There is a conversation we have every November, and it always goes the same way.

Someone has a courtyard that comfortably fits six people. On Christmas Day, eleven turn up. So they start shopping for a table that seats eleven — and then spend the following January to November walking sideways past a three-metre table to get to the barbecue.

It is the wrong trade. You should not have to furnish for the busiest day of the year and live with the consequences for the other three hundred and sixty-four.

That is the entire point of an extension table, and it is the most under-considered product in outdoor furniture.

What an extension table actually is

A table built in two footprints. The ends pull apart and a centre section fills the gap. Closed, it suits the way you actually live — two people, a coffee, a laptop. Open, it takes the crowd.

You are effectively buying two tables that occupy the floor space of one. In a Melbourne courtyard, that is not a nice-to-have. It is usually the difference between a space that works and a space you apologise for.

Auto or manual? The distinction worth understanding

This is the question we get asked most, and almost nobody explains it properly, so here it is.

Auto extension means the leaf lives inside the table. You pull the two ends apart and the centre section rises and locks into place on its own. One movement, one person, nothing to carry and nothing to store in the garage.

In our range, the Justin Ceramic Auto Extension Table (2030 closed, 2635 extended, 1000 deep) and the Imperial Auto Extension Table (1990 closed, 2620 extended, 1000 deep) both work this way. Both come in gunmetal and white.

Manual extension means you separate the ends and drop the leaf in yourself. It is one extra step — and in return you usually get a far bigger jump in size, because the leaf is not limited to what can fold away inside the frame.

The Justin Ceramic Extension Table in gunmetal is the clearest example: it runs from 2200mm to 3400mm. That is 1200mm of additional table, which is more length than any auto mechanism will give you.

The rule of thumb: if you will extend the table often — every second weekend, whenever the kids bring friends — go auto, because a mechanism you can operate in four seconds is a mechanism you will actually use. If you extend two or three times a year and you want the absolute maximum size when you do, go manual.

The range, and what each size realistically seats

Seat counts below are a guide based on allowing roughly 60cm of table edge per person, which is the figure we use for every setting we sell. Add about 10cm per person if your chairs have arms.

The one most people do not know exists: a balcony-sized extension table

Almost every extension table on the market starts at around two metres, because the assumption is that anyone extending a table has a backyard to extend it into.

Ours start at 1490mm. The Azura Balcony Extension Dining Table is 1490mm closed and 750mm deep — narrow enough to keep a walkway clear on an apartment balcony — and opens out to 1940mm when someone stays for dinner. There is a bar-height version of the same table at 950mm, which puts you at the right level to see over a balustrade rather than through it.

If you have been told a balcony cannot have a proper dining table, this is the product that argues otherwise.

Three measurements to take before you order

• Measure for the extended size, not the closed one. The table spends most of its life closed, but it has to work open or it is pointless. Allow at least 80cm of clearance around the table at full extension so chairs can be pulled out and people can get past behind them. Extended length plus 160cm is the space you need.
• Check what is at each end. Extension tables grow lengthways. A table that fits beautifully closed can, when opened, run straight into the barbecue, a pergola post, a downpipe or the step down to the lawn. Walk the extended length before you buy it.
• Measure the way in. The narrowest point on the delivery path — usually the side gate, sometimes an apartment lift, occasionally the turn at the top of a staircase. Measure the gate opening itself, not the fence panel.

Do not buy a box — build the setting

Most outdoor furniture is sold as a fixed package: this table, these chairs, take it or leave it. If the table suits your space and the chairs do not, that is your problem.

We sell extension tables the other way around. Every table in the range can be mixed and matched with any of our chair designs, so you choose the table that fits the space and then choose the chairs you actually want to sit in. The range runs in gunmetal and white, with the Azura Extension Table also available in charcoal.

If you would rather have it decided for you, complete settings are available too — the Hope 9pc Justin auto extension setting in gunmetal or white, the Hope 11pc Justin extension setting in gunmetal, and the Imperial 9pc and 11pc auto extension settings in both gunmetal and white.

A note on ceramic tops

The Justin extension tables — both the auto and the manual version — are ceramic-topped, and for a table that gets opened up for a long lunch that matters more than it sounds. Ceramic does not mark when someone puts a hot serving dish down, it does not show water rings, and it does not scratch the way a coated metal top does when a table is being slid apart and pushed back together several times a year.

