Best Shorea Wood Patio Furniture – Buying Guide

Here’s your guide to buying the best shorea wood outdoor furniture. This wood is becoming a really popular choice these days among smart consumers.

If you didn’t already know, shorea wood furniture is one of the best substitutes for teak for those who want quality patio furniture on a budget. It has all of the main advantages of teak wood with the added bonus of being less expensive.

Shorea is not as well-known as teak, but that doesn’t mean it’s of inferior quality. Neither should you think that the cheaper price tag means that it’s less durable. The lower cost is simply a matter of supply and demand. Shorea is more abundant, which keeps it more affordable for the average consumer.

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What is Shorea Wood?

Is this your first time hearing about shorea wood?

Shorea hasn’t gotten nearly as much publicity as teak, so some of you may not be familiar with it. There are nearly 200 closely-related species of tree that produce this tropical hardwood, which are all native to Southeast Asia. Like teak, shorea wood is very strong and dense, and it’s also highly resistant to damage from both insects and water.

shorea tree furniture hardwood
Shorea trees grow up tall and straight

Choosing shorea furniture over teak doesn’t mean settling for an inferior product. It’s a strong, high quality wood that is actually more dense than teak. Plus, as you can see in the photos, it looks gorgeous.

The reason for the lower cost is simply that shorea wood is more abundant. It’s more economical due to the law of supply and demand.

Advantages of Shorea Wood Furniture

Shorea has several great advantages when used for making hardwood furniture:

  • Strong wood. Shorea is a strong and dense hardwood with very tight grain. It’s actually more dense than teak wood.
  • Pest resistant. Due to its density, termites, ants, and other insects stay away.
  • Rot resistant. It’s protected naturally from water decay, as well as damage from mold and fungus. It should easily last 30 years or more even when left outdoors.
  • Looks beautiful. New shorea wood has a nice warm glow with a reddish-tint, and it will fade to a stately silver over time if left untreated, much like teak.




Disadvantages of Shorea Wood Furniture

The one minor disadvantage of shorea wood deserves mention too:

  • Moderate checking. Some slight checking of the grain can be expected as shorea wood ages due to its reduced elasticity.

All-in-all I’d say the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages when considering shorea as a wood choice for your outdoor furniture needs.

Shorea Wood Patio Furniture Sets

The superior qualities of shorea wood make it a natural choice for outdoor furniture construction. In particular, resistance to damage from moisture and from insect invasions set it up as one of the best hardwoods that you can select for use outdoors.

Shorea hardwood furniture sets come in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and budgets. For something simple, you can pick a couple armchairs or Adirondack chairs with a small side table to center the unit. If you have a dining set in mind, then there are some great ones to choose from. Conversational sets made form shorea wood are also something that many homeowners really enjoy setting up in their backyard.

Let’s review some of the best shorea wood outdoor furniture sets so you can get a better idea of what would fit with your home.

 

Oxford Garden Hampton 7-Piece Outdoor Dining Set

 

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If you’re in the mood to pick up a unique and very casual outdoor dining set, then this one from Oxford Garden might be of interest. It comes as an almost square table with 6 matching stools, all in shorea hardwood.

The exact dimensions of the table top are 44.75 inches long by 40.25 inches wide. So, as you can see, it’s almost a square table, but not quite. The stools are 25 inches high and have seats with a slight curve, which should make them a little more comfy than if they were totally flat.

I have to say that I’m not a big fan of this set’s design. The table looks to me like it can’t quite decide if it wants to be a square or a rectangle. So if you’re using all six stools, the people sitting on the two ends will have plenty of room, while the four people seated on the sides will be a bit squished. In my opinion, they should have made this table slightly longer—maybe by an extra six inches or so.

If I was buying a dining set for my patio, I’d rather get one with backed chairs so that you can be more comfortable sitting for a longer period of time. The craftsmanship is solid, though, so if this style suits your taste then go for it.

 

Oxford Garden 5-Piece Warwick Shorea Dining Set

Oxford Garden 5-Piece Warwick Shorea Dining Set

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Now this set, on the other hand, is more of a classic patio dining set. People looking for a beautiful hardwood dining set for their outdoor area will be happy to purchase one of these. The styling is very traditional, and it should look great in anyone’s backyard.

