At Milltree Designs, we believe builders have a practical solution for outdoor furniture in windy areas: build it heavier, build it solid, and build it to stay put.
Every outdoor project looks great on a calm summer day, but the real test comes when the wind starts blowing.
That's when lightweight plastic chairs tip over, cheap metal patio furniture slides across the deck, and pieces that looked perfectly fine yesterday end up scattered around the yard.
Suddenly you're reminded that not everything marketed for outdoor use is built for the outdoors.
And the problem isn't just having to go outside and pick everything up again. Furniture that gets tossed around by the wind can get scratched, bent, cracked or broken. Once it starts moving, it can also damage whatever gets in its way—a deck railing, siding, another piece of furniture or even a vehicle parked nearby.
If you have the skills to build your own outdoor furniture, there's another way to deal with the problem.
Build furniture that stays put.
The Problem With Lightweight Outdoor Furniture
There's an obvious advantage to lightweight patio furniture: it's easy to move around.
Unfortunately, the wind can move it just as easily.
Plastic chairs are probably the most obvious example. I've seen them blown right out into the street. Lightweight metal furniture can have the same problem, especially pieces that give the wind plenty to push against.
And it isn't just furniture.
We've all seen plastic garbage bins blown over or sent rolling down the street. Even garbage that's been covered with a tarp or blanket can become exposed when the wind gets underneath the covering.
Once the wind gets hold of something lightweight, you don't always know where it's going to end up—or what it might hit along the way.
The furniture itself can take a beating as it's dragged or blown across a deck, patio or driveway. Plastic can crack. Metal frames can bend. Fasteners and joints can loosen. Finishes get scratched.
And sometimes the furniture isn't the most expensive thing that gets damaged.
A chair blown into the side of a vehicle can leave a dent or scratch. Furniture sliding across a deck can damage the surface. A table or chair striking a railing, window or siding can turn one windy afternoon into an expensive repair.
There's also the possibility of someone getting hurt if outdoor furniture ends up somewhere it shouldn't.
The lighter the furniture, the easier it is for the wind to turn a simple outdoor item into something you have to worry about.
Why Heavier Wooden Furniture Makes Sense in Windy Areas
You can't control the wind, but you can control what you put outside in it.
That's where building your own outdoor furniture has a big advantage.
Wooden outdoor furniture is naturally heavier than many plastic and lightweight metal alternatives. Combine that weight with solid construction and a stable design, and you end up with furniture that's much harder for the wind to move.
It doesn't have to be oversized or take up more room.
A solid wooden picnic table has enough weight in the tabletop, seats, legs and framing to make it a substantial piece of furniture. A well-built garden bench has solid framing beneath it. Even a wooden Adirondack chair has considerably more weight and structure than many lightweight patio chairs.
The goal isn't to build something impossibly heavy.
It's to build furniture that doesn't become someone else's problem every time the forecast calls for strong winds.
Build for the Weather You Actually Get
It's easy to shop for outdoor furniture on a calm summer afternoon.
Everything looks good sitting neatly on a showroom floor or in a picture online.
But that's not where outdoor furniture spends its life.
It sits through rain, changing temperatures, strong winds and storms. If you live in a particularly windy area, those conditions should be part of the decision before you ever buy—or build—a piece of furniture.
For a builder, that means thinking beyond appearance.
How much does the finished piece weigh?
How solid is the construction?
Is the furniture well balanced and stable?
Can it take years of real outdoor use?
Those are the questions that matter when the weather stops cooperating.
Why Wooden Picnic Tables Work Well in Windy Areas
There's a reason a solid wooden picnic table works so well in a windy backyard.
It's heavy.
The tabletop, benches, legs and framing all contribute to a substantial finished piece. You're not likely to wake up after a windy night wondering where your picnic table went.
That makes wooden picnic tables particularly useful for exposed decks, yards, cottages, campgrounds and other properties where wind is a regular part of outdoor life.
There are plenty of different styles to choose from, too. A traditional family picnic table works well where you need plenty of seating, while compact designs can provide the same advantages where space is limited.
The important part is that you're building the furniture for your property and the conditions it has to face.
A Solid Wooden Bench Has the Same Advantage
Benches are another good choice for windy outdoor spaces.
A properly built wooden garden bench can have enough weight to stay where it's placed while still being movable when you actually want to move it.
