How is teak wood different from other types of wood used to make outdoor furniture?
Three other types of wood typically used to make outdoor, patio, and garden furniture are Niota, Shorea and Rubberwood. Niota wood is significantly cheaper than teak, slightly less durable, and only indigenous to certain areas of China. Because of unregulated harvesting and the limited natural population, Niota wood is likely to be extinct within the next decade. Shorea wood is another competitor, but is nowhere near the quality of teak. It grows much faster than teak, looks like teak, and is about half the price of teak which is why many manufacturers are attracted to it; but it begins to check and split within 4 to 5 years and generally fails inside of 10 years. Rubberwood is attractive and resembles maple in grain, but in order to be suitable for outdoor use it must be heavily sealed which takes away from the beauty of the natural wood grain. Teak wood requires no seal because the internal oil content makes it naturally water repellent and insect deterrent. It is grown on a regulate
