Home What Is Grade A Teak
What Is Grade A Teak
Grade A teak is heartwood from the center of a mature teak log: dense, oily and evenly golden. No agency certifies the letter, so it is a seller grade. Check the species name, the weight and how the piece is dried and joined.
Grade A, B and C teak
- Grade A
- Heartwood from the center of a mature log: even golden brown, dense, oily, few knots. The grade sellers use for outdoor furniture.
- Grade B
- Outer heartwood: lighter and less even in color, less natural oil.
- Grade C
- Mostly sapwood: pale, blotchy, far less resistant to decay outdoors.
The letters come from the teak trade. There is no single industry standard or certificate behind them.
Plantation vs old growth
Almost all teak furniture today is plantation grown. Myanmar banned log exports in 2014, and the US Treasury sanctioned its state timber exporter in April 2021. The USDA Wood Handbook rates old growth teak very resistant to decay and young growth teak moderately resistant. In a Brazilian plantation study, heartwood rose from 16 percent of the log at 5 years to 60 percent at 20, which is why mature heartwood matters.
Every piece we carry from Anderson Teak is solid teak, from teak garden benches and teak dining chairs to teak rocking chairs.
Anderson lists its Indonesian teak under SVLK, Indonesia legal timber system. SVLK and FSC certify where the wood came from, not its grade.
How to tell real teak
- Weight
- Solid teak feels heavy for its size.
- Feel and smell
- Raw teak feels slightly oily and has a leathery smell when sanded.
- Color and grain
- Golden to medium brown heartwood with a straight grain; outdoors it weathers to silver gray, not black.
- Label
- Look for Tectona grandis. Teak finish, teak color or teak oil says nothing about the wood.
Kiln dried and why it matters
Wood shrinks and swells as it gives up or takes on water. Anderson kiln dries its teak to 8 to 12 percent moisture before it is cut and joined, so the finished piece moves less between seasons and is less likely to crack. Mortise and tenon joints, cut into each other rather than only screwed, keep the frame tight as the wood moves.
Sources USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook, BioResources, age and teak heartwood, Anderson Teak FAQ, US Treasury, Myanma Timber Enterprise sanctions, Forest Trends, Myanmar timber legality, Kingsley Bate FAQ, Country Casual, how to care for outdoor teak. Checked October 4, 2026.
Short answers
Teak grade questions
The long ones go to help@teakpatiostore.com.
What does grade A teak wood mean
Heartwood from the center of a mature log, with even color, high density and natural oil. It is a trade term, not a certified grade.
Which grade of teak is best for outdoor furniture
Grade A heartwood. It holds the most natural oil and resists decay best. Grade C sapwood is a poor choice outdoors.
Is grade A teak certified
No. No agency grades teak furniture. FSC and Indonesia SVLK certify legal and managed sources, not the grade.
How long does it take teak to turn gray
About 9 to 12 months outdoors by Kingsley Bate, 1 to 2 years by Country Casual. Anderson says strength stays the same. A sealer slows it.
Grade A teak pieces in stock
Seats 4
Windsor 5-Piece Teak Set$3,650Square teak table with four sculpted armchairs, sized for a patio corner.
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Seats 4
Classic Teak Bench, 6 ft$1,650Contoured 6 ft teak bench with a curved back, heavy enough for public parks.
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Chair
Modern Teak Rocker$1,300Tall concave-back teak rocker for porches and patios.
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Seats 10
Chelsea Teak Table, 92 in$3,000Solid 92 in teak dining table with wide, thick boards.
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