The table here is circular, with a diameter of 4 feet across. The four matching armchairs can be stacked up, and all five pieces are made from high quality shorea hardwood. There is the addition of an umbrella hole in the center of the table that can be covered up by the removable plug piece that it comes with.

The armchairs have square seats of 23″ x 23″ and have a listed weight load of up to 250 pounds. Make no mistake, shorea is a dense and heavy hardwood, and these chairs are solidly built. So if you happen to come in at a little over 250 pounds I highly doubt that you’ll see one of the chairs breaking on you.

Overall, I feel pretty confident recommending this set. I like the look of a circular table on the patio as I feel it contributes to the organic flow of the outdoors.

 

Oxford Garden 5-Piece Classic Shorea Dining Set

Oxford Garden 5-Piece Classic Shorea Dining Set

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If a square shaped dining table is more of what you have in mind, then picking up this set would be a good option. The table is just slightly smaller than the circular one above. In this case, it measures 42″ x 42″. If you’re good at math then you’ve figured out that it comes out to 3 1/2 feet on each side.

What I really like about this set is the armchairs. These aren’t the same chairs as in the circular set above. Rather, the armchairs that come with this set are extra-wide. To be precise, they measure 26.5 inches wide, giving you an extra 3 1/2 inches. That can make all the difference if standard sized chairs have you feeling slightly squeezed in.

The table also has the umbrella hole in the center with a removable shorea wood plug to cover it up when not in use. If you buy an umbrella, make sure it comes with a base and not just the pole. The circular table above has a cross-piece at foot height where an umbrella pole can be stabilized, but that is not the case with this table.

My preference is for round patio sets, but if you want to get a square one, then this would be a good buy, especially if you’d want something with wider than average chairs.

 

 

Oxford Garden 12-Piece Chaise Lounge Set

Oxford Garden 12-Piece Chaise Lounge Set
Looks like a 5-star resort

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The next shorea patio furniture set to review here is quite an interesting one indeed. It is certainly not for everyone, but if you have a large outdoor swimming pool, then this could be a great set to buy. Billed as a 12-piece set, this is essentially 4 lounge chairs and a pair of umbrellas, so let’s break it down further.

To get to 12 pieces with this set, we count 4 chaise lounge chairs, 4 seat lounge chair seat cushions, 2 patio umbrellas, and 2 umbrella stands.

As you can imagine, having a set of nice lounge chairs like this would make a pool party just that much better. This transforms your pool area from a place for only swimming into a hangout spot where you and your guests can lounge around and relax between dips in the pool.

As far as lounge chairs go, these have everything that you’re looking for. First of all, they are constructed from solid shorea hardwood that is naturally weather resistant. The back rests can be adjusted to 5 different positions depending on how much on an incline you want.

Next, they come complete with a slide-out tray on the right side where you can conveniently set down your drink, a book, sandwich plate, or whatever else you took out to the pool area with you.

The back legs are fitted with rubberized wheels, making these lounge chairs easy to move around despite their substantial weight. And finally, the Sunbrella fabric cushions dry quickly when wet, while resisting mildew and mold at the same time.

The umbrellas are each 9 feet in diameter, to give ample shade for a pair of lounge chairs each.

If you’re the owner of a small resort—or you want your backyard pool area to look like a tropical resort—then I would not hesitate to order one or more of these sets.

 

Shorea Wood Outdoor Bars

Are you looking for something a little more fun and exotic than a traditional patio furniture set? Why not get a Tiki bar made of shorea wood? A Tiki bar is a fun way to bring a little touch of the tropics right into your own backyard. They work great by the pool and become the ultimate backyard party centerpiece.

While bamboo is a fun option for a Tiki bar, you’ll find that a tropical hardwood such as shorea will hold up over time much better.

Sound interesting? Here’s a couple shorea Tiki bars to think about buying.

 

Home Styles Bali Hai Shorea Wood Tiki Bar w/ 2 Stools

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Ready to mix up some Mai-Tais, Blue Hawaiians, and Piña Coladas? This is the Tiki Bar set you want to buy in order to get the whole package. This set is a good deal since it comes complete with a pair of shorea bar stools.

