Which timber is hardwood and which is softwood isn’t actually determined by the hardness or softness of the wood. The soft, light, and rather weak balsa wood used in children’s model boats and aeroplanes is technically a hardwood, despite being so soft that in most cases you can easily dent it with a fingernail.

The difference is a scientific one, and it depends on the type of tree the wood comes from. In general, deciduous trees produce hardwoods – these are the species that lose their leaves in autumn. Oak, elm, mahogany and teak are all hardwoods. They tend to grow slowly compared to softwoods like pine and fir.

It’s not possible to state absolutely that one or the other kind of timber is better or worse for wooden garden furniture or garden accessories. The particular wood is what matters. All our wooden garden furniture is made of teak, which is a hardwood we’ve selected because (while it is very hard) it has a close grain, it lasts very well, and is naturally resistant to weather, rot, and insect pests.

Wooden garden furniture made with softwood generally gets a bad name from cheap pine garden tables and chairs that don’t last long and succumb to rot and breakage quickly. Pine is a very useful wood under the right circumstances. It grows quickly and is well suited large plantations, so it can be produced relatively cheaply. It’s used in construction and to make indoor furniture that does the job it’s meant to do, but it is nowhere near as durable as teak for outdoor purposes.

Not everyone on the lookout for the prefect teak garden furniture set has an empty back yard with a garden table shaped space in it. Many of our customers already have a garden table and chairs, but it might not suit them or may be becoming a little shabby with age. One of the best reasons to choose our products is the amazing durability of high quality teak garden furniture. It’s not uncommon for our patrons to move over to teak because they are dissatisfied with plastic or pine.

So, before the new garden furniture set arrives from Chic Teak fully assembled and ready for use, you might need to get rid of some old stuff. The first thought is usually to arrange collection by the council or to hire a trailer and make a trip to the local rubbish tip, but there are plenty of other options.

If your existing garden furniture set is in good working order and you simply don’t like it or it isn’t in keeping with the style or garden you want, charities like the British Heart Foundation will usually be delighted to take it off your hands. You’d be doing a good deed and in most mainland UK locations they’ll come and pick it up for you at no charge.

Even if it’s not in resaleable condition, your local Freecycle group can probably find someone who’ll find a use for old furniture. You can also consider recycling parts of it yourself. The top of a tatty old slatted wood garden table makes a great frame for climbing plants when propped against a wall, for example.