Both materials handle this, but aluminium requires genuinely no maintenance — no oiling, no covering, no treatment. Teak can also stay outside year-round, but will weather to silver-grey without oiling. If zero maintenance is the priority, aluminium is the cleaner choice.

Aluminium cannot replicate the warmth, grain, and organic presence of teak. If the material quality of the furniture is part of what you are specifying — not just the function — teak is the specification that delivers that. A teak dining table has a presence that no powder coated metal achieves.

Teak is only available in its natural tones — golden honey or silver-grey. Aluminium can be powder coated in any RAL colour. If colour matching to a specific exterior scheme, architecture, or palette is important, aluminium is the only option.

Both materials handle coastal environments well — teak's natural oils are genuinely salt-resistant, and powder coated aluminium is fully corrosion-resistant in salt air. For a purely practical specification in a very exposed position, aluminium has a slight edge due to zero maintenance. For a position where aesthetics matter equally, teak is equally valid.

Aluminium's weight advantage is very practical here. A teak dining chair can weigh 6–8kg; the aluminium equivalent 2–3kg. Across a full dining set or lounge configuration, the difference is significant when moving or stacking for storage. If reconfigurability matters, aluminium is considerably easier to manage.

Both can last 20+ years with appropriate care. Teak in particular has an almost indefinite structural lifespan if the natural oils are maintained and it is not left in standing water. A well-maintained teak set is an investment that passes between generations. Aluminium also lasts well, but does not have the same material narrative or increasing character with age that teak develops.