Outdoor Furniture Cost: Custom Wood Tables, Chairs, and Benches 2026
Custom outdoor wood furniture built by a local woodworker costs $450 for a single Adirondack chair to $14,000 for a full teak dining set. This guide covers outdoor furniture pricing by type and species, what drives costs up, how to choose the right wood for outdoor use, and how to price a custom outdoor furniture project from lumber takeoff to final quote.
Outdoor Furniture Cost by Type and Species
Prices below are sale prices including materials, labor at $80 to $95 per hour, overhead at 20 percent, and a 35 percent profit margin.
| Furniture Type | Size | Labor Hours | Material | Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adirondack chair, cedar | Single chair | 5 to 8 hours | Western red cedar | $450 to $900 |
| Adirondack chair, white oak or teak | Single chair | 5 to 8 hours | White oak / teak | $700 to $1,400 |
| Outdoor garden bench, cedar | 5 to 6 feet | 6 to 10 hours | Western red cedar | $600 to $1,200 |
| Porch swing, cedar or pine | 4 to 6 feet | 8 to 14 hours | Cedar / southern yellow pine | $900 to $2,200 |
| Picnic table, cedar (attached benches) | 6 feet, seats 6 | 10 to 16 hours | Western red cedar | $800 to $1,600 |
| Outdoor dining table, white oak | 72 in, seats 6 | 14 to 22 hours | White oak | $2,400 to $4,800 |
| Outdoor dining table, teak | 72 in, seats 6 | 14 to 22 hours | Teak | $4,000 to $7,500 |
| Outdoor dining set, cedar (table + 6 chairs) | 72-in table + 6 Adirondacks | 48 to 70 hours | Western red cedar | $5,500 to $10,000 |
Types of Custom Outdoor Wood Furniture
Outdoor seating (Adirondack chairs, rockers, benches)
Classic outdoor seating in western red cedar, white oak, or teak. Adirondack chairs are the most popular custom woodworking outdoor seating project, with a distinctive reclined seat, wide arms, and slatted back. Matching rocking chairs use the same parts with curved runners. Garden benches with back rails are the most efficient build per linear foot of seating.
Porch swings
Hanging porch and deck swings in cedar, southern yellow pine, or white oak. Standard 4-foot to 6-foot swings with flat or contoured seat slats and a back rail. Includes chains and ceiling mounting hardware. Two-seat loveseat swings with armrests and optional canopy frame are a premium offering. Swing beds (full-length daybed-style swing for a porch) are a high-value project at $1,800 to $4,500.
Outdoor dining and picnic tables
6-foot to 8-foot outdoor dining tables in white oak, cedar, or teak with mortise-and-tenon trestle bases or turned leg-and-apron bases. Standard attached-bench picnic tables and farmhouse-style picnic tables with detached benches. Round pedestal tables for smaller patios and decks. All tables built with breadboard ends or floating top hardware to allow for wood movement.
Outdoor furniture sets
Complete matching sets of table plus 4 to 8 chairs or Adirondack chairs built from the same species and finish. Sets are priced with a 5 to 10 percent efficiency discount over individual piece pricing. A cedar dining set (72-inch table plus 6 Adirondack chairs) is the most popular full set order. Teak sets with classic slatted dining chairs command the highest per-set prices.
Best Wood Species for Outdoor Furniture
Outdoor furniture requires species with natural rot resistance or species that accept exterior finishes well. Species are ranked by weather resistance from least to most durable.
| Species | Cost | Weather Resistance | Workability | Best Use | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western red cedar | $3 to $5/bf | Very good | Excellent | Adirondack chairs, porch swings, benches, picnic tables | Budget |
| Douglas fir | $2 to $4/bf | Fair (needs good finish) | Good | Budget outdoor tables, painted pieces | Budget |
| Redwood | $5 to $8/bf | Very good | Very good | Benches, tables, deck furniture | Mid-range |
| White oak | $8 to $12/bf | Excellent (tyloses block water) | Good | Outdoor dining tables, benches, Adirondack chairs | Mid-range |
| Black locust | $5 to $8/bf | Outstanding (more than teak) | Moderate (very hard) | Outdoor furniture, deck posts, fence | Mid-range |
| Teak | $18 to $25/bf | Outstanding (natural oils) | Good (dulls tools faster) | Premium outdoor dining sets, patio furniture | Premium |
See full lumber pricing at the wood prices by species guide.
