Teak outdoor furniture and resort style living at home
Before we buy outdoor furniture, there are two key questions we need to ask:
How's it going to look?
And how long is it going to last?
When buying timber furniture for outdoors, we can be overwhelmed with options. Therefore, it helps to understand the major players and understand why teak is considered as the superior option for outdoor furniture.
What about timber outdoor furniture?
There are other timbers on the market, but there is something uniquely special about Teak for Outdoor Furniture.
Teak has a high oil content
Teak is immensely stable because it has a high oil content. This is a natural repellent that makes it virtually immune to termites and rotting.
Indonesian teakwood was a favourite among shipbuilders for many centuries due to its reliable durability. It’s a tight-grained hardwood and can handle the the constant salt, wind and water, and the often-damaging harsh sun.
Teak looking great: new, and old
New teak wood has a beautiful warm colour and other woods simply don’t look as beautiful when they’re brand new. Also, other woods tend not to look as great after they have been exposed to the elements. They quickly deteriorate and don’t weather to a nice colour.
Teak, on the other hand, matures with age, like a good wine. If it is kept under cover, it will remain close to its original colour and look. If it gets a lot of direct sun, it weathers to a nice colour and has a very distinctive teak look.
The Blaxland Collection featuring the Oval Extension 180-240cm table. The Chairs are available both with and without arms which also helps if you are space conscious.
Different grades of teak
Teak comes in different grades. At Woodbury Furniture, our grade is the A-grade teak. You can tell that because it has a super-fine sanded finish, meaning it is not stained and the wood is visible. Those who use a lower grade of teak will often sell it already with a stain on it and the wood colour can't be seen. C Grade teak doesn't have the same warm colour, it tends to look more grey and less consistent. The wood is taken from the outer rings of the tree where the grain is not as tight.
With the use of high-quality wood, our teak wooden outdoor furniture ticks the boxes for ascetic appeal and durability.
So if teak is the way forward, how does one figure out which outdoor furniture to buy?
How to choose a teak outdoor table
There are a few options to choose from with teak outdoor dining tables. There are fixed tables that do not extend, or - if you need to maximise the space - it is worthwhile considering the versatility of extending tables. There are plenty of options for both extending and non-extending teak tables within the Woodbury collection.
Extending tables and fixed tables
Our extending tables are made from plantation teak. Many people love the extending tables because they often have limited space in their outdoor area and don't want to take up all that valuable space all the time. They can then simply extend the table only when its needed for a larger gathering. The one thing people want in an outdoor area is the feeling of freedom and space to move and that's where this level of flexibility is appreciated.
The Classic Round Plantation Teak Extension Table. Ideal for hosting visitors while not overwhelming a tight space on a day-to-day basis
We offer extending tables at a very affordable price point. The round extending table is great if you’ve got a smaller outdoor space, but still want the flexibility to seat a few extra people for those special occasions. It also provides great flexibility as a nice, comfortable 4-seater table that can extend to fit 6 or even 8 seats, depending on the size of the chair.
Our fixed tables are made from the popular reclaimed teak. This is a beautiful timber which has a unique look about it...and a history behind it. The wood is taken from old structures that are no longer being used and the wood’s been repurposed into a beautiful piece of furniture.
Knowing that your new furniture is reclaimed and has a rich backstory behind it adds so many layers of fascination and mystery.
Reclaimed teak is also a very stable timber, with all the qualities of teak. It may be 100 years old, and you know it’s stood the test of time, and will last many more years.
The designs of these tables are also very attractive and popular. They have a solid look about them. The leg design allows for chairs to go underneath, so the legs aren’t reducing the usable space at the table. Popular designs of reclaimed teak tables are the Miami and the Vinegard.
Not only does Reclaimed Teak have a beautiful rustic feel to it, but there is so much historical significance behind each and every mark to be appreciated.
Teak table with aluminium
The Kai table uses mixed materials - metal and wood - and that creates a nice, modern look that works in a lot of outdoor spaces. This look has become more and more popular over the last couple of years.
The one-handed mechanism to open and close the table is a lot of fun because it’s so easy to use. It always shocks people when they see this beautiful mechanism in action for the first time.
It’s also lighter weight, and so it’s easier to move around, if that’s important to you.
One of the newest ranges to the Woodbury catalogue- the Kai One Handed Extension Table in Charcoal
More time relaxing at home
The home is where we spend most of our time, so it’s important to make it a place where we can enjoy ourselves and feel relaxed.
We are spending much more time at home these days, with travel restrictions and many of us working from home more often. Many are finding a greater appreciation for relaxing and entertaining at home with family and friends.
Many are trying to give their home more of a resort style feel. Why not? If we can't travel as much, why not improve our home so the time we spend there, feels more like a holiday? Teak outdoor furniture is very widely used in resorts and a collection of matching teak settings and other teak pieces in the outdoor areas, really does have that effect of making the home feel like a resort.
It's often a case of travel budgets being redirected and purchasing nice furniture for the home has a long lasting value. It’s something we can reap the reward of for a very long time, year after year.
It’s a form of home improvement.
The home isn’t just a place to eat and sleep between lots of other activities. More and more, it’s the place of relaxing, entertaining and winding down.
Woodbury Furniture is Sydney’s home of teak outdoor furniture.
To find out more about teak furniture, visit our teak FAQ
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