Teak: The Best Timber for Outdoor Furniture

At The Teak Place, teak isn't just one of the timbers we work with. It's the only one. For three decades we've built outdoor furniture from a single material, because nothing else stands up to the weather the way teak does. If you're new to teak, this guide explains what makes it so special, how to tell good teak from ordinary teak, why it changes colour over time, and how to keep your pieces looking their best for decades to come.

Why teak is the best timber for outdoor furniture

Teak (Tectona grandis) has been the first choice for shipbuilders and outdoor makers for centuries, and for good reason. Where most timbers crack, rot or grey into ruin after a few seasons outside, teak was built by nature to live in the open air.

• Natural oils that never run out. Teak's heartwood is rich in natural oils and resins that repel water from the inside out. Unlike a surface coating, these oils are part of the wood itself, so teak keeps protecting itself year after year, through rain, frost, blazing sun and salt air.
• Naturally weatherproof. Those same oils, together with a high silica content, make teak naturally resistant to rot, mould, warping and swelling. It shrugs off moisture that would destroy lesser timbers.
• Termites aren't interested. Teak's oils make it naturally unappealing to termites and wood boring insects, which is one of the reasons it's trusted in the harshest climates.
• Dense, tight grain. Slow grown teak has a tight, even grain that gives it real strength and dimensional stability, so it holds its shape and its joints stay tight.
• Built to last decades. Looked after well, a quality teak piece will serve you for decades. Many outlast the homes they sit beside. That is why we say it's furniture the weather can't beat.

What Grade A teak really means

Not all teak is equal, and the word teak on a label tells you very little on its own. Teak is commonly sorted into three grades.

• Grade A. The dense, oil rich heartwood from the centre of a mature tree. It has an even honey brown colour, a tight grain and a naturally smooth, slightly oily feel. This is the teak that performs outdoors.
• Grade B. The outer heartwood. Lighter in colour, with less oil and a less even grain. It's often stained to imitate Grade A, but that finish fades within a season.
• Grade C. The soft, pale sapwood from the outer tree. Low in oil and prone to warping, cracking and decay. It has no place in furniture meant to live outside.

At The Teak Place we work only with premium, A grade plantation heartwood. There's less of it in each tree and it costs more, but it's the only part of the timber with the oil content and density to genuinely earn the name. Whenever you're shopping for teak, from us or anyone else, look for an even golden brown colour, a tight grain, a solid and slightly oily feel, and proper solid timber joinery. Those are the signs of the real thing.

Sustainably grown, responsibly sourced

Good teak and responsible teak go hand in hand. Our timber is plantation grown in Java and Sulawesi, the part of the world with the volcanic soil, rainfall and tropical warmth that grows the finest Tectona grandis.

Indonesian plantation teak is grown and harvested under a managed, regulated system. Trees are planted, grown to maturity over decades, selectively harvested and then replanted, so the forest renews itself. Choosing plantation teak means you're not drawing on wild or old growth forests. It's the responsible way to enjoy this remarkable timber. And because a teak piece lasts for decades rather than a few seasons, it's a genuinely sustainable choice. Buy it once, keep it for life.

We've been a family run business since 1995, and that long view is exactly how we think about both our furniture and where it comes from.

The silver grey patina: teak's natural beauty

Left outdoors, teak slowly changes colour. Over the first months and seasons the warm honey gold mellows to a soft, elegant silver grey. This is completely natural, and it's worth understanding, because it's the single most misunderstood thing about teak.

First, the important part. The colour change is purely cosmetic. It happens only on the very surface of the wood, as UV light greys the top layer. Underneath, the timber is exactly as strong, oily and weatherproof as the day it was made. Greying does not weaken teak in any way.

So you have two equally valid choices, and both protect the wood.

• Let it silver. Do nothing but keep it clean, and your teak settles into a refined silver grey. It's the lowest maintenance path, and many people's favourite look.
• Keep it golden. If you prefer the original honey tone, an occasional application of teak oil or sealer maintains the warm colour. That's about looks, not protection. Teak doesn't need oil to survive.

Either way, the wood is happy. It's purely a matter of taste.

Caring for your teak

Teak is famously low maintenance. It does most of the work itself. To keep yours looking its best:

• Clean it once or twice a year. Mix a little mild soap with warm water and scrub gently along the grain with a soft brush or sponge, then rinse and let it dry. That's enough to lift dirt, keep mildew at bay, and keep that silver grey looking clean and even.
• Skip the pressure washer. High pressure tears out the soft fibres between the grain and leaves the surface rough. Gentle always wins.
• Want the golden look back? A light clean, and if needed a fine sand or a dedicated teak cleaner, followed by teak oil will restore the warm tone. You'll find everything you need in our Care and Accessories range.

Why teak develops checks, and why it's nothing to worry about

From time to time you may notice fine cracks, called checks, appearing along the surface or the ends of a teak piece. This is normal, natural and expected. Every honest teak maker will tell you the same.

Teak is a natural material, and like all timber it's hygroscopic. It takes up and releases moisture from the air around it. As the weather shifts between humid and dry, hot and cool, the wood expands and contracts ever so slightly. Those tiny movements relieve themselves as fine surface checks, most often in the first few months as a piece settles into your climate, or after a change of season.

The key thing to know is that checking is surface deep and cosmetic. It does not affect the strength, structure or lifespan of your furniture, and it isn't a fault or a sign of poor quality. It's simply wood behaving like wood. Many people grow to love it, because those fine lines give each piece its own character. If you'd ever like to minimise their appearance, keeping the timber clean and lightly oiled helps.

Frequently asked questions about teak

Does teak furniture need to be oiled?

No. Teak's own oils protect it for life, so oiling is never required for durability. Oil is purely cosmetic. Use it only if you want to keep the golden brown colour rather than letting the wood silver naturally.

Why is my teak turning grey, or black?

Grey is natural and beautiful. It's the surface weathering to a silver patina, and the wood underneath is unaffected. A dark, blotchy grey black is different. That's dirt and mildew from a lack of cleaning, not the timber itself. A gentle wash with mild soapy water brings the clean silver grey back.

Are cracks (checks) in my teak a defect?

No. Fine surface checks are a normal feature of natural timber as it expands and contracts with the weather. They're cosmetic only and don't affect strength or longevity. If anything, they add character.

Is plantation teak as good as old growth teak?

Premium A grade plantation heartwood gives you the oil content, density and weather resistance teak is famous for, without drawing on wild forests. It's the quality you want and the responsible choice, which is why it's the only teak we use.

How long will teak outdoor furniture last?

With nothing more than the occasional clean, quality teak lasts for decades, often outliving the home it sits beside. It really is buy it once furniture.