Iroko garden swing: solid hardwood, made in Turkey

Why iroko for a garden swing seat

A garden swing lives outdoors all year: sun, rain, morning dew, frost and the daily load of people sitting and swinging. The first question for any wooden garden swing seat is therefore the species of the wood. Pine and spruce are softwoods; outdoors they absorb moisture, need impregnation and a varnish film, and begin to crack and grey within a few seasons.

Iroko (Milicia excelsa) is a hardwood with a density of about 660 kg/m³ and a Janka hardness of 1,260 lbf. It is rated durability class 1-2 under EN 350, which means "very durable" outdoors without preservatives. Its high natural silica content keeps fungi and insects away, and its dimensional stability (radial shrinkage around 2.8%) stops joints opening when the temperature swings between day and night. Boat decks, jetties and outdoor joinery have used it for generations; in the trade it is often called "African teak".

Our timber comes from Cameroon through an FSC-certified supplier. The certificate of origin, the supplier invoice and the chain-of-custody document are kept on file and shared on request. Every board is kiln-dried before machining, so the finished swing moves very little once it is in your garden.

Iroko vs teak: which hardwood for a garden swing?

Teak (Tectona grandis) is the reference wood for outdoor furniture, and it deserves that reputation: durability class 1, very high natural oil content and excellent stability. Iroko comes remarkably close. The two woods have almost the same density, iroko is the harder of the two, and both turn a soft silver-grey if they are left unoiled.

The practical difference is oil and price. Teak carries its own oil; iroko has less, so we give it three coats of Italian teak oil at the factory and recommend one thin coat a year. In return, iroko timber costs a half to a third as much per cubic metre as plantation teak. For a frame as large as a four- or five-seat swing, that difference decides whether a solid hardwood swing is realistic at all; this is why we build in iroko and keep teak for bespoke orders.

How long does an iroko garden swing last?

A typical entry-level garden swing lasts two or three seasons: the softwood frame cracks, the varnish peels and the cushions fade. A solid iroko swing with a yearly coat of teak oil is built for a life of 20-25 years and more. Reading the price against that lifespan is the honest way to compare garden swings.

Lifespan is not only the wood. The fixings are corrosion-resistant and hidden inside the frame; the cushions are 100% solution-dyed olefin with a light fastness of 7-8 (ISO 105-B02), so the colour sits in the fibre itself rather than in a surface coating; the filling is silicone fibre that does not collapse. The warranty is 2 years, and after it ends, maintenance, repairs and spare parts still come directly from the maker.

Iroko garden swing sizes: 3, 4 and 5 seaters

All models share the same spine: solid iroko, Italian teak oil, a canopy and cushions in mustard or anthracite. They differ in width and seating. If you are looking for a 3 seater garden swing, the Mihenk 2400 is usually the right answer: its 211 cm width seats three people comfortably and four fully. The Lavinya 2100 is the compact model for narrower terraces, and the Almila 2800 is the wide five-seater for large gardens, verandas and hotel terraces.

A swing needs more floor space than its own footprint because it moves. For the Mihenk 2400 we recommend about 320 × 200 cm of clear space and 220 cm of height under a pergola or roof. In the five-position models the last position turns the swing into a garden swing bed, long enough to lie down on.

Prices are factory prices in Turkish lira, shown for information. They include the canopy, cushions, delivery within Turkey and the 2-year warranty. Export prices are quoted per pallet on request.

Caring for an iroko swing: one coat of teak oil a year

We do not varnish. Varnish is a film that sits on top of the wood; outdoors it cracks within a few years, traps water underneath and has to be sanded off completely. Teak oil soaks into the fibres and leaves no film to peel, so care is simply one thin coat a year, applied with a brush on clean, dry wood. Together with washing the cushion covers, it is a job of a few hours.

The frame can stay outside through winter: iroko does not crack in frost or swell in rain. Bring the cushions indoors, brush off leaves, and if you use a cover, choose a breathable one; a tight plastic sheet traps moisture and does more harm than good. If you skip the oil for a year, the surface turns to a silver-grey patina; one coat brings the warm colour back.

Made at our Gelibolu factory, finished by a master craftsman

Deniz Salıncak swings are produced at our factory in Gelibolu (Çanakkale) and finished by a master craftsman before they leave. Our showroom is in Istanbul (İkitelli OSB), where the models can be seen and tried; factory visits are possible by appointment.

The form and the reclining mechanism are protected by a registered design at the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (No. 2026 000125). In other words, the swing is not picked from a catalogue: it is designed, registered and built by the same maker, who also answers your questions.

Delivery in Turkey and abroad

Each swing ships flat-packed in three cartons (about 88-128 kg depending on the model; 104 kg for the Mihenk 2400). Assembly takes two people one to two hours with the included instructions and fixings. Within Turkey, delivery to all 81 provinces is free and takes 7-14 days.

Outside Turkey we work mainly with retailers, hotels and project buyers. Wholesale orders ship by the pallet (three swings per pallet) on EXW, FCA or FOB Turkish port terms, with CIF or DAP on request, and enter the EU duty-free with an A.TR certificate. The terms, lead times and a sample option are on our wholesale page. For a single swing outside Turkey, write to us with your country and postcode and we will tell you honestly whether and how delivery is possible.