Thread: Outdoor furniture timber

Hi everybody,
I'm very new to the whole woodworking thing. I've done a few bits and pieces but I've recently done a weekend furtniture building course and just treated myself to a Triton Workcenter. I am ready to go with some larger and hopefully more accurate pieces now
I've got 2 timber questions before I blow cash in the wrong direction!

One
One of my first projects might be an outdoor dinning table (the top in slat form rather than one whole top), ideally matching a few chairs I'd purchased from Bunnings a year or two ago.
One a) On a budget (to avoid costly errors), what sort of wood is suitable for outdoor furniture as a general rule, and what should I avoid? Or is it the finish that makes all the difference to maintaining the stability and finish.
One b) I can't identify the timber in the bunning chairs, but I recall it claiming to be recycled timbers or something. Does anybody know much about these timbers and the possibility of getting the table and chairs to match. (the matching bunnings table to the chairs wasn't suitable to my space)

Two
I'd like to make some overhead cabinets for the laundry with Melamine or similar carcusses to match the ktichen, and decide on better doors later. I'd be using pocket screws for joinery (unless somebody thinks dowels or something else is better). The Melamine at bunnings appear to be chipboard with laminate which doesn't fill me with confidence. Is this what most modern apartment kitchens actually use, or is there something else more suitable and relatively affordable?

Sorry for the long question and appreciate any thoughts for a newby