Aluminium or teak? You keep running into these two materials when you look for garden furniture. Both are suitable for outdoor use, but otherwise they are almost opposites. Aluminium is light, sleek and needs nothing more than a bit of soapy water. Teak is heavy, warm and changes colour over the years. In this article we put them side by side honestly: appearance, maintenance, weight, behaviour in weather and wind, and what to look out for when buying. You'll also read what teaklook is, why it's different from teak, and which garden furniture from the range suits each choice.
In short: choose aluminium if you want little maintenance, often move your furniture around, or prefer a sleek, modern look. Choose teak if you really want real wood that is allowed to weather, and that feels heavy and sturdy. If you want the warm wood look without oil, teaklook on aluminium is the middle ground. You can read what real teak and teaklook are under teak, teaklook and acacia. An affordable alternative to real wood is acacia. Not sure? Take the test.
At a glance: today's prices
| Product | Today's price | |
|---|---|---|
| Latina extendable garden table 180/230x100 cm | €799 at bol.com | View at bol.com → |
| Levanto corner lounge set 3-piece | €1,468.08 at bol.com | View at bol.com → |
| Elati lounge-dining corner set 5-piece | €1,399 at bol.com | View at bol.com → |
| Edison oval garden table 220x115 cm | €699 at bol.com | View at bol.com → |
| Talara 3-piece acacia lounge set | €899 at bol.com | View at bol.com → |
| Ibiza lounge-dining table 170x100xH68 cm | €849 at bol.com | View at bol.com → |
First, honestly: teak, teaklook and acacia
The word "teak" is used for three different things in garden furniture. That makes comparing difficult:
- Solid teak: real tropical hardwood. Heavy, with natural oil in the wood, and it greys outdoors.
- Teaklook: a finish that resembles teak, such as a teaklook print on aluminium or a top made of Vironwood. Not real wood, so no oil needed.
- "Light teak" as a colour: on many products it is just the name of a light brown colour, often of a Vironwood tabletop.
We compare furniture with real teak wood from Hartman, such as the Yasmani table and bench in vintage brown teak wood, and from 4 Seasons Outdoor, such as the Capri table in natural teak and low lounge tables made of teak. Whether it is solid teak is not always stated in the product information, and often the teak is combined with aluminium or steel. At Garden Impressions, products with "teak" in the name are teaklook or Vironwood on an aluminium frame. That is not worse, just different. An affordable alternative to real wood is acacia. If you want to know more about real wood, read what is teak wood.
Aluminium: light, sleek and low maintenance
Aluminium is the most commonly used material for frames of modern garden furniture. Unlike steel, the metal doesn't rust, and with a powder coating it gets a fixed colour, from carbon black and taupe to white. Because it is light, you can move a chair or table to the sun or the shade without any effort. You can read more about the material itself in what is aluminium.
Aluminium in brief
- Doesn't rust and can handle rain
- Light, so easy to move and store
- Many colours thanks to the powder coating
- Maintenance: a mild soap solution and rinse well
- Combines well with rope, wicker, Centostone and teaklook
There are also drawbacks. Aluminium feels cooler and sleeker than wood, and a dark frame can get quite hot in full sun. Light chairs can slide or blow over in strong wind. And a scratch in the powder coating will show, although the metal underneath won't rust. How exactly does that work? Read can an aluminium garden set rust.
Teak: warm, heavy and classic
Teak has long been regarded as the standard for wooden outdoor furniture. The wood naturally contains a lot of oil, so it absorbs little water and is well resistant to mould and rot. A teak wooden piece of furniture can therefore stand outside untreated. Its golden brown colour then slowly turns silver-grey. That is not rot, but a layer on the surface caused by sun and rain.
Teak in brief
- Real wood with a warm, natural appearance
- Naturally oily, so suitable for outdoor use
- Heavy and sturdy, won't easily blow away
- Allowed to weather; oil is a choice, not a must
- Check the origin and a certification such as FSC
The drawbacks: teak is expensive to buy and heavy to move. If you want to keep the warm colour, you'll spend time cleaning and oiling it every spring. Wood also moves: it expands when wet and shrinks when dry, so small hairline cracks are part of the deal. You can read how to treat it in treating teak wood for outdoor use.
