What does A-Grade Teak mean?
At Design Warehouse we are renowned for crafting outdoor furniture using A-Grade teak wood, but have you ever wondered why? We love A-Grade teak for so many reasons, starting with the fact that it is the finest quality teak wood available, and comes from the heart of the tree. Its beauty is unsurpassable, and you’ll find it within our outdoor dining table offering, chairs, deep seating collections and more. But as well as being the best looking, densest quality wood of the tectona grandis tree, it withstands the elements like no other, and can stay looking beautiful forever.
Why is A-Grade teak such a great choice for outdoor furniture in particular?
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Outdoor furniture, A-Grade Teak[/caption]
Teak as a premium material for outdoor living has a long and impressive history. It has always been the premium natural material for anything exposed to moisture, UV rays, or otherwise harsh environments, as its dense oils allow the wood to resist inclement weather, temperature changes, and amazingly, even damaging pests.
It will easily outlast other natural materials like other hardwoods and softwoods, and as aforementioned, continues to look absolutely beautiful while performing. If you look carefully, you’ll spot century-old marine teak park benches dotted all over Europe made from timber sourced from dismantled ships – a sure fire testament to the durability of the much-loved wood!
Take a look at some of our chic and comfortable sun loungers if you’re thinking of upgrading your poolside paradise, safe in the knowledge that they only get better with age.
A-Grade teak, an A-Grade flawless finish
A-Grade teak begins its life as a blonde, with subtle honey and warm wheat colour variances. This makes it such a great choice if like us, you’re a true aesthete when it comes to choosing the pieces that make up your outdoor space. It does not contain the same undesirable elements of the lesser quality wood in the tree, and is also incredibly dense, with natural oils and rubber compounds and silica that are naturally present within the wood itself.
The fact that it has no cracks, knots, splits, signs of infestation or damage that can affect the integrity of the wood as it ages, means it will remain looking good for its lifetime. We love that it also matures into a very distinguished silvery grey over time, making for a soft neutral that slips effortlessly into any palette.
Have a peek at our stunning Ibiza collection for an indulgent use of A-Grade teak – it’s warm, sensuous and oh so gorgeous!
Sustainability and traceability
As with any material in 2022, teak should always be sourced from reputable and sustainable sources. And there are so many reasons for this that go beyond just the quality of the wood. Improper or irresponsible sourcing can lead to lower total quality of available stock, as well as poor ecological conditions in the local source areas and market instability. These all have a real effect on the end product you receive, the price you pay for it and the long-term viability of the teak market and timber sources.
A-grade Teak from Design Warehouse
At Design Warehouse we have long nurtured relationships with trusted suppliers, and source only from the finest Javanese plantations. We only use sustainably harvested Javanese teak for our furniture that has been obtained from the government agency Perum Perhutani, which controls the access to and harvesting of tectona grandis. Perum Perhutani’s carefully crafted initiatives and continued regulation of the teak farms allows sustainability to be always top of mind, and the limitation of the felling of teak trees on an annual basis helps to promote further reforestation.
We are proud of the fact that we are proponents of responsible harvesting practices, and the quality of mature trees (40+ years old) is exponentially better than the younger trees harvested in newer, less stable and less credible plantations. All the more reason to choose our A-Grade teak pieces, safe in the knowledge that you’re putting community and the planet first.
If you have more questions about any of the above, don’t hesitate to call us or drop into our Parnell teak furniture showroom today. Our pieces come fully assembled and can be picked up, ready to go from our distribution centre. Alternatively, we can ship your new pieces to anywhere, using our astute delivery service. For more information please call our dedicated team of professionals – we’d love to help, or for more inspiration see our Instagram feed
Design Warehouse has been manufacturing and supplying luxury outdoor furniture to architects, designers, landscapers, hotels, resorts and private residences for over 25 years, so when we say we know what’s best for outdoor style… you can rest assured that we have the knowledge to back it up.