What Drives Outdoor Furniture Cost
Wood species
HighSpecies selection is the single biggest driver of outdoor furniture cost after size. Teak at $18 to $25 per board foot costs 4 to 6 times more than cedar at $3 to $5 per board foot for the same piece. A dining table that costs $900 in cedar lumber runs $3,500 in teak. White oak at $8 to $12 per board foot splits the difference and delivers excellent weather performance at a mid-range price. Black locust is the best value among rot-resistant hardwoods at $5 to $8 per board foot if you can source it locally.
Joinery quality
HighMortise-and-tenon joinery on outdoor furniture adds 20 to 40 percent to labor compared to bolt-and-screw construction, but it outlasts mechanical fastener joints by decades. A chair with mortise-and-tenon joints at the seat rail, back slat, and arm connections will last 20 to 40 years with basic maintenance. A bolt-together chair will loosen and wobble in 5 to 10 years. Taper-leg tables with drawbored mortise-and-tenon apron joints eliminate the wobble that plagues outdoor dining tables. Premium joinery is a strong value argument when quoting against lower-cost competitors.
Finish system
HighThe finish choice affects both the initial price and the long-term maintenance cycle. Unfinished cedar or teak requires no initial finish cost but needs periodic retreatment. A penetrating oil finish (Penofin, teak oil) costs $40 to $90 in material and 2 to 4 labor hours for a 6-piece set, and needs reapplication every 1 to 2 years. A film-forming spar varnish (Epifanes, TotalBoat) costs $60 to $120 in material and 4 to 8 labor hours including multiple coats and light sanding between coats, but protects the wood surface better and lasts 2 to 4 years before recoating. The finish choice is best presented as an option in the quote.
Piece count and set pricing
HighQuoting a full outdoor set (table plus 4 to 8 matching chairs) creates efficiency in material ordering and jig setup that reduces per-piece cost. After the first chair is complete and the jigs are built, chairs 2 through 6 each take 15 to 25 percent less time than the first. A set of 6 matching Adirondack chairs should be quoted at 5 to 5.5x the single chair price, not 6x. This efficiency passes real value to the client and makes the set a better buy. Matching benches, side tables, and ottomans can be added to the set at incremental pricing.
Stainless steel hardware
MediumAll outdoor furniture must use corrosion-resistant fasteners. Hot-dipped galvanized hardware is the budget option at $15 to $30 per piece. Stainless steel (304 or 316 grade) is the premium option at $25 to $60 per piece and essential for coastal or high-humidity environments. Using standard zinc-plated hardware on outdoor furniture will result in rust stains streaking down the wood within one to two seasons. Always call out stainless steel hardware as a feature in the quote, as it justifies part of the price premium over imported furniture.
Cushions and accessories
MediumOutdoor cushions are typically priced and sourced separately from the furniture because they need to be replaced every 3 to 7 years regardless of furniture condition. However, offering to coordinate cushions (Sunbrella fabric, foam core) through your quote adds value and simplifies the client experience. An Adirondack chair cushion runs $50 to $150 through a local upholstery supplier. A dining chair cushion runs $40 to $120 each. If you source and supply cushions, add a 20 percent markup and present them as a separate line item in the quote.
How to Price Custom Outdoor Furniture: 5-Step Guide
Choose the wood species and calculate the lumber takeoff
Select the appropriate species for the outdoor environment and client budget. Cedar ($3 to $5 per board foot) is the most popular affordable choice. White oak ($8 to $12 per board foot) is excellent for tables and benches. Teak ($18 to $25 per board foot) is the premium, low-maintenance choice. Once the species is selected, calculate board feet for each piece. An Adirondack chair uses 12 to 18 board feet: seat slats (4 to 6 bf), back slats (4 to 6 bf), front legs and arms (3 to 4 bf), and rear legs and seat support (2 to 3 bf). A 72-inch outdoor dining table uses 45 to 60 board feet: tabletop (25 to 35 bf at 1.75-inch thickness), apron rails (8 to 10 bf), and legs (8 to 12 bf for 3x3 stock). Add 15 percent waste factor for outdoor lumber, which often has more defects than furniture-grade indoor stock.
