Last September I had a mate ask me what size outdoor table he needed for a courtyard about the size of a single garage. He’d been eyeing off an 11-seater online because it looked good in the photo, completely ignoring the fact his paved area was 2.4 metres wide. That’s the mistake most people make when they start thinking about spring entertaining — they shop for the furniture in the photo, not the space they actually have.
September through November is when Bestar sees the biggest jump in outdoor dining orders, and it makes sense. The weather warms up, the days stretch out, and suddenly everyone remembers they’ve been eating dinner off a plastic table with mismatched chairs since April. If you’re in the same boat, here’s how to actually pick a 5 piece outdoor dining set that works for your place, not just your Pinterest board.
Why a 5 piece set is the sweet spot for most Australian backyards
A 5 piece dining setting means one table and four chairs. It sounds obvious, but it matters — this size fits comfortably on a standard courtyard, a townhouse balcony extension, or a modest backyard patio without swallowing the whole space. You still get proper elbow room for four adults, plus enough surface for a jug of something cold, a bowl of salad and the sauce bottle everyone fights over.
The Garden Dining Set 5 Piece Outdoor Patio Furniture Solid Wood Table Chairs is built exactly for this. Solid wood construction gives it real weight and stability, so it doesn’t skate around on a windy evening the way lightweight resin sets sometimes do. It also has that warm, unfussy look that suits a real Australian backyard rather than a styled showroom — you can throw a citronella candle and a few mismatched cushions on it and it still looks like it belongs there.
Solid wood, rattan or steel frame — what actually suits our climate
This is the question I get asked most, and the honest answer is: it depends on how much upkeep you’re willing to do and how exposed your outdoor area is.
- Solid wood (like the 5 piece set above) has a natural, timeless look and handles temperature swings well. It does need an oil or sealant refresh once or twice a year, especially if it’s not under a pergola or eave. Fifteen minutes with a rag and some outdoor timber oil each spring keeps it from greying out.
- PE rattan over steel or aluminium frames is close to maintenance-free. Wipe it down, and it shrugs off UV and rain. Good option if you want the woven, resort-style look without the sealing routine.
- Larger rattan settings with cushions suit households that entertain often and want lounge-level comfort built into the dining experience.
If you like the rattan look but want more seating for bigger gatherings, the Outdoor Dining Set 11 Piece Brown Rattan Garden Furniture with Cushions is worth a look — it’s suited to a bigger deck or entertaining area where you’re regularly seating eight to ten people, with cushioned comfort for long lunches that run into the evening.
Measuring your space before you buy (do this bit properly)
Grab a tape measure and actually mark out the footprint with painter’s tape or a length of rope before you order anything. For a 5 piece set, you want:
- At least 90cm of clearance around the table on all sides so chairs can pull out and people can walk past without turning sideways
- A minimum area of roughly 3m x 3m for the table plus walking space, though tighter courtyards can work with careful placement
- Some thought about morning versus afternoon sun — north or west-facing patios get hot in summer, so factor in shade sails or umbrella placement now, not in January when it’s 38 degrees
If your space is on the smaller side, a 5 piece solid wood setting is genuinely the better call over an 11 piece — it’s not just about fitting physically, it’s about the area still feeling usable for other things like the kids’ scooters or the dog’s water bowl.
Steel frame and PE rattan for busier households
Got a bigger family, or do you host the whole extended crew for Boxing Day and birthdays? The 7 Piece Garden Dining Set Outdoor Furniture Steel Frame PE Rattan Black sits in the middle ground — six chairs and a table, with a steel frame that’s genuinely tough and PE rattan that copes with rain left on it overnight without swelling or warping. Good pick if solid timber upkeep isn’t your thing but you still want proper seating numbers for a Sunday roast outdoors.
Getting the timber ready for the season ahead
If you’re going with a solid wood set, spring is the ideal time to give it a proper once-over before the first big barbecue. A light sand with fine-grit paper on any rough spots, followed by an outdoor-rated timber oil, will bring the colour back and protect it through the hotter months. Skip this in a hurry and you’ll notice the timber drying out and greying by February — still structurally fine, just not as nice to look at.
Store cushions and any fabric accessories somewhere dry over winter if you can, even a lidded tub in the garage does the job. It saves you from mould surprises when you pull everything out for the first warm weekend.
Whichever size or material you land on, the real test isn’t how it looks in a product photo — it’s whether you’ll actually use it. A solid, well-sized dining setting that gets dragged into service every second night for dinner outside is worth ten times more than an oversized one that just sits there looking nice and empty.