Garden Tables

Finding the right kind of garden table

Start with how you want to use the space. We stock dining tables for long lunches, and bistro tables that tuck into a balcony or a quiet corner of the patio. A few are side tables, the right size for a drink and a book beside a lounger. Some are coffee tables, made to sit low in front of a sofa. A few fold away, which helps when storage is tight.

We also stock round tables, which keep conversation easy and have no corners to catch a hip on. A few are rectangular, the natural choice for a long run of chairs. Some are oval, softening the ends of a longer table.

Metal garden tables and how they weather

Most of our garden tables are made with metal, and a metal garden table is a sturdy choice for a patio that sees plenty of wind and rain. We stock iron tables: iron is strong and weighty, but bare iron rusts, so touch up chips and scratches with metal paint before rust can take hold.

Where a frame is powder coated, rain runs straight off and warm soapy water keeps it looking fresh. Some of our tables use aluminium, which is light and will not rust. A few are made with steel, which needs the same quick touch-up as iron if its coating chips.

How a wooden garden table weathers

We stock wooden tables in acacia, a dense hardwood that copes well outside. A few are made with teak, which is rich in natural oils and weathers slowly. Left untreated, both fade to a soft silver grey. If you prefer the warmer colour, oil a hardwood top whenever water stops beading on it. If the listing shows a lacquer or water-based coating, skip the oil and simply wipe it clean.

A few have slatted tops, which let rain run through rather than pool. A few are made from reclaimed wood, which needs the same care as any other timber.

Caring for a cement or marble garden table

We stock fibre cement tables, which stand up well to the weather. Some are made with concrete. Both are slightly porous, so wipe up oil and sun cream before they soak in, and clean with mild soapy water rather than bleach.

Some are made with marble, which is softer than it looks: lemon juice, wine and oil can mark it, so wipe spills straight away and keep it covered when not in use. Some are made with synthetic rattan, which you can wipe down with soapy water.

Sizing a garden table for your chairs

Where a title or listing gives a seat count, as with a four-seater or an eight-seater, start there. Where it does not, measure the space you have and the length of the table edge, allowing enough edge for a chair to sit square with room for elbows. Leave space behind the chairs too, so people can push back and stand without stepping onto a flower bed.

Height settles which seats will work. A table at dining height pairs with upright chairs, while a lower table suits loungers and sofa seating, so check the listed height against your seats. A pedestal base leaves more room for knees than corner legs do. Where a listing gives a maximum load, check it before you stand a heavy planter on a smaller table.

Looking after a garden table in winter

The kindest thing you can do for a garden table is to bring it under cover for winter, in a shed, garage or porch. A folding table makes that easier. If it has to stay out, clean and dry it, then fit a breathable cover and stand the feet on small blocks, clear of wet grass and puddles.

Give a bare hardwood top a fresh coat of oil before it goes away. Check a metal frame for chips and touch them up first, so rust cannot start under the cover. Frost is hard on porous tops, because water that soaks into cement or marble can freeze and damage the surface, so keep those tables dry and covered.

Matching a garden table to your style

We stock modern and rustic designs, so you can suit a table to crisp paving or a relaxed cottage garden. A few have an industrial look, which sits well against brick walls. Some take their lead from mid-century modern design.

For colour, we stock natural tones, grey and beige, which sit quietly beside planting and stone. A few come in black, which looks sharp against pale paving. Most of our tables are made as outdoor tables, yet many sit just as happily in a kitchen or dining room, which is handy if you want a table that can come indoors when the weather turns.