The term “chaise lounge” actually came from the French and has been around for millennia — with archaeologists finding the earliest examples in Ancient Egypt. Naturally, furniture that was good enough for the pharaohs has continued to flourish, with a few changes to the design transforming it into the long, sofa-like chair we have today.
Popularized in the Victorian era, the chaise lounge remains one of the most elegant and stylish ways to relax. When it comes to choosing the perfect chaise lounge, there are lots of different styles, colors, and other considerations.
Step 1 — See if the Chaise Lounge is the Right Chair for You
What is a chaise? The chaise lounge is a long chair with an angled back at one end, providing complete support for the whole body. A good chaise lounge should be equipped with an adjustable backrest so you can set it at the right angle for maximum comfort.
The chaise lounge is furniture designed for relaxing — it’s perfect for napping, sunbathing, reading, contemplating life, or just watching the world go by.
Chaise Lounge Form and Function — Points to Consider
- Due to their whole-body support and angled back, chaise lounges are meant for relaxing and dozing.
- Chaise lounges are close to the ground, so bear that in mind if you have mobility issues.
- Many chaise lounges come with armrests to make it easier to get into and out of them, but some do not.
- Chaise lounges are best used with accessories and cushions to maximize comfort.
- Due to their larger size, chaise lounges are best used on larger decks or patios.
Step 2 — Choose the Right Chaise Lounge Materials
Chaise lounges are available in a wide variety of materials — softwoods like pine, hardwoods like oak and teak, wicker, HDPE lumber, and aluminum are all available. When it comes to choosing the right chaise lounge materials, you’ll want to take several factors into account:
- Durability — how well will your chaise lounge last when it’s left outside?
- Maintenance — how easy will your chaise lounge be to look after?
- Appearance — how will your chaise lounge look over time?
- Comfort — how comfortable and luxurious will your chaise lounge be?
- Weight — how easy is it to move the chaise lounge around, and how resilient is it to weather?
- Price — how much value for money will you get from the chaise lounge?
Pine and Other Softwoods as a Material for Chaise Lounges
Although teak is more popular, some chaise lounges are made of pine or other softwoods. Softwoods are abundant and inexpensive, but are not great choices for outdoor chaise lounges, as they don’t tend to weather very well.
Softwoods — Points to Consider
- Softwood isn’t very resilient or durable, it is easily scratched or dented, which can impact the appearance of your chaise lounges.
- Softwood must be varnished and protected if it is going to stay outside — even then, the elements can quickly impact how good the chaise lounges looks.
- Softwood chaise lounges will typically need to be restained or revarnished on a semi-regular basis.
- Softwood is an inexpensive choice when it comes to outdoor furniture.
Oak and Other Hardwoods as a Material for Chaise Lounges
Hardwoods are generally a better choice than softwoods for a well-crafted, lasting chaise lounge, but they are not without issues. Like softwoods, they need to be regularly maintained to look their best.
Hardwoods — Points to Consider
- Hardwoods are quite resilient and durable, and it is difficult to scratch, dent, or damage them.
- Hardwood must be varnished and protected if it is going to stay outside.
- Hardwood chaise lounges will typically need to be restained or revarnished on a semi-regular basis.
- Hardwood chaise lounges are more resilient to the elements and gusts of wind.
- Hardwood is a moderately expensive choice as a material for chaise lounges.
Teak as a Material for Chaise Lounges
Teak is a popular choice for outdoor furniture and is better than other woods like pine, oak, bamboo, or wicker.
Teak — Points to Consider
- Teak is durable and resilient, as it produces its own oil — it’s a hardwood, so it isn’t easy to dent or scratch.
- It’s completely resistant to wind, water, and rust and can stay outside all year-round.
- It’s only available in one “color,” teak.
- It is difficult to maintain and needs to be regularly rubbed down and treated to avoid “silver patina.”
- Teak is one of the pricier options when it comes to outside furniture.
Wicker as a Material for Chaise Lounges
Wicker is sometimes used as a material in chaise lounges today. Although wicker can be a good material for an indoor chaise lounge, it doesn’t really have the durability for outside use.
Wicker — Points to Consider
- Wicker is not very resilient, it can be easily damaged, especially if you use the chaise lounge a lot.
- When used outside, wicker can lose its appearance quickly, as it is not weather-resistant.
- Wicker is very light and vulnerable to wind gusts.
- The way wicker is woven means that dirt can get into the gaps, spoiling the appearance of the chaise lounges.
- Wicker is not easy to maintain.
Aluminum as a Material for Chaise Lounges
A popular choice, chaise lounges are often available in aluminum. It’s a lightweight, durable metal.
Aluminum — Points to Consider
- Aluminum is tough, resilient, and easy to maintain.
- Your chaise lounge can be left outside all year-round, with no ill effects.
