Nothing says summer more than warm evenings sat around the garden table, eating delicious food, drinking fabulous wine and enjoying the company of your loved ones. Whether you have an expansive garden or a courtyard patio, there are some gorgeous garden dining tables and chairs to fit your space.
From slatted round tables for social occasions to large sets for big families and celebrations, we've found a few of our favourite garden dining tables and sets ready for summer.
If you're looking for garden furniture for relaxing, here's our round up of the best garden sofas.
Best outdoor dining sets
Zeno Folding Patio Set]
- Buy now from Habitat (£320)
Easily move your furniture around the garden with the Zeno solid oak dining table and folding chairs set. This set is a more sustainable option, too, made from FSC-certified eucalyptus wood.
EXPERT TIP
Simon Burvill from Gaze Burvill
‘One thing to consider when choosing a material like oak is that it will react to its environment and, over time, develop a beautiful silver-grey patina. As long as the furniture is not placed directly on grass (we can provide feet to keep it off the ground) with care, well-made oak furniture should last
a generation.’
Round Acacia Dining Table
- Buy now from Cox & Cox (£525)
This classic set, made from rich-toned acacia wood, features a round table with matching chairs available. The perfect set for dinner with family and friends!
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Camley Outdoor Table Set
- Buy now from Garden Trading (£1,200)
Enjoy al fresco drinking and dining with the smart Camley table set from Garden Trading. The combination of metal and teak makes for a more contemporary choice.
EXPERT TIP
Matthew Fagg from Barlow Tyrie
‘Never jet wash your teak furniture – the natural oils sit just below the surface, protecting the core of the wood. Jet washing blasts the oils away, making it more liable to split over time. Instead, a very gentle soapy solution, brush, and plenty of elbow grease will clean your teak while keeping it in tip-top condition.’
Broadwalk Round Table
- Buy now from Graze Burvill (£15,510)
The Broadwalk round dining table has a convenient rotating centre-piece, perfect for summer dinner parties in the garden. Made from premium oak, you can choose between an ten-seater or 12-seater option.
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Baunton Garden Dining Set
- Buy now from Cotswold Company (£499)
For something on the smaller side, this acacia wood garden set features a slatted round table with matching chairs, all with a gently weathered grey finish. This set will look fabulous on a garden patio or decking.
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A guide to teak garden furniture
Matthew Fagg from Barlow Tyrie discusses the sustainable benefits of teak garden furniture and why it stands the test of time
‘Choosing the right material for your garden furniture may not be at the top of your wishlist when buying a new dining set. Instead, you are most probably looking for a particular style, level of comfort and perhaps longevity. But it is worth weighing up the pros and cons of different materials, and wood, specifically grade A teak, should be a high consideration. In a world where we are becoming more aware of how our purchases impact the environment, it may be surprising to learn that farmed teak is one of the most environmentally friendly materials you can buy.
‘Teak from managed forests in Indonesia, such as the wood that we use, is legally farmed, often FLEGT-certified or holds an FSC certificate. This means that when trees are cut down new trees are planted in their place. This forms part of a managed woodland and is vital to the local economy. Your furniture is then crafted from its raw state using very few chemical processes. It is then carefully shaped and made ready for shipping. Once the furniture arrives at your door, it acts as a carbon trap – as long as you don’t burn it, the CO2 within is not released into the atmosphere, and the trees that have been planted in place of the old ones start to absorb CO2.
‘The inherent characteristics of grade A teak not only allow it to weather gracefully, turning silver, but also maintain its integrity so it doesn’t degrade like other, lesser grades of teak or other hardwoods and softwoods. Outdoor furniture must be made to withstand whatever Mother Nature may throw at it. To reduce cleaning, we recommend that teak furniture is covered or put into storage during prolonged periods when not in use. We advise against over-oiling as this can result in black spots, which can be difficult to remove.
‘If your furniture has any sharp corners or edges, you can place foam rubber on them to reduce the risk of your covers getting a puncture. For table and chair combinations, placing an object such as a beach ball under the centre of the cover can help with water drainage. It’s also important to ensure your teak furniture is not left in a damp corner of the garden that has little airflow as you may find that mould begins to form, giving you more work to remove it once the sun comes out.
‘The aesthetic of your outdoor space is obviously a very important consideration when choosing your dining set. Contemporary furniture looks great, but cold metallic materials could look out of place in a more traditional garden setting. If you live near the sea or have a swimming pool, having a superior powder-coated finish on the metal will significantly reduce the need for regular maintenance and cleaning, which can result from placing furniture in salty conditions or in a highly chlorinated atmosphere. Thankfully, this is not a concern for top-quality teak products. As far as longevity goes, grade A teak, when well cared for, will last a lifetime.’