Our first and most important priority is to only ever source the wood for our garden furniture sets from sustainable plantations in Indonesia. Teak has long been sourced by cutting down rainforest trees, but thankfully in recent years it’s been winding down. It still operates in some areas, but by supporting sustainable plantations we’re striving to put unethical and illegal loggers out of business to keep the rainforest going.

We also take good care of our teak, letting it mature for long enough and only using the heart of the tree to create a superior product. This not only does the teak good but it also does you good as well – by sourcing the wood from the right places at the right time, you get garden tables, chairs and related accessories that are of a much higher quality than you otherwise would.

But, it doesn’t stop there. We also take care of our employees, and we’re proud to say that our Indonesian plantations (all government-run to strict regulations) provide valuable jobs, security and income to local people.

As you can see, here at Chic Teak we really do care about the environment and about everyone who comes into contact with our products, including you, the customer. To see just how much care we put in, take a look at our range of teak garden furniture and you’ll soon realise what we do.

Obviously, these properties make teak the ideal choice for outdoor garden table furniture. The same natural oils which help it to comfortably endure all that a tropical rain forest can throw at it mean that it is guaranteed to prosper in a residential garden. Naturally, teak garden furniture sets tend to have extremely long life spans. Because teak is so ideal for garden furniture sets, it is more expensive than other wooden garden furniture.

Despite its price, teak outdoor furniture will be the best long term investment that you will make, simply because it will last such a long time. You will notice that your furniture shows virtually no signs of wear and tear, even after many years of use. Other types of wooden garden accessories will usually begin to decay within a couple of years, forcing you to spend more money buying replacement sets. By purchasing outdoor teak furniture in the first place, you will actually be saving yourself time, money and inconvenience.

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.

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.

However, there is a little more to consider when hosting a dinner party outdoors. Here are a few tips that will make sure the evening goes smoothly:

Make sure you have enough garden chairs and tables for everyone, plus one or two spares. Ideally the entire garden furniture set should match, but if that’s not possible, put the odd chairs at either end of the table to preserve a symmetric look.

Consider how you will light the area if the party will be at night. Try it out in advance to make sure the system is bright enough but won’t get in anybody’s eyes. Do the lights attract moths or other flying insects? If so, you might like to tone them down a little or use shades. A few citronella candles on each garden table will discourage unwanted insect visitors.

Clean and oil your teak garden furniture well in advance. That way it will be perfectly dry on the night and nobody will get excess oil on their new dress or white shirt.

Lastly, have a contingency plan is case the weather is poor. Don’t invite more people than you can comfortable accommodate inside and on patio or gazebo areas that are undercover, just in case.

First, for the very small garden, we have a range of foldable teak garden furniture sets, including several styles of garden chairs and tables, all in beautiful solid teak. These can be folded up for easy storage out of the way when not in use. They’re great for families, too – no matter the size of your space. When your kids want to toss a ball around in the back garden, simply fold the furniture and stow it to one side for an hour or two while they play. We even have foldable teak garden loungers.

If fold-away isn’t your style, have a look at our bar stool garden chairs and matching teak tables. High, elegant and compact, these are ideal garden furniture sets for smaller spaces.

You might also like to consider garden chairs and tables with rounded edges. Not only do curves edges soften the impact of a piece of furniture in a confined area, they also reduce the risk of banging your legs (or your kids while the run around!) against corners and sharp edges. We have several styles of garden benches in flowing, rounded shapes that are just perfect for the smaller garden.