Teak Furniture – Important Information and Facts about Teak
Teak is not only the most desired material for wooden garden furniture but for all types of outdoor furniture. This tropical hardwood which is native to south and south-east Asia is sought after for its unique properties that make it ideal for outdoor applications. Its natural oils make it literally immune to the harsh outdoor conditions including rain, humidity, direct sunlight exposure, temperature extremes and even termites and other wood-eating insects that pose a major threat to other types of wood. Buying teak garden furniture, however, does not necessarily mean that your furniture has all the mentioned properties.
It is highly important to be aware that there are three teak grades and that the difference in quality between these three grades is enormous. Garden furniture which is made from grade A teak offers all the advantages of teak outdoor furniture and needs no protection against the outdoor elements whatsoever. Grade A refers to timber which is taken from the central section or heartwood of mature trees and is high in teak's natural oils and low in moisture content.
Grade B teak furniture is also made from heartwood but the timber is obtained from semi-mature trees which are lower in oil content than mature trees. This type of teak furniture is therefore less resistant to the outdoor conditions as well as less durable. Grade C teak refers to the lowest quality timber which contains little or no teak's natural oils because the timber is taken from the outer sections of the tree rather than the centre. Furniture made from grade C teak is relatively inexpensive, however, since it contains only a trace of teak's natural oils it cannot withstand the effects of the weather and other outdoor elements longer than one season.
Different teak furniture manufacturers do not only use different teak grades but they have different quality manufacturing standards as well. It is not difficult to determine which pieces of furniture are made according to the best practices and which ones are not if you take a closer look at the details. This, unfortunately, is not possible if you are considering buying teak garden furniture online because just about all pieces of furniture look perfect in the photo galleries. In order to avoid overpaying for poorly made furniture, it is a good idea to buy furniture from reputable brands who offer money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with their products. Also, pay attention to the length of guarantee as the brands which are 100% certain in quality of their teak garden furniture typically offer a 10-year guarantee.
In the end, it is important to mention that over time, teak's colour changes from golden brown into silvery grey. This is completely normal process and does not have any effect on strength and durability of the furniture. Garden furniture which is made from grade A teak according to the highest quality manufacturing standards does not need any care other than routine cleaning to keep it in top shape.