Solid legs, strong framing and good construction create stability without turning the bench into something that has to be permanently attached to the deck.
A double garden bench with a centre table takes that idea even further. The two seats and centre table are built together into one substantial piece of outdoor furniture.
You get comfortable outdoor seating without having to wonder where it will be after the next windy night.
What About Adirondack Chairs?
Adirondack chairs are another good example of how solid wooden construction can make a difference.
Compared with a lightweight plastic patio chair, a wooden Adirondack chair has considerably more material and weight in it. Its low seating position and stable design also make it a practical choice for outdoor spaces that regularly see windy conditions.
And because you're building it yourself, you aren't limited to the lightest possible materials chosen to make a product cheaper to manufacture, package and ship.
You're building it for your yard.
That's an important difference.
Building Your Own Gives You Control
This may be the biggest advantage of all.
When you buy outdoor furniture, someone else has already made the important decisions.
They decided how heavy it should be.
They decided what materials to use.
They decided how the joints would be assembled.
They decided how substantial the finished piece needed to be.
And their priorities may have included manufacturing costs, packaging weight and shipping.
When you build your own furniture, your priorities can be different.
You can choose solid lumber.
You can choose a design that feels substantial and stable.
You can use proper fasteners and strong joinery.
And you can build something suited to the conditions on your own property.
That's the builder's advantage.
Furniture That Stays Put Is Less Likely to Get Damaged
There's another benefit that can easily be overlooked.
Furniture that doesn't get blown around doesn't take the same beating.
It isn't repeatedly falling over.
It isn't scraping across the deck.
It isn't banging against railings.
It isn't being thrown into other furniture.
That can mean fewer broken parts, fewer repairs and potentially a much longer useful life.
And when wooden furniture eventually does need attention, there's another advantage to having built it yourself.
You know how it went together.
A damaged board can often be removed and replaced. A loose joint can be tightened or rebuilt. The finish can be renewed.
Compare that with inexpensive plastic or lightweight metal furniture where a cracked moulded part or bent frame can be much more difficult to repair.
Sometimes the easiest furniture to fix is the furniture you built in the first place.
Builders Solve the Problem Before It Happens
There's a difference between cleaning up after a problem and preventing it.
You can keep picking up lightweight patio furniture every time the wind blows.
You can move everything indoors whenever the forecast changes.
You can try tying things down.
Or, if you already have the tools and skills, you can build outdoor furniture that's naturally more substantial and harder for the wind to move.
That's the builder's advantage.
Builders don't chase problems. They build solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of outdoor furniture is best for windy areas?
Heavier, well-balanced furniture with solid construction has a natural advantage in windy areas. Wooden picnic tables, benches and substantial wooden chairs are good examples.
Is wooden outdoor furniture better than plastic furniture in the wind?
For staying put, weight is a major advantage. Solid wooden furniture is generally much heavier than lightweight plastic furniture, making it more difficult for ordinary wind gusts to move or overturn.
Can wind actually damage patio furniture?
Yes. Furniture can be damaged when it tips over, slides across hard surfaces or strikes other objects. Plastic can crack, metal can bend, finishes can become scratched and joints or fasteners can loosen.
Can wind-blown patio furniture damage other property?
Yes. Once furniture starts moving, it can potentially strike vehicles, railings, siding, windows or other outdoor items. Keeping outdoor furniture stable helps protect more than just the furniture itself.
Does heavy outdoor furniture need to be anchored?
Not necessarily. That depends on the furniture, its location and the wind conditions it may experience. Even substantial outdoor furniture should be secured or moved to a protected location when severe weather is expected.
Stop Chasing Furniture. Start Building It.
You can't stop the wind.
But if you're comfortable with a saw, drill and a few common woodworking tools, you don't have to settle for lightweight outdoor furniture that gets pushed around every time the wind picks up.
Build something substantial.
Build something suited to your property.
Build something you'll be able to repair if it ever does get damaged.
Most importantly, build furniture that stays put.
Ready to Build?
At Milltree Designs, you'll find step-by-step woodworking plans for several styles of solid wooden outdoor furniture, including picnic tables, garden benches, Adirondack chairs and other practical outdoor projects.
Choose a project that fits your space and put your building skills to work solving the problem instead of chasing it around the yard.
You can also browse all of our woodworking plans in the Milltree Designs Etsy shop.
Want to Learn More?
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