When customers ask, “What’s the most popular wood type you use in your outdoor bench factory—cedar, teak, or something else?” the answer often surprises them. While cedar and traditional teak are household names, the wood that truly dominates our production line is ipe teak (also known as Brazilian walnut). Here’s why.

Cedar is lightweight and smells pleasant, but it’s soft. In our factory, we reserve cedar for indoor or covered patio benches because it dents easily and requires annual sealing to prevent warping. Genuine Burmese teak, on the other hand, is legendary for its natural oils and weather resistance. However, its cost has skyrocketed, and ethical sourcing is a growing concern.

That’s where ipe teak steps in. Harvested from sustainably managed forests in South America, ipe offers the same dense, oily grain as genuine teak but at a more accessible price point. Our testing shows ipe has a Janka hardness rating of 3,680—over three times harder than cedar and twice as hard as traditional teak. This means our benches resist scratches, rot, and termites for decades without any chemical treatment.

We also use thermally modified ash for clients who prefer a lighter aesthetic. This European ash undergoes a heat treatment that darkens it to a walnut hue and stabilizes its moisture content, making it almost as durable as tropical hardwoods. However, for sheer volume and customer requests, ipe teak remains our factory’s No. 1 choice.

In short, if you want a bench that outlasts the elements without constant maintenance, skip the cedar—go with ipe teak. It’s the wood that works hardest so you can sit back and relax.