Many people do not bother to identify real or fake products when buying teak furniture and rely on the salesperson.
What to Look for When Buying Teak Furniture? When buying teak furniture, it is better to look for the finishing and grade in addition to the grain and color of the wood. Moreover, you need to know about the eco-friendliness and manufacturing method to confirm whether it is hand-made or machine-made. Furthermore, check its warranty and customer reviews related to the product.
It is better to know the manufacturing method as machine-made products are more reliable than hand-made items because the latter ones are not so durable and error-free.
Moreover, when getting your desired product, you can consider warranty terms and customer reviews about the particular store and its product.
| Things To Look | Features of Teak Furniture |
| Teak Grades | Grade A, B, and C teak wood is suitable for furniture |
| Grain and color | It has a straight grain with a smooth touch |
| Eco-friendly | It should be from certified forests from the Forest Stewardship Council |
| Water and damage resistant | It should be resistant to water damage |
| Cleaning | Use walnut or linseed oil to clean it |
| Durability | It can resist cracks |
| Natural odor | It smells like leather because of a high amount of oil |
| Cost | Its dining table can cost between $2500 to $2800 |
Teak grades
Teak furniture comes in three different grades depending on the section of the teak tree used to manufacture the product, directly impacting durability.
Moreover, the heartwood region of the tree is used to manufacture Grade-A wood having a glossy sheen and honey color.
It has a high content of oil and closer grains and remains resistant to damage.
The Grade B wood is obtained from the outer heartwood region of the tree, having less resistance against rotting and termite due to low oil content.
Outer regions of the tree, like sapwood, make Grade C wood that is not considered superior to Grade A because it is soft in texture and has no natural oil.
Grade A, B, and C teak is suitable for manufacturing chairs or tables for placing in outdoors, in gardens, and indoors depending on their resistance to damage from moisture and sun rays.
Grain and color
Teak furniture has a straight grain, giving a smooth touch and an attractive appearance. It naturally appears in a honey-brown color but turns to silver-grey with time.
The color tells about the high and low-grade wood; inferior quality appears dark brown, and superior quality material appears golden brown.
Moreover, its beauty is in the resistance to get black patches, even when placed in outdoor areas. You will not see any knots in natural wood as it has straight and long grain.
Furthermore, rub your hand to check its smoothness as it feels feathery-soft upon touch. It has a glossy sheen and cohesiveness, adding to its elegance and making it different from others.
Eco-friendliness
The use of teak wood in furniture production needs to be sustainable and eco-friendly, and the number of trees has to be completely under control.
It takes almost 25 to 30 years for complete growth, and over-harvesting can lead to its extinction; that’s why replacing each tree by sowing new seeds is essential.
Moreover, there are some certified forests from the Forest Stewardship Council, ensuring the implication of sustainable practices by keeping a check on the deforestation rate.
These practices help ensure sustainability and maintain a number of trees of plants in the environment, considered excellent raw materials in the furniture industry.
It helps maintain a supply of wood in the market, preventing deforestation and reducing greenhouse gases.
So, it is better to know whether it is harvested from FSC-certified forests or not to make your furniture eco-friendly and safe.
Water and damage resistant
It is resistant to damage caused by water, insects, and decay. It is an ideal wood for outdoor furniture because it can efficiently resist damage caused by high-intensity sunrays.
The presence of oil makes it strong and resistant to diseases because it repels most bacteria, insects, fungi, and other related pests, which cannot enter deep into it.
You do not have to worry about its decay and damage due to excessive exposure to water, as oil does not allow moisture to reach inside the heartwood layer of the tree.
You can also test its water resistance by spraying a few water drops on the surface that have to remain on the surface. The absorption of moisture indicates that it is not a genuine material.
Furthermore, its color could change to silvery grey due to lesser maintenance, but its quality and resistance remained the same for almost 30 to 40 years.
Cleaning and maintenance
It is essential to know ways to clean and maintain furniture before buying. Poor cleaning efforts and irregular maintenance can reduce the lifespan of products.
Some types of wood need oiling, while a few get damaged due to the choice of the wrong oil.
You can improve the longevity of outdoor chairs by finishing their surfaces with oil or other solvents.
Furthermore, use walnut or linseed oil for treatment that helps avoid color change by protecting from direct exposure to sunrays and UV light.
In addition, wipe out excess oil and water drops to avoid any chances of absorption.
Quality and durability
No other wood material can beat teak in terms of durability and quality. In addition, it is one of the best hardwoods for constructing furniture due to its longer lifespan.
You can easily differentiate between different types of furniture at the store by lifting the table, as this material is quite heavy, and you cannot lift it alone.
Moreover, it is hard enough to resist cracks and breaks when it gets hit by the wall. As a result, it goes well for indoor and outdoor areas without significantly impacting its appearance.
Natural odor
You have to know about the smell of teak furniture to avoid confusion while looking for durable items for the patio or indoor areas.
It smells like leather due to a higher amount of oil within the wood. It helps differentiate real and fake teak wood because Grade A has a strong scent.
Moreover, some people consider it a masculine scent due to its rich, spicy, and earthy aroma.
It can allure your smell receptors, freshens your mind, and improves sleep due to the light and warm odor in the room.
Cost
The price tag on these items indicates whether the product is real teak wood because it is usually expensive.
Accordingly, you have to make up your mind about a huge investment before getting a teak table or chairs for the entryway and garden.
There is nothing to worry about when paying a heavy amount for these products because it is an investment for generations due to the longer lifespan of the furniture.
A teak dining table can cost around $2500 to $2800, while a pine wood dining table is available only for $580 to $890. However, cheaper ones have a short lifespan and need to be replaced.
Therefore, you can experience the joy of sitting with grandkids on teak dining table sets purchased many years ago without replacing them frequently.
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