Aluminium and teak side by side
This is a general comparison of the materials themselves. It can differ per product, so always check the specifications too.
| Feature | Aluminium | Teak |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Sleek, modern | Warm, classic |
| Weight | Light | Heavy |
| Maintenance | Soapy water | Cleaning, oil as desired |
| Colour after years | Stays the same | Turns silver-grey |
| In wind | Can shift | Stands firm |
| In the sun | Dark frame gets hot | Stays more comfortable |
| Colour choice | Many colours | Natural or grey |
| Purchase price | Wide price range | Usually more expensive |
In short, aluminium wins on ease and flexibility, and teak on warmth and sturdiness. Both are durable, provided you look after them properly. If you want to look beyond these two, read which garden furniture is the most sustainable.
Teaklook: the middle ground
Many people actually want both: the warm wood look of teak and the convenience of aluminium. That is what teaklook is for. The frame is aluminium, and the wood look is in a print on the armrests or in a tabletop made of Vironwood. According to the product information, Vironwood is a low-maintenance plastic with the appearance of teak. You don't need to oil or sand it, and it doesn't grey. You can read more in what is Vironwood.
| What are you buying? | What it is | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Metal with powder coating | Soapy water |
| Teaklook / Vironwood | Wood look on aluminium | Soapy water, no oil |
| Acacia | Real wood, warm in colour | Annual oiling |
| Solid teak | Real wood with its own oil | Oil as desired |
Is "teak" in the product name? Then look at the specifications for the material of the frame and top. If it says aluminium or Vironwood, you have teaklook: no oil, just soapy water.
Maintenance: what do you do per year?
You won't notice the biggest difference in the shop, but in the spring. This is roughly what a year of maintenance looks like:
- Aluminium and teaklook: wipe the frame down with a mild soap solution and a soft cloth, rinse with clean water and let it dry. No abrasive scourers, as they dull the coating. Read more in maintaining aluminium garden furniture.
- Teak: brush the wood clean with lukewarm water, along the grain. Let it turn grey, or apply a thin layer of teak oil after it has dried.
- Acacia: clean it and oil it every year, as acacia dries out faster than teak. See treating wooden garden furniture.
Combine the two
You don't have to choose just one material. An aluminium table with wooden chairs, or a wooden table with aluminium chairs, gives a warm yet calm mix. Just keep the wood's maintenance schedule in your diary.
Winter: covering helps both
Aluminium doesn't rust and teak can handle rain, but a breathable cover keeps leaves, bird droppings and moisture off. Always store cushions somewhere dry.
Test: aluminium or teak(look)?
Answer four questions and see which material suits you and your outdoor space best.
Aluminium or teak(look): what suits you?
How often do you move your garden furniture to follow the sun?
- Almost every day, I keep looking for a different spot
- Now and then, when we have more people over
- Never, everything has a fixed place
What would you rather see after three summers outside?
- A frame that still looks just as sleek
- The warm colour of wood, without me having to do anything
- Real wood with signs of use and a patina
What does your outdoor space look like?
- A windy balcony or roof terrace
- A modern terrace with lots of grey and green
- A sheltered garden with grass, borders and natural materials
How do you feel about an afternoon of cleaning and oiling in spring?
- I won't get started on that
- I'd rather not, but I do want the wood look
- That's part of it, I actually enjoy it
Aluminium suits you: light, sleek and ready with a bit of soapy water. On a windy spot, do choose a heavy table or a fixed arrangement.
Teaklook on aluminium suits you: the warm appearance of wood, with the ease of an aluminium frame. No oil, just soapy water.
Real wood suits you: teak if you want to invest and don't mind the wood greying, or acacia if you're looking for a friendlier price and are happy to oil it yearly.
Know the material, but not yet which piece of furniture or set? The selection guide will help you along in a few questions.
Garden furniture from the range
Below are six examples: two in aluminium, two with teaklook on aluminium and two in real wood (acacia). All specs come from the product information. You can see the current prices and shops on the cards.
Aluminium
The Latina is an extendable garden table with both top and frame in aluminium, in taupe. It is 180 cm long, extends to 230 cm and is 100 cm wide, with seating for 6. According to the maintenance tips, you clean it with a mild soap solution and a soft cloth.
Latina extendable garden table 180/230x100 cm
The Levanto is a corner lounge set with an aluminium frame and wood-look accents, which according to the product information need no special maintenance. The corner sofa measures 231.5 x 231.5 cm, seats 5 people and has cushions 25 cm thick.
