How to Identify Real Teak Wood

According to teak connoisseurs, there exist a few key details to keep an eye on when inspecting teak wood:

Grain: First and foremost, teak has a long, straight grain. Cheaper teak will have larger knots. 

Color: The color of teak will vary from species to species, but the highest quality teak will have a golden-brown color. 

Scent: Teak has a natural oil content which makes it resistant to water, bacteria, and pests. That oil has a distinct smell, almost like leather. Higher quality wood will have more oil, which means you’ll pick up on the scent easier, especially right out of the box. 

Weight: Real teak is very hard and very heavy. It will have a hard surface that shouldn’t break or crack.

Water-test: With high quality teak, water droplets should sit on the surface and not immediately soak in. 

All of these details need to be taken into account when evaluating teak wood for its authenticity and quality. It’s important to note here that teak’s unique coloring will continue to change over time. Even the most well-built teak furniture will begin to look worn and weathered as it continues to age. Not to worry! A nice cleaning will have your furniture looking brand new again. But it is these changes, throughout time, which have consumers a bit skeptical. Just keep those key factors (listed above) in mind when checking out new pieces of furniture, and you will never be fooled again.

For the best selection of teak furniture, check out our lineup of Grade-A, kiln-dried teak furniture from our friends over at AndersonTeak! https://backyard-comforts.com/collections/anderson-teak-wood

Credit / Inspiration: (Two very good reads as well)

https://startwoodworkingnow.com/how-to-identify-real-teak-wood/

https://www.hineighbor.com/blogs/the-journal/how-to-identify-teak-wood