What is The Best Wood for Outdoor Furniture

There are many kinds of wood we can use as a material to make furniture, but what is the best wood for outdoor furniture according to our experience as an Indonesian furniture manufacturer?

We will pick the top 4 wood species which has the best strength or durability and also have good looking grain to be used as outdoor furniture. And also one thing important, the wooden species we cover here are growing in our country Indonesia, because what’s the point describing best wood for outdoor furniture if we can’t get it in our country. Import it…? yes that’s an option but it will still cheaper if we can get it locally. so here is the list :

1. Teak Wood

Of course, what are we expected? teak is definitely the best wood for outdoor furniture. It has good looking grain and really strong and durable against weather elements. Teak wood has a high content of natural oil which protects from decay and rot due to water sipping into the grain.

Pros :

1. Good looking grain, beautiful pattern, and color are second to none
2. Very strong and durable
3. Termite and another insect resistant

Cons :

1. Expensive, especially if you looking for top-notch quality teak wood ( grade A )
2. It’s getting rarer each day, teak needs a very long time to grow. and also illegal logging is a common cause that makes it more difficult to find good quality teak wood nowadays

2. Acacia Wood

Acacia is the second option of wooden material for outdoor furniture, it has a hard and strong grain that suitable for furniture making. this wood usually used to substitute teak if we have a low budget. acacia is less expensive compared to teak, however…acacia is not really as strong as teak, as a matter of fact, it’s way less strong than teak. but why it’s n the list? here’s why :

Pros :

1. Strong enough to withstand weather, especially if it’s treated with oil or other finishing protections
2. Cheap with a similar look to teak, similar…not same
3. Can be finished smooth just like teak wood.

Cons :

1. Must be chemically treated to prevent damage by insect
2. Prone to crack
3. Short lifespan

3. Bangkirai or Shorea

Shorea is a durable, dense, tight-grained hardwood that holds up well under the rough treatment of daily use and inclement weather. Shorea lumber is also resistant to both insects and rot. Left to its own devices, the patina of shorea fades from gold to gray over time. The wood’s youthful glow can be sustained by treating it annually with oil from its more expensive cousin, teak.

Pros :

1. Very strong that it will last almost a lifetime
2. Insect resistance is superb

Cons :

1. it cracks due it’s natural behavior of this wood
2. rough surface and might have splinters

4. Merbau or Iron Wood

Merbau is a beautiful timber suitable for many purposes. It is a heavy hardwood and is usually used in premium joineries such as windows, solid panel doors, framing, and weatherboarding. Merbau is also used for premium flooring and is suitable for light and heavy traffic. Merbau is mainly sourced from Papua in East Indonesia.

Pros :

1. Merbau is among the strongest wood money can buy, way stronger than teak
2. it leafs a very smooth surface even with minimum sanding or finishing

Cons :

1. it tends to cracks when exposed to direct sun, even it’s not really affecting its strength
2. very heavy, almost double the weight of teak

So What is Best Wood For Outdoor Furniture?

To summarize our explanations above, we still choose teak as the best wood you can use for outdoor furniture, especially if you want to buy garden furniture from Indonesia, but you have the option to use other wood species as we mention above.