While being expensive hardwoods, figuring out teak vs oak in a more detailed comparison will be an interesting thing to discuss. Check out the differences between teak and oaks woods as materials in this article. This article covers information you need to know about the comparison of teak and wood. You may also find the disadvantages of teak wood, other than just the pricey price tag.
Table of Contents
What is Teak?
Teak is often found in Southeast Asia even some countries specifically plant teak trees to handle the high demand from the market. Back then in the 7th century, wealthy people would build their houses with teak wood. Other than that, teak became more common for shipbuilding. However, teak became exploited and it changed so many things in many countries that use teak as the main material to build houses.
Today, the government has more control of teak. Other than creating plantations here and there, cutting and using the wood for building have to follow the government’s rule. Teak, on the other hand, has a highly distinctive characteristic. Even though several users prefer mahogany when it comes to its natural beauty, teak has so many things to offer as well. It has an oily texture and distinctive woody smell.
If designing an entire furniture item is impossible with teak then you can use it to accentuate your favorite item in your house.
The Characteristics of Oak
While teak is more common in Southeast Asia, oak comes from European lands. Today, you can also find the trees in America and other places along the northern hemisphere. Until now, there are at least 600 species of oak – only two of them are the most popular, such as red oak and white oak.
The presence of oak for becoming timbres has been going on and on since centuries ago. Also, it takes 150 years to wait for an oak until it becomes truly mature and ready to harvest for timbre.
Oak, on the other hand, is popular for a reason. As one of the excellent hardwoods, this type of wood is durable, strong, and heavy – makes a strong opponent to teak. This wood also features lighter colors, which you might find a bit rare on many hardwoods available today.
Teak vs Oak Look
Both teak and oak have different appearances that may each of them be distinctive. Teak, for instance, has straight grains with waviness here and there. The texture tends to be oily and the appearance may darken over time. Depending on the variety, teak may come out as golden brown and sometimes yellow – part of the trees highly affect the color, after all.
On the other hand, oak has a lighter color. By that, you can pick any kind and color of stains effortlessly. The grains are mostly straight with uneven textures here and there. Other than that, oak commonly comes with dark striations on the grains that make this wood somehow striking.
Teak vs Oak Strength
Is teak the strongest wood? Well, it is among the strongest and the hardest solid hardwoods. This is why many people prefer this material for outdoor furniture. Other than that, teak contains a high level of natural oil, which helps it resists weather and water very excellently.
Teak also has the ability to keep mold, mildew, and rot at bay. Meanwhile, oak doesn’t feature that level of strength, after all. You may find dents, abrasion, and scratches on oak. Still, you can use oak as an alternative for a strong hardwood with a more make sense price tag.
What about Maintenance?
Another point that deserves a comparison is the maintenance. Whether you are going with teak or oak furniture, you should apply an extent of maintenance to keep the look as best as possible.
Teak, for instance, requires you to apply sealant and special coating regularly. It will keep the surface of the furniture fresh and new. Also, even though teak is highly resilient and can be left outside your house, cleaning the wood is highly needed. Similar to most wood types, teak will turn gray over time. Thus, if you don’t apply sealant or refinish it once in a few years then the appearance might degrade.
Read more about How to Care and Clean Your Lovely Teak Furniture
Oak, meanwhile, requires little to no maintenance in the first place. Once a furniture piece gets a proper finish then it will last a lifetime. Yet, you still need to clean the furniture regularly. Make sure you purchase a cleaning agent designed for oak to clean your favorite items made of oak at home.
Which is More Expensive?
Teak vs oak price might be another interesting point to compare. A dining table made of teak and oak might come up with a different price tag. Teak, on the other hand, is still the most expensive wood today.
Other than that, the money that you have to spend to buy a piece of furniture made of teak is highly affected by the origin of the wood in the first place, the level of quality, and varieties. All in all, buying a dining set made of teak is such a huge investment.
You can read more about How To Buy Teak Furniture
Oak, on the other hand, is more abundant. It also means that the price might not be as high as its friend, teak. Similar to teak, the price that you have to pay depends on the grades and varieties. Thus, if you prefer solid wood but don’t want something pricey then oak is the answer.
Teak vs Oak Durability Comparison Table
| Natural Durability and treatability Parameters | Teak | Oak |
| Resistance for Decay | Very Durable | Durable to poorly durable |
| Resistance to dry wood bores | Durable (sapwood demarcated, risk limited to sapwood) | Durable (sapwood demarcated, risk limited to sapwood) |
| Resistance to termites | Moderately durable | Moderately durable |
| Treatability | Not treatability | Not treatability |
| Use class covered by natural durability | In ground or fresh water contact | Not in ground contact |
| Notes | The durability of teak wood from plantations is much lower than teak from natural forests. | Durability is attributed to the presence of water-soluble tannins. It is reduced by washing out the tannins in case of exposure to harsh conditions. |
Source https://www.itto.int
Final Word
Deciding to buy between teak and oak furniture items is not an easy thing. Both materials will require you to face the price tag while each of them come up with different characters. Thus, at the end of the day, your choice is very personal – and depends on your budget.
And that’s a wrap – this is everything you need to know when it comes to teak vs oak. Teak is always the best option, whether you are looking for indoor or outdoor furniture. Make sure that you only buy teak Indonesian furniture by Posteakfurniture for quality items.
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