The roof contains 5 slots for holding stemware, such as wine glasses, upside down. Underneath the bar, there are 4 rows of shelves to give you ample space for storing all your drink mixing ingredients and dishes. Woven vinyl panels are incorporated to keep the cost down on this Tiki bar, but they don’t look cheap or out of place.

The thatched roof detail completes the tropical island look. Artificial grass made of polyester is used here to achieve the grass hut look, but with a material that is going to hold up and last many years.

The one thing you’ll need to be aware of is that this unit is going to take a bit of time to assemble. That said, after you do it once, you’re done and the bar is ready to use for years and years.

 

Home Styles Bali Hai Shorea Tiki Bar w/ Wood Slats

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Very similar to the item above, this is the Tiki Bar to buy if you want more of an all-over wood look. In fact, this model is identical to the one above with the exception of wood slats making up the panels rather than woven vinyl.

Exactly like the first bar, this Tiki bar has slots in the roof for hanging stemware, and there are a number of shelves below the bar, accessible from the back. The polyester thatched roof completes the tropical island vibe.

The only thing missing from this set, of course, is the stools. That’s not a problem though, as you can order the matching stools separately.

This Tiki bar becomes a touch more expensive that the first set, if you consider that you have to buy some stools to go with it. However, if you prefer the look of a smooth hardwood finish on the bar panels, then this would be the one to get. Personally, I feel this bar looks just a tad more classy.

 

Shorea Wood Outdoor Chairs

If an entire furniture set is a bit too much for your patio plans, you might want to simply get one or two outdoor chairs. Two of the most classic outdoor chair designs are the rocking chair and Adirondack chair. Let’s take a look at good shorea wood versions of each.

 

Oxford Garden Franklin Shorea Rocking Chair

oxford garden franklin shorea rocking chair

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Who doesn’t love a good rocking chair? It instantly makes you miss your grandma and her home cooking. It’s not the type of chair that you’d put directly on the lawn, but is more of something that would go on the back porch or even the front porch. You should buy this rocking chair if you desire a timeless piece of hardwood furniture to add to your home. It looks great, though I’ll admit the assembly does take a bit of work. After you’ve got it all put together you can kick back, relax, and watch the world go by.

 

Shorea Wood Garden Benches

Another classic stand alone outdoor furniture piece is a bench. It’s no coincidence that public parks around the world have benches as the main type of furniture. A backed bench gives nice support to sit down comfortably, and you’re free to seat as many people as you care to squeeze in. They’re also really sturdy—you’re not going to tip one over accidentally.

When shopping for a hardwood bench, the two main factors to consider are the size and the styling. Outdoor benches typically run from 4 to 6 feet in length. I personally feel that 5 feet is a nice length, as it’s not over long, and yet wide enough to sit 3 average sized people fairly comfortably. Styling mainly involves the design of the backrest, but the seat can come into play, too, such in the first model we’ll review, which is a storage bench.

 

Belham Living Richmond 51-inch Curved-back Storage Bench

Belham Living Richmond 51-inch Curved-back Storage Bench

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If you’re hunting for a unique piece of outdoor furniture that is both attractive and functional, look no further than this 51-inch shorea storage bench. Not only is it a solid outdoor bench made from red shorea wood, but when you flip up the seat you get access to a large storage area.

The storage space underneath the seat is perfect for keep sporting equipment such as baseball bats, baseball gloves, footballs, and basketballs. It would also make a great place to stow away shoes and boots if you keep the bench near your front door. You then have the added bonus of someplace to sit down while tying your shoes.

The only thing that you have to keep in mind is that this is a very heavy wood bench, so the seat is going to have some weight to it. Small children could potentially pinch their fingers if they let the seat drop down suddenly. That said, the fat that the bench is heavy duty means it will hold up for years and years of use even if it gets exposed to the elements outdoors.

 

A Few Final Words

Shorea wood outdoor furniture is an excellent choice for those who want something with the look and durability of teak at a discounted price. There is really not much of a quality drop off from teak to shorea at all. So if you don’t mind giving up the premium “teak” designation, you can easily save yourself 30-40% on a nice hardwood furniture set.