The best wooden garden furniture – 12 timeless outdoor designs (original) (raw)

Tracking down the best wooden garden furniture for your outside space can be a tricky task, with cheaper metal, plastic and PE-rattan garden furniture seemingly making up the bulk of most retailer offerings.

However, whether you're searching for a wooden garden table and chairs, a classic teak garden bench, or a durable wood outdoor lounge set, we think timber garden furniture makes a stylish and timeless addition to any outdoor space, blending naturally into almost any setting. That's why we've scoured the shops to round up the best-in-class.

But when it comes to wooden garden furniture, what is the best? Well, if you want durability you'll want to invest in hardwearing and weather-resistant teak wood, but you will pay more for the longevity teak offers. If affordability is an important factor (and when isn't it!) then acacia and eucalyptus are viable alternatives. They don't offer quite the same durability as teak, but they're still hardwearing with the right protection – which can mean a regular top-up with wood preservative, or storing the furniture under cover for protection from the worst of the elements.

We've included a mix of wood types, price points, and style options in this guide, including bestselling designs from multiple leading retailers. You'll find more material options in our overall guide to the best garden furniture of the year, but if you know timber is the look for you then scroll on to uncover our favourite finds.

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Spirit Metal Garden Corner Sofa Set

Seats: 5 Overall dimensions: H64 x W240 x D240cm Materials: aluminium and FSC teak wood Assembly: partial self-assembly

Although it's not fully wood, that does mean this rust-resistant aluminium and hardwearing FSC-certified teak wood outdoor sofa is both as outdoor-resilient as you can get, and a reasonable investment considering its durability. The corner sofa comes with the wooden-topped coffee table and padded cushions included, and we're big fans of those handy built-in side shelves which are ideal for resting a drink or two. As it's not solid wood, it's also lightweight and easy to manouevre into position.

Beach Dining Table and 6 Butterfly Dining Armchairs

Seats: 6 Table: H76 x W195 x D95cm Chairs: H84.5 x W56 x D57.5cm Materials: teak wood table and aluminium and rope chairs Assembly: self-assembly

You can buy the teak wood Beach dining table separately in either the 195cm width table or 240cm width table and add in as many of the alumium-framed Butterfly Dining Armchairs as you want (or mix and match with other seating designs). Or, you can invest in this 6 seater dining table and chair set. We love the hardwearing durability of its build and the industrial vibes of the teak tabletop and graphite grey aluminium base.

Porthallow Wooden Corner Sofa Set

Seats: 5+ Overall dimensions: H67 x W239 x D164cm Materials: Acacia wood Assembly: fully assembled

Delivered fully assembled (apart from the armchair which requires assembly), this acacia wood outdoor sofa offers generous seating and swoon-worthy good looks that are perfect for a contemporary courtyard or classic patio space. As well as the two and three-seater sofa, plus a generous armchair, the set also includes a spacious coffee table. There's also a great range of coordinating Porthallow outdoor furniture that's ideal for furnishing a larger outside space.

Myrton 5-Piece Garden Furniture Set

Seats: 4 Table: H70 x W120 x D75cm Chair: H80 x W43.5 x D42cm Materials: acacia wood Assembly: self-assembly

Perfect for smaller patios, this compact four-seater table and chairs set is fully folding, which makes for space-saving storage when it's not in use, and offers a quick and easy way to clear the decks after an alfresco lunch if your outside space needs to be multifunctional. Acacia wood mixed with black detailing adds a contemporary twist to the classic wooden garden table and chairs.

Samoa 4 Seater Eucalyptus Patio Set

Seats: 4 Table: H75 x W150 x L90cm Bench: H50 x W120 x D40cm Materials: FSC-certified eucalyptus Assembly: self-assembly

A great contemporary seating option from Habitat, this simple yet statement outdoor table and bench set will create a sculptural focal point on the patio. Made from solid FSC-certified eucalyptus wood, the chunky design will seat four, with the benches able to be stored under the table when not in use for a space-saving footprint.

Vigo Outdoor Dining Table With 4 Chairs

Seats: 4 Table: H76 x W135 x D135cm Chair: H78.5 x W55 x D5cm Materials: acacia wood Assembly: fully assembled

Made from acacia wood with a darker 'teak' wash, this circular table and chair set is perfect for creating a statement dining area. We love the rounded backs of the chairs, and although the chair backrests are low, the included cushions add a little more comfort to the outdoor dining experience.

Virginia Wooden Bistro Set

Seats: 2 Table: H74.5 x W60 x D60cm Chair: H79 x W38 x D49cm Materials: acacia wood Assembly: fully assembled

Practical and affordable, this folding bistro set is perfect for small patios, compact gardens, and balcony areas. The acacia wood set includes two folding chairs and a small folding table, although you can also buy additional chairs – and tables – separately to increase the seating space.

