that synthetic might be better in an environment where the rug will get wet. If you have a covered patio, then a wool outdoor rug might be nicer. You will find a variety of patterns, colors and motifs in either materials.
Then I spotted some bamboo rugs, now I thought that make a natural addition for an outdoor area. Bamboo is very sturdy and can be weather resistant. This one rug that will last a long time and really looks good on the patio. You guessed it I ended up buying a couple of Anji mountain outdoor bamboo rugs, and bringing them home. Our patio is fairly large and we needed to make two distinct areas, now we have some unity while keeping a separation. It worked out quite well, but I must say that our patio is well protected and the rug will only have a limited exposure to the elements, this is good as most Anji mountain outdoor bamboo rugs are listed as limited outdoor use. We decide in favor of this brand because it will clean easily and because it will look great with some contemporary rattan furniture we have.
Spending the day choosing an outdoor rug was fun an a bit of a challenge. I hope my little overview of the experience will help you find the rug you need, and that you will not waste a whole day on it. You can find what you need online just as easily as we did in the stores, but my wife likes to drag me along.
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