Levanto corner lounge set 3-piece
Teaklook on aluminium
The Elati lounge-dining corner set has its backrests and armrests finished with a teaklook print, on an aluminium frame. The corner sofa measures 281 x 216 cm and seats 6 people, with a seat height of 44 cm. The table measures 160 x 90 cm.
Elati lounge-dining corner set 5-piece
The Edison oval garden table has a top of light brown Vironwood with a wood-grain texture on an aluminium frame with a taupe powder coating. At 220 x 115 cm there is room for 6 people, and under the top you have 69 cm of legroom.
Edison oval garden table 220x115 cm
Real wood: acacia
The Talara lounge set has a frame of FSC-certified acacia wood in white wash, with taupe rope. You get 2 lounge chairs and a round side table with a terrazzo top. The product information advises treating the acacia wood annually with teak oil or a wood care product.
Talara 3-piece acacia lounge set
The Ibiza lounge-dining table combines an acacia wood frame with a Fibrestone top in sand colour. It measures 170 x 100 cm and is 68 cm high, with seating for 6: a low table that suits a lounge sofa.
Ibiza lounge-dining table 170x100xH68 cm
Also worth a look:
Scotland: aluminium and Centostone
View table →
Bell picnic set, Vironwood
View set →
Skala chairs, acacia and rope
View chairs →You'll find more choice in aluminium garden furniture, aluminium lounge sets, aluminium garden tables, wooden garden furniture, acacia lounge sets, acacia garden tables and teak garden tables.
Checklist for your purchase
Run through this list before you order:
- I know whether it is real wood, teaklook or aluminium (check the frame and top in the specifications)
- I know how much maintenance I want to do each year
- I've checked how much wind there is in my spot
- With dark aluminium in full sun: cushions or a parasol are coming along
- With real wood: I'm fine with it greying, or I plan a oiling session
- There's a dry spot or a breathable cover for winter
- With wood: I've checked whether the product information mentions a certification such as FSC
Common mistakes
Thinking "teak" in the name means solid teak
Many products use "teak" or "light teak" for a colour or a teaklook finish. Check the specifications for the material of the frame and top before you compare.
Teak oil on teaklook or Vironwood
Oil is for real wood. On a print or plastic it won't soak in and leaves a greasy, sticky layer behind. Soapy water is enough.
Light chairs on a windy roof terrace
Aluminium is light, and in a storm that is a disadvantage. In strong wind, put loose chairs against a wall or indoors, and choose a heavy table.
Writing off greyed teak
Greying is not rot. With cleaning, light sanding and oil, the warm colour usually comes back. Or you can leave it grey, that's fine too.
Using a pressure washer
On wood a pressure washer raises the grain, and on aluminium it can damage the coating. A soft brush or cloth with lukewarm water works better.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for outdoor use: aluminium or teak?
Both can stay outdoors, but they need different things from you. Aluminium doesn't rust, is lightweight and only needs a quick wash with soapy water. Teak contains natural oils, is heavy and sturdy, and turns silvery grey if left untreated. If you want as little maintenance as possible, choose aluminium. If you really want wood that weathers beautifully, teak is the classic choice.
What's the difference between teak and teak-look?
Teak is genuine tropical hardwood. Teak-look is a finish that resembles teak, for example a teak-look print on aluminium or a top made of Vironwood, a low-maintenance plastic with the appearance of teak. You don't need to oil teak-look and it won't go grey. So for a product with "teak" in the name, always check the material in the specifications.
Can aluminium garden furniture stay outside all year round?
An aluminium frame doesn't rust and can handle rain. However, it will last longer if you cover it in winter with a breathable cover or store it somewhere dry, as much product information also recommends. Cushions should always be kept indoors during prolonged wet weather: water-resistant is not the same as waterproof.
Do you need to oil teak garden furniture?
No, you don't. Teak contains natural oils and can stand outside untreated. It will slowly turn silvery grey, which many people actually find attractive. If you want to keep its warm golden-brown colour, clean the wood and treat it with teak oil or a teak protector.
Which material is better in windy conditions?
Heavy wood such as teak stays put better than lightweight aluminium chairs. On a windy rooftop terrace or balcony, choose a heavy table or a fixed arrangement with aluminium, and move loose chairs aside or against a wall during storms.
Is acacia a good alternative to teak?
For those who want genuine wood at a more affordable price, yes. Acacia is hard and warm in colour, but contains less natural oil than teak and therefore requires more maintenance. The product information for the Talara lounge set advises treating the acacia wood annually with teak oil or a wood care product.
