When choosing an outdoor garden bench just like with picking garden chairs we need to think about the materials before we buy.

Different materials have different properties so it is worth considering how they will perform in our gardens. Too many people pick outdoor benches that will not last more than a few years. This is because often soft wood is the chosen material. It may be cheap but it is renowned for rotting and splitting very quickly and often needs to then be replaced. Either that or it needs lots of maintenance so it is far from the best choice to make.

photo credit: lilli2de

Much better to buy a hardwood garden bench of teak or cedar. Both woods perform very well even under the worst weather conditions so it is definitely a very good choice for anyone who really want a bench that requires no looking after and will last for decades. The properties of these hard woods means that they do not rot as they are pretty much resistant to moisture. They also help to repel insects because of their natural oils.

And we will also find that they are very warm to site on and yielding so they often feel very soft to use. This is definitely a great choice for anyone looking to buy a quality bench for the garden that will not need any looking after at all and yet will last for decades. Too many people simply buy the cheapest option when they would be much better off spending a few dollars more and buying something that will actually be more cost effective long term because it will not need to be replaced. It is certainly worth at least trying to buy a material that weathers well, and if hard woods are too expensive then aluminum is a great and fairly inexpensive alternative.