Teak Furniture

By Author: BobVennard
Total Articles: 2
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This is impossible for me to answer as a general question since there are so many varying grades of teak furniture. However these grades do pretty much fall into two main groups - good quality teak furniture and premium quality teak furniture.

To tell them apart, there are some easy guidelines that I use.

Good quality teak furniture is usually shipped stained with light teak oil while premium quality teak furniture is usually shipped in its natural state.
Also the finish of premium quality teak furniture is usually sanded much smoother than comparable good quality teak furniture.

If there are any moving parts in the teak furniture, such as folding sections or glides, in good quality teak furniture the fittings are usually made of brass and are screwed into place, while these same fittings are usually made of stainless steel and assembled with dowels (wherever possible) in premium quality teak furniture. (There is really nothing really wrong with either approach, but using screws and brass fittings may possibly shorten the life of some teak furniture. This is because brass fittings are a little weaker ...
... than stainless steel fittings and screws can become a little less secure than dowels.)

Another thing is that good teak furniture is, as a general rule, made a little thinner and lighter than premium teak furniture. For example, a good quality teak glider assembled with screws and brass fittings may weigh only 40 to 50 pounds and last 20 to 50 years while a premium quality teak glider assembled with dowels and stainless steel guides may weigh 50 to 60 pounds and possibly last 60 to 100 years.

Also, a good quality teak table (which has no moving parts) can have a life expectancy considerably longer than a good quality teak glider. The life expectancy of this table may be 40 to 80 years. Yet a comparable premium quality teak table (which has no moving parts) may have a life expectancy of over100 years.

So, when considering your next teak furniture purchase, you might want to ask yourself this question: How long do I need this teak furniture to last?

Since good quality teak furniture can cost 1/3 less than premium quality teak furniture, yet be just as comfortable, it may actually be a very good choice. Yet, in most cases, I would recommend purchasing the premium quality teak furniture product, as its life expectancy can more than double or even quadruple the life expectancy of a comparable good quality teak furniture product, making it a much better bargain in the long run.

So, as you can see, the life expectancy of teak furniture can vary greatly. It depends on the type of product, the method of assembly, the overall weight, and the materials used in its construction.

(One final thought: If a distributor of teak furniture products does not list the weight of a specific item on their website, before making any purchase, you may want to contact them asking for that information and type of materials used in its construction.)
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