Teak wood for outdoor furniture

Teak wood (Tectona grandis) is expensive wood but it has very good quality. It can be used for many purposes in the woodworking industry. In the furniture industry, teak wood is most used as substrate for the outdoor furniture. It is durable, strong and easy to be machined, drilled and handled in the woodworking. With proper treatment it can produce furniture with a very good performance. Various types of outdoor furniture such as chairs garden, garden table, bench, can be made with teak wood and marketed with high price. The teak wood furniture is well known as premium product with excellent quality. Teak wood has a beautiful grain pattern. It has light brown base color which is liked by many peoples. The teak wood also contains oils inside that preserve it from the insect attacked. The teak wood actually is available in some several quality grade. The A grade teak which is the most expensive is the wood with no knot, no defect, uniform color, and regular grain pattern. The cheaper grade is the wood with some knots, defect or uneven color.

 teak wood round table

In Indonesia, the teak wood with best quality is produced by PT Perhutani, the teak plantation company own by the Indonesia government. PT Perhutani which has been planting teak since hundreds years ago is a well organized teak plantation. It has knowledge, technology, and experienced to produce teak wood with the best quality. The teak wood can also be obtained from the resident plantation. There are many peoples in Java and Sumatra who planting the teak wood in their own land. The teak from resident plantation usually has cheaper price but the quality is not as good as the teak wood from PT Perhutani.

 teak wood square table

Finishing for teak outdoor furniture. 

Most of the teak outdoor furniture are marketed in the unfinished condition. This wood has a golden brown base color with a very nice looked grain pattern. Naturally the unfinished wood has already given nice, elegant looked furniture product. The improper finish even may ruin the beauty of the wood. The recommended finishing to the teak wood is the transparent color finish or wood color finish. Avoid too thick film layer since it may against with its natural beauty. For the outdoor furniture, then we have to use the finishing materials that is designed for outdoor uses. Spar varnish, teak oil finish, PU outdoor or outdoor water based paint are the proper material to finish the teak wood furniture.

Paint finish or solid color should be avoided as well as the wash finish. The teak oil inside the wood will come out and interfere the color and appearance of the finish. The oil finish is also good for the teak wood. It is simple and be able to produce a beautiful and naturally wood looked. If we want more complicated finish, then we have to use the special pigment and clear coating for outdoor uses. Spar varnish, outdoor PU or outdoor water based coating are the proper material to finish the teak wood furniture.

teak wood sitting chair

The wood moisture content.

As the other wood product, the teak wood has to meet the moisture standard of wood product. The wet wood is high risk to many problem such as: fungi, crack or other construction problem. The wet wood is also make the oil problem become worst. 

The drying process to the teak wood is quite difficult. It needs quite time and good control. Too fast drying process could to change its base color of the wood and ruin the appearance of the wood.

 teak wood bar chair