We are currently experiencing difficulties with our phone lines!

We kindly request communication via email as the preferred method (customer.services@oakfurniturehouse.co.uk). Alternatively, please leave a voicemail, and we will get back as soon as possible!

How to Find the Perfect Garden Furniture

Are you the sort of person who loves to spend time outside? Have you reached that point in your life where comfort comes above else? Who doesn't love sitting in the sun breathing in the fresh air? But most of us are also creatures of habit, looking for the most comfortable experience in all settings, wherever possible. Garden furniture has become a necessity during the warmer months, one that can also look and feel amazing! We thought we would take the time to talk through our thought process when it came to finding the right garden furniture, in the hopes it can also guide you too!

What are the different materials?

Wood Garden Furniture


Wood is one of the most sustainable materials used in furniture, for both interior and exterior use. When a tree is cut down, it can be re-planted, unlike plastics and metals. There is also a wide range of wood types to choose from; light wood, dark wood, hard wood, soft wood, treated or untreated. One of the most resilient types of wood is oak - a hardwood that works in any setting and can be treated easily for weatherproofing. The only drawback is wood needs a lot more care in order to increase longevity. There is a great variety of outdoor wood furniture for you to draw inspiration from - why not start here?


Metal Garden Sets

Metal is one of the most robust and malleable materials you can use for garden furniture. It can be treated with aluminium which oxidises to protect the metal protecting it from the elements. The frames are usually round or square tubes which are both strong and light. If you want a more traditional metal material then you want cast iron. The cast iron furniture is great to look at but is also extremely heavy. Metal garden furniture has the potential to last a very long time. 


Family chatting in their garden, on a fabric garden sofa set


Rattan Garden Furniture

The original material used for rattan was made from one of 600 species of climbing palm. They were from all over the world but most commonly South East Asia. Rattan is now more commonly made from a PE plastic material as it is both cheaper and more reliable. The PE plastic strands are woven together to make a stunning and practical piece of garden furniture. You can use them with or without cushions but for the ultimate comfort, we would always recommend cushions.


Women chatting over a cup of coffee, on a rattan sofa



Garden Dining Sets

Eating outside in the summer just feels different, the fresh summer air just seems to make the food taste better. Dining tables for the outdoors are the ultimate way to enjoy dinner time with the family. They can come in multiple sizes for all types of gardens, or you can opt for a garden dining set in whatever size or shape your heart desires.

Corner sets

Do you have a decking or patio outside a set of French doors? You can make use of the space by either cornering off the area with a corner sofa, or placing it against a fence to maximize the open space. No matter how you decide to lay out your garden, the corner set is an effective and comfortable approach to lounging in your own safe outdoor space.

Oxford Furniture Company Ltd is registered in England and Wales (06611942). Registered Office: 126 New Walk, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE1 7JA.
Oxford Furniture Company Ltd is a credit broker, not a lender and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our registration number is 650857. Credit provided subject to age and status. We do not charge you for credit broking services. We will introduce you to Finance available from a number of our partner lenders.
© Oxford Furniture Company Ltd 2025. All rights reserved.