If ceramic is what you are after more broadly, the full Ceramic Tables collection is worth a look.

See it extended, in your own space, before you buy

The hard part of an extension table is imagining the open version in a space you are currently standing in with a tape measure.

So do not imagine it. Photograph your deck, courtyard or balcony, upload it to our Visualiser, and place the real table into the real space — over 300 products, to scale, free to use, no appointment and no showroom trip.

→ Try the Visualiser: robcousens.com.au/visualiser

We are factory direct, with free delivery across Melbourne metro on orders over $1,000. If you would rather just tell someone your measurements and be told what fits, call 0408 522 202 or email sales@robcousens.com.au. We would far rather talk you into the right table than sell you the big one.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an auto and a manual extension table?

An auto extension table has the leaf built into it — you pull the ends apart and the centre section rises and locks by itself. A manual extension table requires you to separate the ends and insert the leaf, but generally offers a larger extended size.

What size outdoor extension table seats twelve?

Allowing around 60cm of table edge per person, a table extending to about 3400mm will seat ten to twelve. In our range that is the Justin Ceramic Extension Table, which runs from 2200mm to 3400mm.

Can you get an extension table small enough for a balcony?

Yes. The Azura Balcony Extension Dining Table is 1490mm × 750mm closed and extends to 1940mm, with a bar-height version at 950mm.

Can I choose different chairs to go with the table?

Yes. Every extension table in our range can be mixed and matched with any of our chair designs, so you are not locked into a fixed package.

What colours are the extension tables available in?

Gunmetal and white across the range, with the Azura Extension Table also offered in charcoal.

There’s a particular sound a cheap outdoor chair makes in late February. A dry little creak, right where the arm meets the seat. If you’ve owned one, you know it. Two summers of Melbourne sun and one wet winter under a gum tree, and the setting that looked so good on the showroom floor is wobbling, fading and shedding flakes of powder coat onto the deck. 

It doesn’t have to go that way. But buying outdoor furniture in Melbourne means shopping for a climate that most furniture was never designed for. We get UV levels that would make a Mediterranean summer blush, then we follow them with hail in November, just to keep everyone honest. Furniture either copes with that or it doesn’t, and the difference is decided long before it reaches your backyard. 

After decades in this trade, here’s the honest version of what matters, what doesn’t, and how to avoid paying twice. 

Start With the Material, Not the Photo 

Every setting looks lovely on a website. Melbourne weather doesn’t care. So flip the buying process around: decide what your furniture should be made of first, then choose the design you like within that answer. 

Aluminium, because rust never sleeps 

Steel furniture rusts. Not immediately, and not where you can see it at first. It starts at a chipped weld or a drainage hole underneath, and by the time the orange stain appears on your pavers, the frame is already going from the inside. Aluminium simply can’t do that. There’s nothing in it to oxidise into rust, which is why it has quietly become the frame material of choice for people buying their second outdoor setting rather than their first. Light enough to drag across the deck for a barbecue. Strong enough, when the welds are done properly, to hold a nine-person dinner without complaint. 

Teak, the timber your grandkids will argue over 

Most timber has no business living outside in Victoria. Teak is the exception, and it earned that reputation on ship decks long before it reached anyone’s courtyard. The oils in the timber push water out rather than soaking it in, so instead of cracking or rotting, teak just slowly turns a soft silver-grey. Some owners oil it every spring to keep the honey colour. Others let it silver and call it character. Both camps are right. One thing worth checking before you buy any timber setting: where the wood came from. FSC certification means managed forests, and it’s the difference between a table you feel good about and one you don’t. 

Wicker that isn’t secretly a houseplant 

Real cane and water hyacinth are gorgeous. They’re also, botanically speaking, dead plants, and Melbourne treats them accordingly. One winter on an exposed balcony and natural wicker starts to fray and grey. UV-stabilised polyethylene wicker gives you the woven look without the funeral. It hoses off, it doesn’t unravel, and paired with proper olefin cushions it stays comfortable rather than crunchy. If you love the resort look but your balcony faces west, this is your material.

The Five-Minute Quality Check 

Whatever you’re considering, and whoever you’re considering buying it from, run this quick test: 

• Turn a chair upside down. Tidy, continuous welds are a good sign. Blobby ones are not.
• Push down on the table corner. A quality frame barely moves. A cheap one rocks like a café table on cobblestones.
• Ask what the cushion fabric is. “Outdoor fabric” is not an answer. Olefin or solution-dyedacrylic is. 
• Ask about the warranty, in writing. Confidence in a product tends to show up inthe paperwork. 
• Ask whoyou’d actually talk to if something went wrong. If the answer is a call centre in another hemisphere, keep walking. 