Jack and Jill Love Seat Bench

Seats: 2 Dimensions: H88.5cm x W166cm x L64cm Materials: meranti wood Assembly: self-assembly

This Jack and Jill loveseat offers a variation on the usual wooden garden bench, creating sociable seating where both parties get two armrests each, and a shared table for resting that all-important cup of tea whilst admiring the garden in between bouts of weeding.

Dudena Acacia Wood Bistro Set

Seats: 2 Table: H75 x W70 x D70cm Chair: H80 x W42 x D44cm Materials: acacia wood Assembly: self-assembly

Available in five colourways, including black, white, terracotta red, blue and green, this compact bistro set is stylish and practical. Its footprint is small anyway, but if you need more space then it can easily be folded away when not in use, plus, the folding design makes for space-saving winter storage.

BrackenStyle Lutyens Teak Garden Bench

Seats: 3 Dimensions: H105 x W165 x D60cm Material: teak wood Assembly: self-assembly

This decorative teak wood garden bench offers a spacious three-seater frame along with distinctive 'Lutyens' rolled arms and a high scalloped backrest that delivers statement style. The price point is very affordable considering its hardwood construction, you will just need to factor in self-assembly before you can sit back and relax.

Garden Trading Chastleton Teak Bench

Seats: 3 Dimensions: H90 x W160 x D67cm Materials: teak wood Assembly: fully assembled

This stylish garden bench may be an investment, but it arrives fully assembled and is crafted from solid teak hardwood that offers long-lasting outdoor durability. You can use teak oil to preserve the honey colour, or allow the bench to weather to a silver-grey patina over time. Arriving fully assembled, the geometric backrest gives this garden classic a modern edge that's perfect for any outdoor space.

Barlow Tyrie Teak Garden Bench

Seats: 3 Dimensions: H90 x W161 x D64cm Materials: teak wood Assembly: self-assembly

Designed by Barlow Tyrie, the company responsible for the iconic 'London Bench' that's now a familiar sight in most public parks, this is perhaps the quintessential wooden garden bench. The teak version offers increased durability, but there is also the more affordable Barlow Tyrie eucalyptus wood bench in the same design if you'd prefer less of an upfront investment.

Which wood is the best for outdoor furniture?

You'll find wooden garden furniture made from many types of timber, but when shopping for the most durable wooden outdoor furniture, it's hardwoods that you'll want to look out for.

Teak is the hardwood most prized for its strength and durability outdoors. As well as offering an extremely dense grain that prevents moisture from penetrating, teak retains high levels of natural oils in its timber once cut, which further helps to prevent the wood from weathering. You can top up the wood with teak oil to offer even more weather resistance, although many allow the timber to weather over time to its signature soft silvery patina.

However, this dense grain is down to teak's extremely slow-growing habit, and that slow growth, plus the difficulty of working with such a tough timber makes it one of the most expensive wooden options.

Like many woods, teak is also in danger of being harvested unsustainably. Reclaimed teak wood can be a more eco-friendly solution, or, as when buying any wood product, make sure to look for FSC-certification which should ensure the tree has been felled within a managed forest rather than contributing to damaging deforestation.

Cheaper and faster-growing alternatives that are now becoming very popular outdoor furniture choices are the hardwoods acacia and eucalyptus. These woods may be slightly less dense than teak but they are far-quicker growing, allowing them to be grown and managed to yield greater quantities of wood more sustainably – although again, it's important to look for FSC accreditation. A little low-maintenance upkeep with a coat of wood preservative each year should ensure these hardwoods retain plenty of weather resistance. hardwoods acacia and eucalyptus. These woods may be slightly less dense than teak but they are far-quicker growing, allowing them to be grown and managed to yield greater quantities of wood more sustainably – although again, it's important to look for FSC accreditation. A little low-maintenance upkeep with a coat of wood preservative each year should ensure these hardwoods retain plenty of weather resistance.

If you're looking for durability, then try to avoid garden furniture that is simply listed as a 'wood' or timber' build, as it's more likely these options are crafted from less weather-resistant softwoods.

Garden Trading Porthallow wooden outdoor corner sofa

(Image credit: Garden Trading)

Is wooden garden furniture OK left out in the rain?

If you want garden furniture that can be left outside all year round, then you'll want to opt for the most durable hardwoods, like teak.

Teak wood furniture will still benefit from a yearly top-up with teak oil to maintain its natural moisture-resisting properties, but its dense grain and natural oils make it the most weather-resistant timber.

More affordable hardwoods such as acacia and eucalyptus are slightly less weather-resistant, so most manufacturers will recommend storing garden furniture made of these materials under cover to protect them from the worst of the elements.

A wooden outdoor lounge set

(Image credit: Cox and Cox)

To find the best wooden garden furniture for this guide we researched bestselling designs, got hands-on with products, dived into the specifications and materials to sort the wheat from the chaff, grilled the Ideal Home team for their expert knowledge, and took into account the opinions of those who own each product via online reviews. Click here to find out more about how we review products on Ideal Home.