- It is highly durable and completely resistant to water and rust.
- Lightweight construction means it can be vulnerable to gusts of wind.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Lumber as a Material for Chaise Lounges
HDPE is a synthetic resin for building solid, high-quality, durable outdoor furniture. Its cost is offset by the luxury, comfort, and resilience it provides. It’s a perfect material for a stylish outdoor chaise lounge.
HDPE Lumber — Points to Consider
- It is easy to maintain, needing just a soft-bristle brush and a simple solution of water and mild dish soap.
- HDPE is sturdy and resistant to wind so your chaise lounge can stay outside all year-round.
- HDPE is highly durable and completely resistant to wind, water, and rust.
- Your chaise lounge will be comfortable, stylish, and luxurious with a high-quality, strong, and sturdy construction.
- HDPE is infinitely recyclable and is often made from recycled milk jugs.
- HDPE lumber is available in a wide variety of colors.
- HDPE lumber is manufactured to last a lifetime and its price does reflect that.
Our favorite material is the HDPE lumber — it’s manufactured to last a lifetime, stays looking great, is weather-resistant and durable, takes just moments to maintain, and comes in a wide variety of colors.
Step 3 — Choose the Right Chaise Lounge Measurements
Once you’ve decided on the right materials, you will want to think about the size, height, and spacing of your chaise lounge, especially if you have more than one.
Chaise Lounge Dimensions and Sizes
There are a lot of dimensions to consider when it comes to the chaise lounges. Here are the most important ones:
- Overall length of the chaise lounge — between 73 and 80 inches.
- Overall length of the seat area of the chaise lounges — between 42 and 48 inches.
- Overall height of the chaise lounge — between 35 and 40 inches.
- Overall width of the chaise lounge — between 25 and 30 inches.
- Overall seat height of the chaise lounge — between 11 and 12 inches.
We recommend placing chaise lounges at least two to three feet apart to ensure ample space between each piece.
Step 4 — Choose the Right Chaise Lounge Style
The chaise lounge is a classic design, and although it may have been around for 5,000 years, we can still give it a contemporary twist.
We’ve been refining and adding some flourish to our own take on the POLYWOOD chaise lounge to create styles suitable for any outside space.
- The Nautical Chaise with Arms — imagine being on an ocean steamer with this chaise lounge perfect for the passenger deck.
- Captain Chaise with Arms — be an officer and a gentleman with this more formal chaise.
- South Beach Chaise — a chaise lounge in a freewheeling, beach-going style.
- Long Island Chaise — a modern, stylish twist on a classic design.
- Coastal Chaise — sleek sling fabric paired with our durable HDPE lumber.
Our Nautical Chaise w/Arms & Wheels features smooth wheels for greater maneuverability (also available without arms), and our Nautical chaise lounges stack for easy storage when not in use.
Step 5 — Choose the Right Color for Your Chaise Lounge
If you’re buying pine, oak, teak, or wicker chaise lounges, you’re likely to be limited in your choice of colors and finishes. If you’re going for HDPE lumber, you will have plenty of choices. Even our aluminum chaise lounges are available in several finishes.
All of our chaise lounges are available in a wide variety of colors. From beautiful grays, browns, greens, and other earth colors to vibrant hues of red, yellow, blue, and more that add some real visual distinction. You can stay with a modern look by choosing black or white, or bring in a sense of the natural with brown or green.
Step 6 – Accessorize Your Chaise Lounge
You’ve chosen the perfect chaise lounge for your outdoor space, but for the best comfort, you need the right cushions. All of our cushions are covered in all-weather performance fabric, which is manufactured to stay outside year-round.
Outdoor cushions are weather- and fade-resistant so they’ll continue to look great year after year. They also shed water quickly, so they’ll dry out fast after a passing rainstorm. With a large variety of colors and patterns, you’re sure to find the perfect chaise lounge cushion or pillow.
You can even add side tables and other pieces to create a complete set of beautiful furniture.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to choosing the perfect chaise lounge, there’s plenty to consider. We hope this buyer’s guide has given you all the information you need to make an informed choice.
If you still have questions, we have answers! Feel free to call us at (855) 935-5550 or email us at hello@polywoodoutdoor.com and one of our experts will be delighted to help you out!
Shop our entire line: Chaise Lounges
Blog Post Updated March 30, 2021
I was thinking to buy a chaise lounge and try to get some guidance about this. Now I got your blog. You provide enough information regarding this. Thank you so much for helping me. It will really help me.
Look at step 3, ten square feet is like a 2 by 5 area!
Did you mean 10 feet squared?
Hi, N-Ann!
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We’ll be sure to let our team know and have this updated.
Have a great day!
How about a chaise that the seating area is chair height for those needing that to get in, and particularly for getting out.