Five minutes. That’s all it takes to separate quality outdoor furniture from a future council pickup. 

Where Robcousens Fits Into This 

We’ll declare our interest: we sell the stuff. But the reason Melburnians have kept buying from Robcousens for decades comes down to a few unglamorous decisions we made early and stuck with. 

We only do outdoor furniture. No rugs, no toasters, no seasonal aisle. That focus means our range is chosen by people who know why one weld is better than another, sourced from manufacturers around the world who specialise in exactly this. 

We sell factory direct. When there’s no chain of distributors and showroom middlemen each taking their cut, the same quality setting simply costs you less. Customers work this out quickly. “Should have come here first” is a sentence we hear a lot. 

And we deliver like we mean it. Free across metropolitan Melbourne on qualifying orders, by crews our reviews describe with words you don’t usually see attached to furniture delivery: punctual, careful, lovely. One of our team once opened up outside trading hours so a customer could collect teak oil on the single sunny day that week. She mentioned it in her review. He got a bit embarrassed. That’s roughly the culture. 

Try It in Your Backyard Before You Spend a Cent 

The oldest problem in furniture retail is that your backyard isn’t in the showroom. A corner sofa that looks modest in a warehouse can swallow a townhouse courtyard whole. 

So we built something no other outdoor furniture retailer in Melbourne offers: the AI Visualiser. Take a photo of your deck, courtyard or balcony on your phone. Upload it. Pick from over 300 pieces in our range and watch them appear in your actual space, to scale, in seconds. It costs nothing and it settles the “will it fit” argument before it starts. People tell us it’s strangely addictive. Fair warning. 

In Summary 

Quality outdoor furniture in Melbourne isn’t about spending the most. It’s about materials that were built for this specific, slightly unhinged climate, construction you’ve actually checked, and a seller who’ll still pick up the phone in three years. Get those right and you buy once, not every second summer. 

Have a look at the range at robcousens.com.au, or skip straight to the fun part: photograph your outdoor space and drop our furniture into it with the Visualiser. 

Your backyard has put up with that creaky chair long enough. 

Melbourne’s winters are unpredictable. One week brings cold, damp southerly winds and persistent rain. The next brings a sharp frost overnight followed by 18 degrees and sunshine. For anyone who has invested in quality outdoor furniture, this stop-start climate creates a real challenge — how do you protect what you’ve spent good money on without having to drag everything inside every time the forecast turns grey? 

At Robcousens, we’ve been helping Melbourne homeowners furnish their outdoor spaces for over 20 years. The most common questions we hear after a purchase are about winter care. Here’s exactly what you need to know. 

Why Melbourne Winters Are Hard on Outdoor Furniture 

The biggest threats to outdoor furniture in Melbourne during the cooler months are not cold temperatures alone — it’s the combination of moisture, UV exposure on mild winter days, salt air in coastal suburbs, and extended periods of dampness when furniture isn’t being used regularly. 

Moisture is the primary culprit. Even furniture designed for outdoor use can be damaged by prolonged exposure to pooled water, which works its way into frame joints, under cushion covers, and into timber grain. Without proper protection, frames can corrode and timber can warp, crack, or develop mould. 

UV damage continues throughout winter, particularly on Melbourne’s bright winter days. Without covers or shade, fading and surface degradation continue year-round — not just in summer. 

Good news: All furniture in the Robcousens range — including our aluminium, teak, wicker, and sling collections — is designed for year-round outdoor use in Australian conditions. With the right care routine, your furniture will look great for a decade or more. 

The Right Outdoor Furniture Covers — What to Look For 

Using quality outdoor furniture covers in Melbourne is the single most effective thing you can do to extend the life of your investment during winter. Not all covers are created equal, though. Cheap covers trap moisture underneath and can do more damage than no cover at all. 

