A garden bench or patio table lives a tough life. It bakes in summer sun, soaks in winter rain and gets knocked, sat on and dragged around for years. Choose the wrong timber and it cracks, rots or wobbles within a few seasons. Choose the best wood for outdoor furniture and it can outlast the people who bought it.
In this guide we compare the eight hardwoods we recommend most often to garden furniture makers, hotels and landscape designers. We explain what makes a wood suitable outdoors, how each species performs, how to care for it and what it costs. We supply all of the African species listed here from Central Africa at Global Timber Trade Hub.
In short
- Outdoor furniture needs very durable, stable, smooth and splinter-free wood.
- Iroko is the best all-round value and a proven teak alternative.
- Afrormosia and Doussie offer teak-like quality at a premium.
- Padouk gives a bold red look; Bilinga a golden one.
- All of these can be left to weather grey or oiled to keep their colour.
- Use stainless steel fixings and design furniture to shed water.
What makes a wood good for outdoor furniture?
Outdoor furniture is different from decking or cladding. People sit on it, touch it and look at it up close. The ideal wood must be:
- very durable, so it resists rot and insects without chemicals;
- stable, so joints stay tight through wet and dry seasons;
- smooth and splinter-free, for bare arms and legs;
- strong for its weight, so chairs can be slim but sturdy;
- good-looking as it ages, whether oiled or weathered to grey;
- legally sourced, with documents you can show customers.
The 8 best woods for outdoor furniture at a glance
| Species | Durability | Stability | Look | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iroko | Very durable | Good | Golden brown | Medium |
| Afrormosia | Very durable | Very good | Golden brown, fine | High |
| Doussie | Very durable | Excellent | Warm reddish-brown | High |
| Padouk | Very durable | Very good | Red to red-brown | High |
| Bilinga | Very durable | Good | Golden orange | Medium |
| Moabi | Very durable | Good | Reddish-brown, fine | Medium-high |
| Teak | Very durable | Excellent | Golden brown, oily | Very high |
| Sipo | Moderately durable | Good | Reddish-brown | Medium |
1. Iroko: the best all-round value
Iroko is the wood we recommend most often for garden furniture. It is very durable, stable enough for slatted benches and tables, easy to machine and teak-like in colour. Many commercial “hardwood” garden furniture ranges are iroko. Read our iroko vs teak guide.
2. Afrormosia: teak quality, better gluing
Afrormosia is very durable and very stable, with a fine texture and a golden-brown colour close to teak. It glues better than teak, which helps with complex joinery. It is CITES listed, so plan time for permits. See afrormosia vs teak.
3. Doussie: the most stable
Doussie moves very little, which makes it ideal for wide tabletops and loungers that sit in sun and rain. It is very durable and has a warm, refined look. It is CITES listed. Read our doussie wood guide.
4. Padouk: the statement piece
Padouk gives garden furniture a striking orange-red colour that mellows to red-brown. It is very durable, stable and pleasant to touch. It is CITES listed. See our padouk wood uses guide.
5. Bilinga: golden and robust
Bilinga has a bright golden-orange colour and excellent durability. It is a little coarser than iroko but very robust, which suits public benches and park furniture.
6. Moabi: fine and luxurious
Moabi combines very good durability with a fine texture and a warm reddish-brown colour. It suits high-end outdoor dining sets and hotel furniture.
7. Teak: the classic
Teak remains the reference for outdoor furniture, thanks to its oils, stability and durability. Plantation teak is widely available but variable in quality; old-growth teak is scarce and expensive, and Myanmar teak faces import restrictions in many markets.
8. Sipo: for covered areas
Sipo is only moderately durable, but it is stable and fine-looking. It works well for furniture on covered terraces, verandas and conservatories, where it is protected from constant rain.
Design matters as much as species
Even the best wood will fail if water sits in joints. Good outdoor furniture design:
- uses slatted seats and tops with gaps so water drains;
- avoids horizontal end grain where water can collect;
- lifts legs off wet ground with feet or glides;
- uses mortise and tenon joints that are well fitted and glued with waterproof glue;
- rounds edges for comfort and to reduce splinters.
Fixings and hardware
Many durable hardwoods contain tannins that react with iron, leaving black stains. Always use stainless steel or brass fixings and hardware. Pre-drill screw holes, especially near the ends of slats, to avoid splitting.
Moisture content
For outdoor furniture, order timber kiln dried to about 12–16% moisture content. Wood that is too dry can swell and crack joints outdoors; wood that is too wet will shrink and loosen them. Let timber acclimatise in your workshop before final machining.
Finishing: oil or weather?
