I have a holiday home in Cape Town and am looking for some new patio dining chairs. I've found some really nice ones at a really good price (from a very major/reputable online retailer) - https://www.makro.co.za/home-garden/pat ... 0384633_EA - but the web site info says...
Wood type - Eucalyptus wood
...
Under cover - for under cover use only
Care instructions - To maintain use linseed oil every 6 months
It is the "for under cover use only" that concerns me. My chairs will be on an uncovered patio subject to Cape Town summers which can get into the upper 30s Celcius (occasionally even low 40s but that's rare in Cape Town and usually only for a few days). Also, during the summer they will be subject to very fierce sunshine for about 4 to 5 hours a day when my balcony isn't in the shade.
I would just heed the web site warning but all my research so far is telling me that the issue with eucalyptus is potential cracking and splintering in cold weather and, since I am not here in winter, they would be bought inside during the cold(er) and rainy season so it is only extreme heat and UV that I am concerned about. So far I haven't found a single warning about issues with sun and/or heat.
One thought that occurs to me is that there might be different qualities/types of eucalyptus and the undercover-only warning might also be an implicit "the eucalyptus we use for these chairs is a bit rubbish" warning as well.
Can anyone give me any extra insight on the potential issues with Eucalyptus for fully outside uncovered areas and is all eucalyptus alike?
If it is only cold and maybe continuous soakings from rain that are the reasons for the warning then I am inclined to go ahead with these. They do have seat cushions similarly and if the warning relates to a lack of UV and/or water resistance for the cushion fabric then I am equally unconcerned since I can easily have them recovered, which I might do anyway to match other patio cushions, and still save money vs all of the alternative chairs that I have been looking at.
- Julian