Price hardware and finishing materials
Outdoor furniture requires corrosion-resistant hardware throughout. Use stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized fasteners, bolts, and carriage bolts. Budget $15 to $35 in hardware per chair and $30 to $60 per table. For the finish, cedar and redwood can be left unfinished to weather to gray or finished with a penetrating oil or spar varnish. Penetrating exterior oil (Penofin, Cabot Australian Timber Oil) costs $12 to $20 per quart and covers 100 to 150 square feet. Two coats on a 6-chair set and table uses 1 to 1.5 gallons, costing $50 to $90 in finish material. Teak furniture requires only periodic teak oil if the owner wants to maintain the golden color, or nothing if gray patina is acceptable. White oak benefits from a penetrating oil or film-forming exterior finish to seal the pores.
Estimate labor by furniture type and quantity
Break labor into per-piece estimates. An Adirondack chair takes 5 to 8 hours: cutting all parts (1.5 to 2 hours), shaping the curved back slats and seat supports with a jigsaw or bandsaw (1 to 2 hours), assembly and drilling (1.5 to 2 hours), and sanding and finishing (1 to 2 hours). A 4-foot porch swing takes 8 to 12 hours. A 6-person outdoor dining table takes 14 to 22 hours: layout and milling (2 to 3 hours), gluing and flattening the top (3 to 5 hours), building the base (3 to 5 hours), joinery and assembly (3 to 5 hours), and sanding and finishing (3 to 4 hours). For sets with matching pieces, subtract 10 to 15 percent for efficiency on pieces 3 through 6 of the same design. Multiply total hours by your shop rate ($75 to $95 per hour).
Add overhead and material markup
Apply a material markup of 15 to 20 percent on all lumber, hardware, and finishing supplies to cover sourcing time, carrying costs, and material risk. Apply overhead at 15 to 25 percent of total labor to cover shop rent, utilities, insurance, tool maintenance, and administrative time. Outdoor furniture has higher material handling costs than indoor pieces because outdoor lumber often requires additional sorting and defect cutting, and exterior finishes require ventilated shop conditions and more preparation between coats.
Apply profit margin and present the quote as a set
Apply a profit margin of 30 to 40 percent on your total cost. Present outdoor furniture quotes as a complete set with a clear breakdown: each piece priced individually, a set total, and a note on lead time and finish schedule. Outdoor furniture often takes 3 to 6 weeks from order to delivery because outdoor lumber needs to be kiln-dried, joinery needs cure time, and finish coats need dry time between applications. Offer the client 2 to 3 finish options (unfinished, penetrating oil, spar varnish) at different price points. Use CraftQuote to enter each piece, calculate board footage, and generate a professional itemized PDF quote for your client.
Worked Example: Cedar Outdoor Dining Set, 72-Inch Table + 6 Adirondack Chairs
Outdoor Furniture Cost FAQ
How much does custom outdoor furniture cost?
Custom outdoor wood furniture built by a local woodworker costs $400 to $12,000 or more depending on the type and species. A single Adirondack chair in cedar runs $450 to $900. A porch swing in cedar runs $900 to $2,200. A 6-person outdoor dining table in white oak or teak runs $2,400 to $6,500. A full outdoor dining set with table and 6 chairs runs $5,000 to $14,000. These prices include materials, labor at $75 to $95 per hour, overhead at 20 percent, and a 35 percent profit margin. Teak and black locust pieces cost 2 to 4 times more than cedar equivalents due to material cost alone.
How much does an Adirondack chair cost?
