A garden bench might be the simplest piece of outdoor furniture there is. A seat, some legs, somewhere to put it. That simplicity is deceptive, because the material you choose decides what the bench asks of you for the next decade. Timber and metal benches can sit in the same spot and do the same job, yet they age, feel and behave completely differently.
The case for timber
Timber is what most people picture when they imagine a garden bench, and there are good reasons for that. It looks like it belongs in a garden. Hardwood benches are heavy enough to feel planted, they do not ping or flex underneath you, and they stay closer to air temperature than metal in both summer and winter.
Timber also ages in a way many people actively like. Left alone, most hardwoods weather to a silvery grey that suits gardens beautifully. If you prefer the original warm tone, regular oiling keeps it, though that is a commitment rather than a one-off. The same choice plays out between kwila and teak in our guide to Jack and Jill outdoor settings, the two-seater verandah bench with a table built in between the seats.
The honest downsides: timber marks more easily, it needs its fasteners checked now and then as the wood moves with the seasons, and a bench left on damp ground will slowly wick moisture up into its feet.
The case for metal
Metal benches cover a wide range, from ornate cast styles to clean modern slat designs on steel or aluminium frames. What they share is low maintenance. There is no oiling schedule and no greying to have opinions about. A wash now and then is most of the job.
Durability depends on the metal and its coating. Aluminium does not rust, which makes it the safer pick near the coast or for a bench that lives in the open year round. Coated steel is strong and often cheaper, but any chip or scratch in the coating needs touching up before moisture gets underneath it.
The honest downsides: metal follows the weather. A bench in full sun can be genuinely hot to sit on in summer, and cold enough in winter that nobody lingers. Lighter aluminium benches can also feel less planted than a heavy hardwood seat, and some slat patterns print themselves into bare legs after twenty minutes.
Comfort, heat and the case for a cushion
Comfort differences between the two materials are mostly about temperature and give. Timber is kinder in extreme weather. Metal is unbothered by weather but passes it straight through to whoever sits down.
A bench cushion narrows the gap from either direction. It softens a hard timber slat seat, insulates a metal one, and is easy to bring inside when rain is coming. If your bench is somewhere you actually intend to sit for more than ten minutes, budget for one.
Maintenance, year by year
Here is what ownership realistically looks like:
- Timber, left to grey: an occasional scrub, fastener check once or twice a year, keep the feet out of standing water
- Timber, kept oiled: all of the above plus cleaning and re-oiling as often as the finish and your climate demand
- Aluminium: a wash with mild soapy water, little else
- Coated steel: a wash, plus prompt touch-ups of any chips so rust never gets a start
None of these is onerous. The mistake is picking the oiled-timber look while planning the aluminium level of effort.
Think about where it will live
The spot changes the answer. Under a tree, a bench collects sap, droppings and leaf litter, which favours an easy-wipe metal seat. On open lawn, feet sink and stay damp, which favours aluminium or a timber bench lifted onto pavers. Near the coast, salt air punishes steel, which favours aluminium or hardwood. In a formal garden bed setting where the bench is as much ornament as seat, timber's ageing works in your favour.
Whatever you choose, set the bench on firm, level ground. A rocking bench gets avoided, and an avoided bench is just garden sculpture.
So which one?
Choose timber if you want the classic look, plan to sit often in both seasons, and either like silvery grey or genuinely enjoy oiling wood. Choose metal if you want to place the bench and forget about it, especially aluminium for coastal or exposed spots. Both, well made and sensibly placed, will outlast most of the plants around them. Once the material is settled, the next question is the shape of the seat itself, and our garden bench buying guide works through backless versus backed, bench lengths and anchoring.
You can see both styles side by side in our garden bench collection, add comfort from our cushions and covers, and finish the corner it sits in with something from accessories and decor.
