Products:

Why is teak wood the best for outdoor furniture?
Only teak wood has the unique combination of very high density and high natural oil content.  Some other woods will have one or the other, but not both.  It seems every couple of years there is “the new teak” on the market.  But none of these imitators (Ipe, shorea, eucalyptus, acacia) have the same properties.
Why is country of origin important?

Teak wood is indigenous to Thailand, Burma and parts of India and native to the soil there.  It is not native to Indonesia and China which is where a majority of the mass produced teak furniture products in the U.S. market are from.  Thai Teak is denser and has a higher natural oil content than teak from other countries.“The location and climatic conditions where the tree grows makes a drastic difference in the proportion and formation of heartwood.  Teak, scientifically known as Tectna grandis L.f., is a tropical hardwood species native to southeast  Asia (India, Malaysia, Thailand and Burma).  This species grows in moist tropical climate having rainfall of 1500-2000 mm with a marked 3-5 months dry season. Though teak can withstand high moisture than above, the quality of wood might be poor (color, texture and density) due to fast growth rate.  “  – Finto Antony, Assistant Research Scientist at Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia

What are the different grades of teak wood?
Grade A teak wood comes from the heartwood, or the center of the tree.  The center of the tree is denser and has a higher oil content then the outer part of the tree – the sapwood.  Premium outdoor teak furniture made with Grade A teak will appear darker than other teak due to the high oil content.  This dark honey brown is one way to identify premium grade A teak furniture.  Grades B and C come from outer portions of the tree, is younger and has more sapwood.  Atlanta Teak Furniture uses only the best Grade A teak.
What manufacturing and production issues should a customer look for in premium outdoor teak furniture?

There are several things that you should look for in the best teak furniture:

  • Mortise and tenon joinery. The main joints should be mortise and tenon.  Avoid any products that use nails or brads.  Premium furniture will not use these.  A screw is better as a minimum standard, if a mortise and tenon can’t be used.
  • Kiln drying. Atlanta Teak Furniture’s products are kiln dried to 8%-12% moisture.  This is a process that takes almost three weeks as the wood must be dried slowly.  Removing the moisture from the wood will limit the shrinking and expanding, which can cause cracks, splits, etc.
  • Cracks, splits or separation of the joints are an indication of wood that was not properly dried. If there are any cracks or splits in the showroom, they will quickly get worse when exposed to the elements.
  • Joints separation is an indication of moist wood, poor joint construction or both
  • Premium outdoor teak furniture should always be unfinished.  A brand new teak product should have no stains, finishes, washes or colors applied.  These are all an indication of trying to hide imperfections in the quality of the product.

Click here for more information: How to distinguish quality outdoor teak furniture

Can you give us some shopping tips?

Can do.  We’ve covered what to look for a few times in our blogs.  Check these out for some more information to make your shopping trip successful.
https://www.atlantateak.com/tips-preparing-shop-outdoor-teak-furniture/

https://www.atlantateak.com/distinguish-quality-outdoor-teak-furniture/

https://www.atlantateak.com/where-to-find-the-best-teak-furniture-georgia/

Is all teak wood the same?
No!  There are many factors that contribute to finding the best raw material in the world for outdoor teak furniture.  Some of these factors are:  country of origin, age of tree, grade and color.   Read Teak Furniture from Atlanta Teak Furniture to learn more about our teak wood.You can also read our blogs on the subject, starting with How to shop for teak furniture and Why Thai Teak is the Best, too.To learn about teak trees from the ground to your patio, Outdoor Teak Furniture – from sapling to your backyard.
Why is the age of the tree important?
The older the tree, the denser the wood and the higher the natural oil content will be.  A 40 year old teak tree has more than double the natural oil content versus a 20 year old tree.  Atlanta Teak Furniture’s partner factory uses only trees that are at least 40 years old for our premium outdoor teak furniture.  Many of the mass produced and popular brands use trees that are 20 years old or younger.

Why is some teak furniture darker than others in the showroom?

Again, the higher oil content, grade A, 40 year old teak wood will be darker than younger trees, sapwood and lower oil content raw materials.  So, the darker honey brown color, the better.  Premium outdoor teak furniture made from this quality raw material should last a lifetime.

Ok, dark color is the best. Any other tips for identifying the best outdoor teak furniture?
In addition to the dark color, look for the lack of knots in the wood.  Knots are on the outside of the tree near the sapwood.  The heartwood of the teak tree will have very few knots or imperfections.  Also, the manufacturing processes are very important.
I don’t see exactly what I want on your website. Can you help me?

Yes.  Since we are the only company in the U.S. that partners with our factory, we inventory everything we sell.  We try to have the most popular items in stock all the time.  However, we can’t carry every possible variation of outdoor teak furniture products.  We can work with you to special order exactly what you need.

Is teak furniture environmentally friendly?

But, of course.  Teak furniture is 100% natural.  Also, premium, grade A teak furniture does not require any chemicals, sealants, etc that can harm the environment.Unlike other outdoor furniture products, teak is biodegradable and can be recycled.  Metal, plastic, polywood products will only fill up the landfills.Additionally, Atlanta Teak Furniture is committed to recycling.  Read more at: Environmentally Friendly Outdoor Furniture.

DECISIONS Which table, which chair…will it fit?

You may freely mix and match any style chair with any shape table. If you need to measure up, consideration must be given to the style of chair/chairs required as well as the size and shape of the table. To help with this we include dimensions on our site for each piece of furniture, showing height, width and depth measurements, allowing you to precisely match furniture with the area available.

Do you sell other kinds of outdoor furniture other than teak?

No.  We are singularly focused on premium outdoor teak furniture and strive to be the best in that market.  We do not sell wicker, poly-resin, aluminum, steel or any other outdoor furniture.

Will all my items be the same color?

Essentially, yes.  All our products are 100% natural Thai teak wood.  We do not use any stains, tints, protectors, etc.  However, there will be some natural variations in wood products just as nature intended.  The “out of the box” differences in color tend to decrease as the products age.