When selecting outdoor furniture covers, look for: 

• Breathable fabric — covers that allow air circulation underneath prevent mould and mildew build-up 

• Waterproof outer layer — the exterior must repel rain and dew effectively 

• Secure fit — covers that flap in the wind create friction damage on frames and surfaces; look for elastic hems or tie-down straps 

• UV resistance — a cover that degrades in sunlight in one season is not worth buying 

Robcousens stocks purpose-designed outdoor protection products including outdoor table covers sized to fit our dining and extension table ranges. Getting a cover that fits your specific table — rather than a generic size — means no gaps where water can pool and no excess fabric that traps moisture.

Caring for Outdoor Cushions Through Winter 

Cushions are the most vulnerable part of any outdoor setting in winter. Even UV-stabilised, water-resistant fabrics are not designed for sustained moisture exposure over weeks or months. 

The Best Approach for Melbourne Winters 

If you use your outdoor space regularly through winter — which many Melbourne families do, particularly in the alfresco or undercover area — keep your cushions out but bring them inside or store them under cover during heavy rain or extended wet periods. 

If your furniture will be largely unused from April to August, the best practice is to remove cushions entirely, wash them at the end of the season, allow them to dry completely, and store them indoors in breathable bags or boxes. This is particularly important for outdoor bench seat cushions and seat pad cushions, which sit flat and can hold water when left exposed. 

Robcousens tip: All cushions in our range — including outdoor cushions, bench seat cushions, chair pads, and scatter cushions — feature removable covers for easy washing. Remove covers, machine wash on gentle, and allow to fully dry before reattaching. Do this at the start and end of winter for best results. 

Storing Bench Cushions and Seat Pads 

Long bench cushions — particularly those from the Portland Collection — should be stored flat or on their side, never folded, to prevent permanent creasing of the foam core. Outdoor bench cushions stored folded will lose their shape and the covers can develop permanent stress marks at the fold line. 

For outdoor chair cushions and chair pads, stack them in a breathable storage bag away from direct sunlight. Avoid plastic bags — these seal in any residual moisture and create mould conditions. 

Winter Care by Furniture Material 

Aluminium Frames 

Rust-free powder-coated aluminium is the most resilient material in our range. It requires minimal winter maintenance. Wipe down frames at the end of the season with a damp cloth and mild detergent to remove salt, bird droppings, and grime that can slowly work into the powder coat over time. Do not use abrasive cleaners. 

Teak and Timber 

Teak naturally contains oils that make it highly weather-resistant, but prolonged winter exposure can cause surface greying. If you want to preserve the original warm honey tone, apply a quality teak oil at the start of winter. Our Teak Collection is FSC-certified teak — one of the most durable timber choices available for outdoor furniture in Melbourne’s climate. 

PE Resin Wicker 

All wicker furniture in the Robcousens Woven Collection uses UV-stabilised polyethylene resin wicker — not natural rattan. This synthetic wicker is specifically designed to withstand outdoor conditions including Melbourne winters. It won’t crack, fade, or absorb moisture like natural alternatives. A simple rinse with a garden hose and mild soap is all the winter maintenance it needs. 

A Simple Winter Checklist for Your Outdoor Furniture 

• Wipe down all frames with mild detergent — remove grime before covering 

• Remove and wash all cushion covers — dry thoroughly before storage 

• Apply teak oil to timber components if applicable 

• Fit outdoor furniture covers to all tables, sofas, and chairs 

• Fit outdoor table covers to dining and extension tables first — these have the largest horizontal surface area for water pooling 

• Store all cushions, seat pads, and bench cushions indoors if furniture won’t be used regularly 

Spring tip: When you bring furniture back out in September, give it a full clean before first use. Wipe down frames, re-oil teak if needed, and check all joints and hardware. This is also the right time to replace any cushions or covers that didn’t survive the winter. 

Taking care of your outdoor furniture through winter doesn’t require a lot of time or money — just the right products and a consistent routine. A good set of covers and proper cushion storage will add years to the life of any outdoor setting. 

Need Covers, Cushions, or Replacement Parts? Robcousens stocks outdoor furniture covers, table covers, replacement cushions, seat pads, and bench cushions — all designed for our furniture range. Shop Covers & Protection Shop Cushions 

There is one question that almost every person who has ever bought outdoor furniture online will recognise: “Will it actually look right in my space?” 

You can read dimensions, stare at product photos, and study colour swatches for hours — but nothing tells you whether a Gunmetal corner sofa will suit your sandstone courtyard, or whether a teak extension table will work in your timber-decked alfresco, like actually seeing it there. 

