Choosing Teak Wood Grade. Everyone knows that teak wood is excellent in furniture industry. You could say that teak wood is perfect, very durable, and very strong so that it is resistant to extreme weather changes in a 4 season country and is immune to any insect attack. But have you ever really known that not all teak wood is of good quality?
The quality of teak wood is classified into 3 grades, namely grade A, grade B, and grade C. Grade A Teak is more expensive than Grade B Teak, and Grade B Teak is more expensive than Grade C Teak. Variations in the price of teak wood furniture in various furniture shops in Indonesia.
Teak Wood Grade A
Grade A teak wood is the best quality teak wood. This teak wood comes from the center or heart of the teak tree (heartwood) with a tree age of at least 40 years. Grade A can be seen from the fibers that are straight and aligned, the color is uniform, the fibers are very tight, and feels a bit greasy when touched by the surface of the wood. It is this oil that gives teak wood such great resistance that it can withstand extreme weather (usually in 4 season countries) and insect attacks including termites. However, this part is only about 25% of the entire log, and this is what makes it rare and very expensive.
Teak Wood Grade B
Grade B Teak wood comes from the outermost part of the heartwood of the teak tree (heartwood), this part is 25% – 30% of the entire tree trunk. Compared to grade A teak, grade B teak has a slightly lighter color, less irregular fibers, and less glossy, because it contains less oil than grade A teak. The grain of the wood fiber is not as dense as grade A wood, but grade B wood is still good for use as raw material for furniture or furniture.
Teak Wood Grade C
The quality of Grade C teak is arguably low. This teak wood comes from the outermost part of the teak tree trunk (sapwood) and immature teak trees. This part takes about 40% of the entire teak tree trunk. Grade C Teak wood does not have oil that can protect the wood, it is white in color, and is usually filled with wood scratches or scribbles. Even though it comes from the same teak tree, grade C does not have the same quality or durability as grade A. Usually grade C is priced far below the price of grade B and grade A, for those of you with a minimal budget, this might be the right choice.
CONCLUSION
Everything comes back to your needs, if you are going to put your teak furniture outdoors (outdoor) and you live in an area with extreme weather with 4 seasons then you need grade A teak furniture. However, if you have a small budget, then you want quality that is close to grade A, and you live in Indonesia, you can still use grade B, and so on.
IMPORTANT: The difference between grade A, grade B, and grade C teak wood is very difficult to distinguish when the furniture has been coated or finished because the color will be the same. You certainly don’t want to be fooled, do you? So make sure you choose a furniture vendor, furniture shop or craftsman who is honest and trustworthy.
Choosing Teak Wood Grade