Teak Outdoor Dining Table – 72 or 86 Inch, Seats 6 to 8

Two lengths of the same teak dining table: 72 inches seating six, and 86 inches seating eight. The step between them is one place setting at each end, so the decision is really about whether the terrace regularly holds six or eight rather than about the look of the table.

Length is what tests a dining table's construction. At 86 inches the top spans far enough that any movement in the timber shows as a bow along the edge, and any looseness in the base shows as a wobble when someone leans on one end. Teak is chosen here because it moves less with humidity than most hardwoods, which matters outdoors where a table goes from wet to dry and back through a season.

Allow around three feet of clearance on every side for chairs. At 86 inches this becomes a table that sets the layout of a whole terrace rather than fitting into one.

• Material: Teak
• Lengths: 72 inches (seats 6), 86 inches (seats 8)
• Type: Dining table