That is the problem Robcousens has solved. As the first outdoor furniture store in Victoria to offer a fully AI-powered visualisation tool, Robcousens has changed the way Melbourne homeowners discover, plan, and buy modern outdoor furniture online.

What Is the Robcousens AI Outdoor Furniture Visualiser? 

The Robcousens AI Outdoor Furniture Visualiser is a free, browser-based tool that lets you upload a photo of your outdoor space — your patio, garden, balcony, pool deck, or courtyard — and see any product from the Robcousens range placed in that space, rendered realistically by artificial intelligence. 

There is no app to download. No account to create. No credit card required. It works on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. The AI renders results in approximately two seconds — fast enough to browse through multiple products in a single session. 

No other outdoor furniture retailer in Australia offers this. Robcousens is the first — and currently only — outdoor furniture store in Melbourne and Victoria to provide an AI visualiser with access to 300+ products from a single platform. 

How It Works — Four Steps 

The tool has been designed to be genuinely simple to use for anyone, regardless of technical experience: 

1. 1- Upload your space photo — take or choose any photo of your outdoor area. A well-lit photo from natural standing height gives the best results, but the AI handles most photo types effectively. Patios, gardens, balconies, pool areas, and courtyards of any size all work. 
2. 2- Select your furniture — browse the full Robcousens range of 300+ products and choose the pieces you want to visualise. You can try multiple products in the same session. 
3. 3- AI places the furniture — the AI engine composites your chosen furniture into your photo with real-world accuracy, taking into account perspective, scale, and lighting. The result shows you approximately how the furniture will look in your actual space. 
4. 4- Preview and purchase — if you love the look, you can click through directly to purchase any product from the visualiser, or request a personalised quote from the Robcousens team for larger or custom orders. 

Try it now at robcousens.com.au/visualiser — it’s free and takes less than a minute to get your first result. 

Why This Changes Everything About Buying Outdoor Furniture Online in Melbourne 

The biggest barrier to buying outdoor furniture online has always been uncertainty. How big will it look? Will the colour work? Does it suit the style of my home? These questions are answered by visiting a showroom in person — but not everyone can make it to Nunawading during opening hours, and not every decision can wait for a showroom visit. 

When you buy outdoor furniture online in Melbourne, you are typically making a significant financial decision — most outdoor settings at Robcousens range from $429 for entry-level package deals to $6,999 for premium Riviera Sunbrella corner sofas — based on limited visual information. A photo on a white background or a staged product shot in a generic setting tells you very little about how something will look on your specific deck or in your specific courtyard. 

The AI visualiser closes this gap entirely. It moves the purchase decision from abstract to concrete — from “I think this might look good” to “I can see exactly how this looks in my space.” For

homeowners who have been putting off an outdoor furniture purchase because they weren’t confident it would work, this is the tool that removes the barrier.

The Full Robcousens Range — Available in the Visualiser 

The Robcousens AI visualiser gives access to the full product catalogue — 300+ items including: 

• Outdoor sofa sets and corner sofas — from compact 2-seaters to large modular corner configurations 

• Outdoor dining settings — 55+ dining sets from 3-piece cafe sets to 9-piece extension table configurations 

• Balcony furniture — space-smart sets for Melbourne apartment balconies 

• Sun lounges and day beds — adjustable wicker and sling options 

• Outdoor umbrellas — cantilever and post umbrellas in 2.7m–4m sizes 

All at factory direct prices — with up to 70% off RRP on clearance lines — and free delivery to all Melbourne metropolitan suburbs on orders over $1,000. 

Robcousens — Melbourne’s Outdoor Furniture Specialists Since 2004 

Robcousens has been one of Melbourne’s most trusted outdoor furniture retailers for over 20 years, operating from our Nunawading showroom at 9-11 Metropolitan Avenue. As a factory-direct retailer with no middlemen, we are able to offer pricing well below what you’d pay at national chains — while maintaining a product quality and service standard that has built our reputation over two decades. 

The AI visualiser is the newest chapter in that story — a tool that brings the showroom experience into your home, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on any device you own. 

Whether you’re a long-time Robcousens customer replacing a well-loved setting, or a first-time buyer trying to figure out what will work in a new home’s outdoor space, the visualiser is the fastest way to go from idea to decision. 

Try Melbourne’s First AI Outdoor Furniture Visualiser — Free No sign-up. No download. Works on your phone right now. See 300+ products in your actual outdoor space before you buy. Launch the Visualiser Browse All Collections