Bon à savoir 

Before you start buying your wooden garden furniture, you should know that there are 5 types of wood classified according to their different uses and their resistance:

Class 1 : Wood used indoors, with a moisture content of less than 20%. (Parquet, furniture, panelling)

Class 2 : Wood used indoors or outdoors, but under cover, with a moisture content slightly above 20%. (Frames, floors)

Class 3 : Wood used outdoors, often with a moisture content of more than 20%. (Cladding)

Class 4 : Wood used outdoors, with a moisture content always above 20%. (Garden furniture, terraces, balconies, posts)

Class 5 : Wood used outdoors, with a moisture content always above 20% and in permanent contact with sea water. (Pontoons, pillars)

For your garden furniture, it is recommended to choose a class 4 wood, or 5 if necessary. Indeed, the wooden garden furniture being outside, need not fear to humidity. The choice of classes 1, 2 and 3 is not recommended for outdoor furniture as they require more protection. Wooden garden furniture can be divided into two categories: exotic wood furniture and traditional wood furniture:

In traditional wood:

Eucalyptus : This wood species is less dense and durable than teak. However, eucalyptus is naturally weather resistant. (Class 2)

Acacia : This type of wood is reasonably priced, the wood is hard and durable over time. (Class 4)

Robinia: This type of wood is similar to acacia, but comes from France. It is less expensive than exotic wood and is resistant without any treatment. (Class 4)

Pine tree: This type of wood is hard and resistant. However, it needs to be treated to prevent it from becoming mouldy. (Class 4)

In exotic wood:

Teak : This type of wood comes from Thailand or India and is particularly resistant. It is the best known and most used for outdoor furniture. Teak garden furniture can be stored outside over the winter with a protective cover. (Class 4). Read our full article on teak here.

Rattan : This type of wood, which comes from Southeast Asia, is particularly resistant to moisture, mould and insects. (Class 3)

Iroko : This type of wood comes from Africa and is suitable for everyday use. Your garden furniture will therefore be resistant to all types of weather. (Class 3)

Cumaru : This type of wood from Brazil is suitable for outdoor use. It is widely used in the manufacture of garden furniture. (Class 4)

Itauba : This type of wood, which comes from South America, is perfectly resistant to humidity and insects, thanks to its strong odour (which is not disturbing to humans). (Class 5)

Choose teak

For our wooden garden furniture, at Les Jardins du Sud we exclusively offer teak furniture. We recommend this class 4 wood, which has excellent resistance to humidity and weathering. It is elegant, refined and gives a touch of naturalness and warmth to outdoor spaces. Discover our selection of teak garden furniture.

How to care for an outdoor teak room?

Teak requires little maintenance. To maintain the quality of teak garden furniture, it is advisable to brush the garden furniture once a year and clean it with water and non-detergent soap (e.g. Marseille soap). To maintain the original colour of the wood, oil or saturator is a good way to revive the shine of your garden furniture. Maintenance is simple: simply clean your living room with a damp sponge and a cloth beforehand. To keep your furniture in good condition and to fight against humidity in winter, remember to cover it with a protective cover and put it in a sheltered place (e.g. garage, cellar, attic) to avoid bad weather. Find out more about the maintenance of your garden furniture here.

The Duratek: zero maintenance!

At Les Jardins du Sud we offer you an exotic wood that requires no maintenance: Duratek teak. Duratek is a saturated teak: it has been mechanically stripped beforehand to give it an aged and veined appearance. Then, in order to protect it durably against UV rays, bad weather and domestic stains (grease, coffee, wine, etc.), it undergoes an exclusive treatment by the application of 6 successive layers of protection giving it a very contemporary grey finish. Cleaning with soapy water is sufficient to remove any stains or dust.

Things to remember

Wooden garden furniture is a good choice for your exterior. Whether exotic or traditional, wood is a material that will bring charm to your outdoor space. However, you should choose teak furniture because of its resistance to weathering. Your garden furniture or table will last for years. Moreover, if you choose Duratek, you will not have to do any maintenance, even if you leave your furniture outside all year round.