Wooden Garden Furniture

Wooden garden furniture is a popular choice for private gardens due to its strength and durability, widely available in classic or contemporary styles.

Whether you want a garden to entertain in the summer or somewhere quiet to unwind in the sunshine, having wooden garden furniture is a crucial ingredient in creating the environment you desire.

Most families love meeting and congregating outdoors, outdoor furniture does this by bringing comfort and elegance to gardens, helping people enjoy the tranquillity of outdoor spaces.

Pressure-treated softwood is the best all-round choice for most gardens: it resists rot and insect attack, costs far less than hardwood and can be re-stained in any colour. Hardwoods such as teak, oak and iroko last longer and need less upkeep, but cost several times more. All of Mick George’s wooden garden benches, picnic tables and garden arches are made from pressure-treated softwood, which gives the best balance of price, durability and looks for everyday garden use.

Yes. Pressure-treated softwood furniture is designed to stay outside all year round, because the preservative is forced deep into the timber rather than just coating the surface. It will weather to a silver-grey if left untreated, but it will not rot. To keep looking its best, stand the legs on slabs or gravel rather than bare soil or wet grass, keep it out of standing water and re-stain it periodically. Mick George’s benches, tables and arches are all pressure-treated for exactly this reason.

Pressure-treated softwood garden furniture typically lasts 10-15 years if it is kept off wet ground and re-treated, while hardwood furniture such as teak or oak can last 20 to 25 years of more with little maintenance. The gap is largely down to upkeep: softwood that is never re-stained and sits on damp grass may fail sooner, whereas well-kept softwood can rival cheaper hardwoods. Mick George’s softwood furniture is pressure-treated rather than dip-treated, which is the main factor in reaching the top of that range.

Covering is a good idea but storing is not essential. Pressure-treated furniture will survive the winter outside, so the aim of a cover is to reduce the wet-and-dry cycling that fades stain and opens up cracks. Use a breathable furniture cover rather than a plastic sheet, which traps moisture against the timber, and raise the legs off wet ground. If you have a shed or garage, storing benches and chairs inside is the best option, but a heavy picnic table or an arch fixed into the ground can simply be covered.

Re-treat pressure-treated softwood furniture every two to three years, or sooner if water stops beading on the surface and soaks in instead. New furniture can be used as supplied, but applying a coat of stain in its first season adds UV protection and stops it greying. Mick George stocks a range of Shed & Fence woodstains in shades such as Golden Brown, Cedar and Nut Brown that suit garden furniture; apply to clean, dry timber in mild weather and allow it to dry fully before use.

Mick George’s garden furniture is delivered flat-packed with fixings and instructions, so it can be unloaded and carried through a side gate without special access. Benches and arches can usually be assembled by one person with a drill or screwdriver in under an hour; the round picnic table and rectangular picnic bench are heavier and easier with two people. Arches should be assembled flat on the ground before being stood up and fixed into position.

Over lifetime, yes, in most cases. Cheap steel furniture is often less to buy but rusts once the coating chips, and it cannot be repaired. Cast aluminium does not rust but costs more than treated softwood. Wooden furniture sits in the middle on price, can be re-stained to look new, and individual slats or boards can be replaced rather than scrapping the whole piece. Mick George’s 3 seater garden bench costs around £173 ex VAT, with arches from around £82 ex VAT (review these figures when prices change)

The thickness of the timber and how it is treated matter most. Thicker sections resist warping and feel solid when you sit down; pressure treatment protects the whole piece, where dip treatment only coats the outside. After that, look for bolted joints rather than stapled ones, galvanised or stainless fixings that will not rust-stain the wood, planed timber with rounded edges, and shaped seats rather than flat slats. Mick George’s benches use pressure-treated softwood with gently curved seats for comfort, and the picnic tables are built heavy enough to stay put in wind.