Over the last few years there has been a lot of information about the different grades of teak and why people should or should not consider buying one or the other. All wood is graded by grading several factors: hardness, color, and grain are among them. Indeed, the quality of genuine teak is such that even lower grade wood is better than wood of another type. Grade A teak is taken from the oldest growth on the tree, the innermost heartwood. This wood is the hardest, has the straightest grain and the purest color of teak.

Grade A teak is very rare due to the relatively small amount of heartwood present in any tree, as well as the fact that to develop the best heartwood, the teak tree needs to grow to maturity, which can take up to 100 years. . Most of the teak imported into the United States is sourced from government-controlled sustainable teak plantations in Indonesia and Thailand. Most of the teak trees in these plantations reach 20 years of age before harvest, causing the true heartwood to be harvested from the few trees. In fact, true Grade A teak is so rare that there are reports of some dealers “dipping” their teak in an unknown substance, making lesser quality teak appear to be Grade A.

Most teak on the market today is grade B or C. Grade B teak may have some slight color differences and a slightly curved grain. It is very hard (all teak is hard) and durable. Grade C teak has more variation in grain because it is harvested from a mixture of heartwood and sapwood. Color variations of Grade C teak range from lighter shades to darker, richer shades of golden brown.

The biggest indicator that your wood may be submerged is that it is very evenly colored and may feel oily. For those who want the color of Grade A teak and don’t want to pay Grade A prices for their teak furniture, this may be an option. Honestly though, for those who plan on letting their teak age naturally, in a year or so your teak benches, chairs or tables will wear down to the beautiful silver gray – Grade A or Grade C.

Sourcing teak is getting the best quality wood available that will last a lifetime and can be passed down from generation to generation.