The others can last too, but then you do the work that the oil in teak does for free.
What is the best wood for outdoor furniture?
Teak. Its natural oils keep water out, so it does not rot or crack the way most timber does outside, and it needs no treatment to last. Left alone it weathers to an even silver-grey; oiled every year it keeps its honey colour.
| Wood | Type | Left untreated outside | Care it needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teak | Tropical hardwood, naturally oily | Lasts, weathers silver-grey | None, or oil once a year for colour |
| Acacia | Dense hardwood | Greys, dries out, can crack | Oil regularly, shelter in winter |
| Eucalyptus | Fast-grown hardwood | Greys, can split | Oil regularly, shelter in winter |
| Pine | Softwood | Rots | Pressure treatment, then stain or paint |
Is acacia wood good for outdoor furniture?
Yes, with care. Acacia is a dense, hard timber that copes with outdoor use. It carries less natural oil than teak, so left untreated it greys, dries out and can crack along the grain.
Oil it before the season and again whenever it looks dry, keep it off wet ground, and give it a cover or a shed in winter. Looked after that way, acacia is a fair choice. Skip the oil and it will not keep up with teak.
Is eucalyptus good for garden furniture?
It can be. Eucalyptus is a fast-growing hardwood, usually from plantations. Like acacia, it has less natural oil than teak and needs regular oiling to stay sound; left dry, it greys and opens small cracks.
Treat it the same way: oil, keep the feet off wet ground, and shelter it in winter.
What about pine and other softwoods?
Pine, spruce and fir rot outside unless the wood is pressure-treated, and even then they need stain or paint to stay sound. They swell and shrink as they wet and dry, which opens cracks and loosens joints.
That is why softwood is the low-cost end of garden furniture. Fine for a bench you build yourself; a poor buy for furniture you want to keep.
Why does teak last outside?
Natural oil and density. The oil in teak keeps water from soaking in, so the wood does not swell and shrink with every shower, which is what cracks other timber. That is why it can be left untreated.
The grade matters: the dense, oily heartwood lasts; paler sapwood does not. Ours is A-grade plantation teak, bought as FSC-certified timber. What grade A means, and why teak costs more, is in our teak buying guide.
Solid wood or wood on a metal frame?
Wood on metal, for furniture that stays out. All-wood garden furniture is held together by wooden joints, and those joints are where water sits and where the wood moves. Slats on a welded frame drain on every side and leave no wooden joint to open.
That is how we make every wooden piece for the garden: teak slats on stainless steel for Hedvig, Signe, Edith, Saga, Per, Otto, Bazo and Algot, and on powder-coated steel for Arvid. Why the frame metal matters is in steel or aluminium garden furniture.
How do I look after wooden garden furniture?
Teak: wash once a year in spring with water, mild soap and a soft brush along the grain, and oil only if you want the honey colour. The full routine is in teak care.
Acacia, eucalyptus and treated pine: clean, dry, then oil or stain as the maker advises, usually before the season starts. For every wood: no pressure washer, no plastic sheeting in winter, and the feet off wet ground.
Teak is the wood that lasts without you
- Untreated teak
- silver-grey
- Best build
- slats on steel
- Never
- pressure washer
