Outdoor furniture fails in a handful of predictable ways: a steel frame rusts at the weld, a cheap wicker strand turns brittle and snaps, a soft wood checks and rots at the foot, a cast top cracks the first winter that water freezes inside it. Every one of those failures is a materials decision made before the piece was built. This guide walks through the five materials behind most of the lounge and dining furniture sold here -- powder-coated aluminum, all-weather resin wicker, teak, concrete and rope -- and what each one does in sun, rain, salt air and freezing weather, so you can read a product page and know what you are buying.

How does each material handle the weather?

Start with the climate you actually have, not the one in the photo. Full sun all afternoon is a UV problem. A coastal yard is a salt problem. A northern deck is a freeze-thaw problem, and a pool deck is a chemical problem. The table below is the short version; the sections that follow explain why.

Powder-coated aluminum: the frame under most of it

Aluminum does not rust, which is why it is the frame under most of the outdoor sofas, chairs and dining pieces sold here, and why it is light enough to rearrange on your own. What separates a frame that lasts from one that does not is construction and finish. Look for frames that are fully welded rather than bolted at the stress points: a weld does not loosen, and there is no hardware to corrode. Look for a powder-coated finish, a dry pigment baked onto the metal that is far tougher than wet paint.

Care is a rinse. Salt air and pool chemicals leave a film on any finish; hosing it off a few times a season keeps the coating from dulling. Wash with mild soap and water, never an abrasive pad, and touch up a chip promptly so moisture does not creep under the coating. See the aluminum outdoor furniture collection.

All-weather resin wicker: the look of rattan without the rot

Natural rattan and true wicker belong on a covered porch and nowhere else; they absorb water and split. Outdoor wicker is a resin strand, hand-woven over an aluminum frame, and the strand is what you are really buying. Virgin polyethylene (PE) resin with UV inhibitors mixed into the material, not sprayed on, stays flexible and colorfast for years; recycled or PVC strand goes brittle and cracks within a few hot summers. Check that the frame underneath is aluminum, because a woven piece hides its frame completely and a steel one will rust from the inside out.

Wicker sheds rain, dries quickly and can stay outside year round. Vacuum the weave with a brush attachment, wash it with soapy water and rinse. The cushions on a wicker piece are the part that needs a cover or a dry spot in winter, not the weave. Browse the wicker outdoor furniture collection to compare weave styles.

Teak: the wood that is meant to gray

Teak is a dense hardwood with its own natural oils, which is why it has been the boat-deck and park-bench wood for generations. Left alone outside it weathers to a soft silver-gray; the color change is cosmetic and the wood underneath is unaffected. If you prefer the honey tone, oil it once or twice a season and keep it out of standing water. Grade-A plantation teak cut from the heartwood is tighter-grained and more uniform than sapwood grades, which carry more streaks and soft spots.

Teak is heavy, and that is the trade-off: a teak dining table stays put in wind, and it also takes two people to move. Clean it with a soft brush and mild soap, never a pressure washer, which tears the grain. See the teak outdoor furniture collection and the HiTeak brand page.

Concrete and GFRC: tables that live outside permanently

A concrete tabletop is the most permanent surface you can put on a patio, and the heaviest. Two kinds exist. Glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) is a thin shell cast over a glass-fiber mat; it is lighter than a slab and flexes enough to survive water freezing in its pores. Plain cast concrete has no reinforcement and can crack in a hard freeze. The product page tells you which one you are looking at; if it does not, ask before ordering for a northern deck. Fiber-reinforced polymer tops that mimic concrete are lighter again and a good answer where weight is a problem, such as a roof terrace.

Concrete is porous, so it needs a sealer and a wipe after spills; red wine and citrus will etch an unsealed top. It does not fade, and it does not blow over. See the concrete outdoor furniture collection.

Rope: the softest look on an aluminum frame

Rope furniture wraps a marine-grade synthetic cord, usually polyolefin or polyester, around a powder-coated aluminum frame. The appeal is the softness and the airy look. Marine-grade means the fiber is solution-dyed and made for sun and salt; a rope that merely looks the part fades and frays. Rope dries fast after rain and cleans with soapy water; the frame follows the aluminum rules above and the cushions follow the fabric rules in the cushions and fabrics guide. Browse the rope outdoor furniture collection.

Honest trade-offs

• Aluminum is light, which is a virtue until the wind picks up. On an exposed roof deck, weight it or choose teak or concrete.
• Wicker hides its frame. Ask what the frame is made of before you buy.
• Teak changes color whether you like it or not. If you will never oil it, buy it expecting silver.
• Concrete is a two-person move and will not forgive an unsealed spill.
• Rope is only as good as the cord. Marine-grade or nothing.

Each product page states the exact material, finish and fabric of that piece, and that page is the authority over any general rule here. For protecting any of these materials over winter, read the covers and winter storage guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which outdoor furniture material lasts longest?

Fully welded, powder-coated aluminum and grade-A teak both last for decades with basic care. Aluminum needs the least attention; teak needs oiling only if you want to keep its color.

Is aluminum or wicker better for a coastal home?

Both do well in salt air because the frame is aluminum either way. Rinse the finish or the weave a few times a season so salt does not build up on the surface.

Does teak need to be sealed?

No. Teak's natural oils protect it. Oil or a teak protector keeps the honey color; otherwise it grays evenly and stays sound.

Can a concrete table stay outside in winter?

A GFRC or fiber-reinforced top can. An unreinforced cast slab is at risk when water freezes inside it; cover it or bring it under a roof.

What does "all-weather wicker" actually mean?

A synthetic resin strand, ideally virgin PE with UV inhibitors, woven over an aluminum frame. It does not absorb water and can stay outside year round.

Shop by material

Compare pieces in the aluminum, wicker, teak, concrete and rope outdoor furniture collections, and order free fabric swatches before you choose a cushion color.