Kiln Drying Teak Wood – It’s Key

In choosing the best outdoor teak furniture in the market place, there are many factors to consider. The raw material, manufacturing process and craftsmanship are all important. One of the most important aspects of quality outdoor furniture is the kiln drying teak wood process.

Kiln drying teak wood makes the best furniture

Kiln drying teak wood is the process of taking moisture out of the wood. This is important, because the moisture in the teak wood (or any wood) is what causes the finished product to shrink or expand with changes in temperature and humidity.

If you’ve had hardwood floors, you have likely seen gaps and cracks come and go in the floor. This is the planks expanding and shrinking throughout the season.

One of six room sized kilns for kiln drying teak wood

Kiln drying teak wood in the manufacture of furniture is even more important. If joints expand or contract too much, the furniture may become unusable.

The process of drying teak wood takes a long time, as the wood must be dried slowly so that it does not crack. Our partner factory in Thailand dries the raw materials to 8% moisture content. This process takes approximately three weeks and must be carefully monitored. Many competitors only dry the wood to 15% or 20% moisture content. Some skip this process entirely, or just put the wood out in the sun for a few days and say it has been dried. The finished furniture made from these wetter planks will not last as long as properly kiln dried teak wood.

The result of properly kiln drying teak wood is a product that will last a very long time, assuming it is properly constructed. Even well-constructed products will not last as long if not properly dried.

In the worst case, nails will pop out of the wood as the material expands. (Nails and brads should not be used in premium outdoor furniture.) Even a well-constructed mortise and tenon joint may fail if the wood is not kiln dried properly.

Teak dowels popping out because the wood was not kiln dried satisfactorily

Nails popping out of cheap teak furniture

If you see gaps or spaces in joints when looking at teak furniture in the showroom, this is an indication that the wood was not properly kiln dreid and the joints have already started to be compromised even before the product gets to you home.

Read our other blogs and visit our teak furniture website to learn why teak from Thailand is the best and how not all teak furniture is created equally.

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