You have two options:
- Let it weather: all these woods turn silver-grey within a season or two. This needs no maintenance beyond occasional cleaning.
- Oil it: a penetrating outdoor or teak oil, applied once or twice a year, keeps the warm colour. Clean the surface first and apply thin coats.
Avoid film-forming varnishes outdoors; they crack and peel and need stripping later.
Cleaning and care
Wash furniture with mild soapy water and a soft brush once or twice a year. Rinse well and let it dry. Do not use high-pressure washers; they raise the grain and damage the surface. In winter, store furniture under cover or use breathable covers that do not trap moisture.
Prices compared
Our iroko starts from about $950 per m³, bilinga from about $700, moabi from about $1,100, padouk from about $1,300, doussie from about $1,350 and afrormosia from about $1,500, FOB Central Africa. Teak is usually priced well above all of these. See our African hardwood prices guide.
Which wood for which piece?
| Furniture | Our first choice | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Garden benches | Iroko | Bilinga |
| Dining tables | Doussie | Iroko |
| Chairs | Iroko | Afrormosia |
| Sun loungers | Doussie | Padouk |
| Park and public benches | Bilinga | Iroko |
| Hotel terrace furniture | Moabi | Padouk |
| Covered veranda furniture | Sipo | Iroko |
Legality and sustainability
Customers increasingly ask where their garden furniture comes from. We supply legality and chain-of-custody documents with every shipment, and CITES permits for listed species such as afrormosia, doussie and padouk. These support EUDR, UK Timber Regulation and Lacey Act due diligence. Read more on our sustainability page and in our guide to CITES timber species.
Common mistakes
- Using moderately durable woods fully exposed: they will not last as long.
- Using steel fixings: they rust and stain.
- Flat surfaces without drainage: water sits and causes rot.
- Varnishing outdoors: film finishes peel.
- Power washing: it damages the surface.
Comfort: the forgotten factor
A garden chair can be beautiful and durable and still be uncomfortable. Wood choice affects comfort more than people expect. Very dense woods such as Azobe or Okan are excellent for decks but heavy and hard for furniture, and they can feel cold in shade and hot in sun. Medium-density woods like iroko, afrormosia and moabi feel warmer to the touch and keep chairs light enough to move. Smooth, well-sanded surfaces with rounded edges make a big difference too. For loungers and seats, slats of 20–25 mm with 6–8 mm gaps let water drain and air circulate without pinching.
Weight and portability
If furniture needs to be moved often, for example on a hotel terrace or a restaurant patio, weight matters. Iroko, afrormosia and sipo give sturdy but movable pieces. Very heavy species are better for fixed park benches and public furniture, where weight also helps against theft and vandalism.
How the woods weather
Left unfinished, all of these woods turn silver-grey, but at different speeds and shades. Iroko greys fairly quickly to a warm grey. Afrormosia and teak turn a light silver. Padouk keeps a reddish tint longer before greying. Bilinga passes through a warm brown first. Many buyers love the grey patina; others prefer to oil every year. Either way, the wood underneath stays sound.
For furniture manufacturers
If you produce outdoor furniture, consistent supply is essential. We can ship kiln-dried iroko, bilinga and other species in standard thicknesses on a regular schedule, cut to your component sizes where practical. Mixed containers let you build several collections from one shipment. Our export process page explains how regular supply works.
Our honest recommendation
If you want one wood for a full garden furniture range at a sensible price, choose iroko. If you are building a premium collection and can manage CITES paperwork, afrormosia and doussie deliver teak-level quality with better gluing and stability. For bold colour, use padouk; for robust public benches, bilinga. Whatever you choose, good design, stainless fixings and the right moisture content will decide how long the furniture really lasts. Send us your designs and target price, and we will suggest the best species and board sizes for your production.
Sources
- CIRAD Tropix for durability data on tropical species.
- Teak on Wikipedia
Related guides
- Iroko vs teak
- Afrormosia vs teak
- Best hardwood for decking
- Iroko vs oak
- Furniture and joinery hardwoods
Frequently asked questions about the best wood for outdoor furniture
What is the best wood for outdoor furniture?
Iroko offers the best balance of durability, stability and price. Afrormosia and doussie are premium choices; teak remains the classic.
Does outdoor furniture need treatment?
Very durable hardwoods need no chemical treatment. Oil is optional, only to keep the colour.
How long does hardwood garden furniture last?
Well-made furniture in very durable hardwood can last 20 to 40 years or more.
Is iroko as good as teak for garden furniture?
For most uses, yes, and at a much lower price.
Get a quote for outdoor furniture timber
Send your species, sizes and volume through our quote form. We will reply with a firm price, stock photos and lead time to your port.