Teak or aluminium for outdoor furniture
Teak brings warmth and lasts decades with simple annual maintenance, while treated aluminium needs almost no care, weighs half as much and does not corrode in salt air, so the choice rests more on the maintenance you will accept than on durability.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- Teak contains natural oils that protect it from damp and insects.
- Lacquered or anodised aluminium does not corrode in a marine environment.
- A teak set costs 40 to 100 per cent more than an aluminium one.
- Untreated teak turns silver grey without losing strength.
Both last. The right question is not which survives longer but how much maintenance you are willing to do each spring.
Teak
A dense tropical hardwood whose natural oil and silica content make it highly resistant to damp, fungi and insects with no chemical treatment. Left alone, the surface oxidises to a silver grey that does not affect its structural strength. Oiled annually, it keeps its original honey tone. Both options are valid and the choice is purely visual.
| Criterion | Teak | Treated aluminium |
|---|---|---|
| Price of a 6 seat set | 1,800 to 4,500 € | 900 to 2,500 € |
| Weight of a chair | 6 to 9 kg | 3 to 5 kg |
| Maintenance | optional annual oiling | rinse with fresh water |
| Temperature in the sun | moderate | high on dark surfaces |
| Resistance to salt air | very high | very high when treated |
| Expected life | over 20 years | 15 to 25 years |
| Ease of storing away | low, by weight | high |
Aluminium
It does not rust, and with quality lacquering or anodising it withstands a marine environment for many years. It weighs half what teak does, which makes it easy to bring in ahead of a storm or store out of season. Its weak point is thermal: a dark surface in direct August sun reaches temperatures that are uncomfortable to touch, which cushions or a lighter colour resolve.
The details that decide durability
In teak, that the fixings are stainless steel and the joints are dowelled or pegged rather than only glued. In aluminium, that the lacquer is even inside the tubes as well and that the foot caps do not let water in. In both, the quality of the cushion fabrics and zips, which is where any set exposed to island sun fails first.
Sets combining an aluminium frame with teak armrests or table tops take both advantages and are increasingly common.
How to choose
Aluminium if the furniture moves, is stored in winter or the aim is minimum maintenance. Teak if it stays put, if the feel and the temperature of timber matter, and if spending 2 hours each spring sanding lightly and oiling is no burden. And on the front line, either of them with stainless fixings, because that is always where deterioration starts.
Frequently asked
+Which lasts longer?
Both exceed 15 years well cared for, and teak can pass 20 whether oiled or not.
+Does teak need oiling?
Only to keep the honey tone. Left to silver it loses none of its strength.
+Does aluminium corrode near the sea?
Not if it is properly lacquered or anodised, including inside the tubes.
+Which weighs less?
Aluminium, with chairs of 3 to 5 kilos against 6 to 9 for teak.
+What fails first on both?
The cushion fabrics and zips, and the fixings if they are not stainless steel.
Sources
- 1Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)
- 2Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INE (August 2026)