Wood for Outdoor Furniture

Building an outdoor piece has definitely crossed my mind.  And, there are several questions that one needs to consider (what type? durability? strength? future care? etc.)  The options for outdoor wood are actually more eclectic than you might think, although it does seem like many of your "options" may be out of the question depending on how much you would want to spend.  Many of these "outdoor" woods are of the exotic type.  These include varieties such as Teak (South East Asia), Jarrah (Austrailia), Shorea (Malaysia and Indocesia), Roble (South America), and Tropical Eucalyptis (Austrailia).   Domestic varieties include Redwood, Cedar, Willow and other types with pliable branches (mainly used for bending), and most surprisingly of all, Pine.  This is surprising because it is a soft wood and has low rot resistance.  Regular painting or staining is required and definitely seems to be an ongoing project.  It is also not a good idea to keep pine furniture outdoors in the winter due to its weaker tolerance to the elements.  Now having said all this and considering the high demand for maintenance, building a piece solely for outdoor use may be out of the question.  Furthermore, still considering the type of wood I would like to use, Pine seems like a good bet.  (I know it's late to be buying wood still, but pay checks only come twice a month.)  Having said that, Pine is inexpensive, readily available, and most importantly, easy to work with.  And, if i really wanted, I could use a new pine table next to my Weber during the summer months.