A custom Adirondack chair built by a local woodworker costs $450 to $1,400 depending on the wood species and joinery. A cedar Adirondack chair runs $450 to $750. A white oak Adirondack chair runs $700 to $1,100. A teak Adirondack chair runs $900 to $1,400. Each chair uses 12 to 18 board feet of lumber, takes 5 to 8 hours of labor, and requires stainless steel or galvanized hardware to prevent rust outdoors. A matched set of 2 chairs with a side table runs $1,200 to $3,500. Mass-produced imported Adirondack chairs cost $80 to $250, but they use low-grade wood that weathers poorly within 2 to 4 seasons.
How much does a porch swing cost?
A custom porch swing built by a local woodworker costs $900 to $2,800 depending on the size, species, and suspension hardware. A 4-foot cedar porch swing runs $900 to $1,400. A 5-foot cedar or pine porch swing runs $1,100 to $1,800. A 6-foot white oak or cypress swing runs $1,500 to $2,500. A 6-foot teak porch swing runs $2,000 to $2,800. Each swing uses 20 to 35 board feet of lumber and takes 8 to 14 hours of labor. Suspension hardware (chains, stainless hooks, ceiling mounting plates) adds $60 to $200 and is typically included in the quote. A matching 2-seat loveseat swing with a canopy frame adds $600 to $1,400 to the base swing price.
What is the best wood for outdoor furniture?
The best woods for outdoor furniture are teak, black locust, white oak, cedar, and redwood. Teak is the gold standard for outdoor furniture because its natural oils repel water and insects without any finish required. It is also the most expensive at $18 to $25 per board foot. Black locust is native to North America, more rot resistant than teak in some tests, and costs $5 to $8 per board foot, but is harder to work. White oak has tyloses in its pores that resist water absorption, making it the best domestic choice for outdoor tables and benches at $8 to $12 per board foot. Cedar is the most popular affordable choice at $3 to $5 per board foot: it is lightweight, naturally rot resistant, and easy to work. Douglas fir and southern yellow pine are budget options that work well with a good finish but need more maintenance than cedar or oak.
How much does a picnic table cost?
A custom picnic table built by a local woodworker costs $800 to $3,500 depending on the species, size, and design. A standard 6-foot attached-bench pine or cedar picnic table runs $800 to $1,400. A 6-foot cedar picnic table with detached benches runs $1,100 to $1,800. A 8-foot cedar round picnic table runs $1,500 to $2,500. A 6-foot white oak or cypress picnic table with detached benches runs $1,600 to $2,800. A 6-foot teak picnic table with detached benches runs $2,200 to $3,500. Each picnic table uses 35 to 60 board feet of lumber and takes 10 to 18 hours of labor including cutting, drilling, assembly, and finishing. Farmhouse-style picnic tables with breadboard ends and mortise-and-tenon joinery command 20 to 40 percent more than standard bolt-together designs.
How do woodworkers price custom outdoor furniture?
To price custom outdoor furniture, start with a lumber takeoff for each piece: calculate board feet for the tabletop or seat slats, legs, aprons or stretchers, and any arms or backs. Outdoor furniture typically uses 12 to 18 board feet per dining chair and 35 to 60 board feet per dining table. Price the lumber at current market rates plus a 15 percent materials markup. Add stainless steel or galvanized hardware: fasteners, bolts, and brackets for outdoor work cost $20 to $80 per piece. Estimate labor hours: a dining chair takes 5 to 8 hours, a bench takes 6 to 10 hours, a dining table takes 14 to 22 hours. Multiply by your shop rate ($75 to $95 per hour). Add overhead at 15 to 25 percent of labor. Apply a profit margin of 30 to 40 percent. Outdoor furniture is often priced as a set: quote the table and chairs together with a set discount of 5 to 10 percent. Use CraftQuote to calculate board footage and generate a professional itemized quote.
Related Pricing Guides
Quote Your Next Outdoor Furniture Project in Minutes
CraftQuote calculates board footage for every piece in your set, applies your shop rate and overhead, and generates a professional itemized PDF quote for your client. Free to use, no account required.
Start Your QuoteAlso try the free board foot calculator to price your cedar or teak lumber.