There are so many types of different wood furniture available nowadays, from the cheap 'hardwood' furniture available in many large stores, to top quality teak furniture that will look good for decades.

Teak is the best wood for garden furniture in the UK, it has a high percentage of natural oils which means that regular oiling is not necessary; the wood will fade to a silver-grey colour over time. Maintenance is restricted to a good clean once a year, and this should keep the furniture looking its best for many years.

Named hardwoods such as Yellow Balau, and Eucalyptus Calacadyx are dense solid woods which make good outdoor furniture. They will need regular treatments with teak oil or similar to extend their lifetime. It is often better to cover the furniture or bring into the garage over winter.

Furniture constructed from un-named 'hardwood' is often made from lightweight woods such as Shorea. This is the budget end of the hardwood furniture, were the amount of wood used will be kept to a minimum to keep costs low, and the furniture will probably wear out within a few years.

Softwood such as pine can be lower cost, but needs regular treatment, painting or varnishing.