In most urban settings, I’d say decent outdoor furniture lasts about 5 to 15 years before it really starts falling apart. Cheap, budget pieces—think lightweight powder-coated steel chairs or resin wicker—often show serious problems in 3 to 5 years. Rust bubbles, wobbly legs, cracked plastic, faded fabric, and peeling paint show up fast when they sit in rain, sun, salt, and pollution all year.
Heavier commercial-grade furniture, like cast aluminum benches, powder-coated steel frames, concrete tables, or teak slats, can hold up for 10 to 20 years, sometimes longer if it’s cleaned and repaired. The biggest factors are material, finish quality, climate, foot traffic, vandalism, and maintenance. A sheltered cafe chair might last twice as long as the same chair on a busy, salty, sun-blasted plaza.
If you want furniture to survive, look for thick frames, stainless or galvanized hardware, UV-resistant finishes, drainage, and replaceable parts. Even the best pieces need occasional tightening, touch-up paint, and cushion replacement. Without that, “falling apart” usually starts with small failures: a loose bolt, a rust spot, a split slat. With care, many urban pieces make it past 10 years; without it, half that isn’t unusual.