Featuring only the highest quality, plantation-grown teak patio furniture!
— all of it is built from premier quality Javanese Tectona Grandis, or true teak which the origin people call “JATI”.
Teak Facts
Teak / Jati / Tectona Grandis Tectona grandis is the Latin name for Teak, and Jati is the Indonesian name for Teak where the lumber comes from. Teak is a hardwood of the family Verbenaceae
Characteristics of the teak tree and its location
Tectona Grandis is said to be indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, and Java. It has been extensively planted for timber or as an ornamental within its natural range and throughout the tropical regions of the world, including East and West Africa, as well as Cuba and the Caribbean, and South America from Panama to Brazil.
Tectona grandis, is not a timber from tropical rainforests, and indeed, teak cannot grow in rainforests – it is a deciduous tree that grows particularly well in the dry, hilly terrain typical of plantation forests in Southeast Asia.
Specifically in Java Indonesia, Perum Perhutani is the government agency that is responsible for managing Indonesia’s extensive forests and plantations. Java has very large Teak plantations which were first planted by the Dutch in the early 1800s. These plantations are now well managed by Perum Perhutani.
Perum Perhutani operates a strict policy regulating the number and size of trees which can be felled, as well as about the number of trees which are replanted to maintain the productivity of the teak forests for future generations. The teak plantations produce a high-value crop that is a very valuable source of income in their local area. And the associated furniture and timber products industry provides regular local employment to many thousands of people.
When the plantation grew the tree will attain a height of up to 45m [150ft] with a dia. 1 – 1.5m [3 – 5ft]. It will be ready for harvesting at around 50 – 60 years. If well maintained the tree can produce a clear stem of up to 30m in length giving a high timber yield. It produces a very large leaf similar to a tobacco leaf which is around 12″ long and wide.
Characteristics of teak wood
Teak is extremely dense [40lbs cu ft when dry] and coarse-grained hardwood.
Teak wood is generally straight-grained but occasionally wavy. It has a coarse and uneven texture. The wood contains a high level of silica which causes rapid blunting of cutting edges. When freshly cut the surface of the wood is dull in appearance, and the timber has a distinctive, pleasantly aromatic odor that has been likened to the smell of leather. Fresh-sawn teak has a slightly ‘oily’ feel due to its high oil content.
One of the most commonly quoted facts about the characteristics of teak is its durability. It is resistant to rot caused by fungal decay, and the high level of resinous oil present in the timber helps to act as a natural insect repellent giving the timber a very high resistance to attack by termites and other wood-boring insects.
The timber is said to be resistant to water and many chemical reagents, including acids. It does not have a strong reaction when it comes in contact with metals.
All these statements regarding the durability of teak are born out by the fact that we can see many instances of the timber which have withstood the test of time when used as key components in the boat building industry, or more sedately when used for making municipal furniture for our parks.
All our Teak Furniture is manufactured from genuine Teak.
Coveted by those with mature gardens, weathered teak furniture brings character and a sense of history to outdoor spaces.
In lustrous hues of gray and silver, weathered teak adds dignity and grace to any garden setting.
With its quiet, stately presence, weathered teak harmonizes with existing structures and is instantly at home in gardens, old and new.
Care & Maintenance
We are often asked about the best ways to care for Teak Furniture. Because of the hard yet forgiving nature of the timber, it will withstand a great deal of abuse. But it will also repay a little tender loving care, so you may care to read through this page and pick up a few hints.
Generally, you can buy our Teak Garden Furniture in one of two conditions: Finely sanded or Oiled with Teak Oil.
Fine Sanded
If you buy your furniture fine sanded it will have only the natural color of the wood coupled with the raw natural texture of the teak grain. The untreated timber is a very pleasant yellow-brown olive color when still fresh.
If your furniture is to be used indoors, and away from a lot of natural sunlight, over some time -perhaps six months to a year – the wood will gradually become a darker shade of brown.
If on the other hand the furniture is left outdoors, the effects of the sun’s rays will ‘bleach out’ the timber’s natural color, gradually turning it into a soft silvery gray color.
This silvery gray ‘patina’ which develops over time gives Teak Furniture a distinctive appearance. The silver-gray color resulting from this natural aging process is considered to be very attractive and allows the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments.
Teak furniture left in this state is easily maintained and needs no treatment whatsoever to give many years of service. And this is about as easy as a maintenance schedule as it’s possible to get!
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Teak Oiled
If you buy your furniture already oiled with teak oil it will have a darker-than-normal mid-brown color and a soft sheen. Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors, and the use of teak oil won’t increase the life of the timber.
It does change the color somewhat and it can also help a little to prevent stains from seeping into the timber grain.
It will slow down the graying effect caused by ultraviolet rays.
To maintain its appearance teak oiled furniture will need to be re-oiled periodically. If you decide to re-oil your furniture you can contact us for supplies of teak oil, or buy from your local supplier.
A basic method for oiling is as follows:
The furniture will need to be cleaned first (see below) Afterwards ensure that it is nice and dry before starting to oil. Have a good look around the furniture first and attend to any areas requiring sanding before starting work.
You will need some teak oil, a clean 1″ or 2″ paint brush, some clean cotton rags, good light, and plenty of space to work in. It can be a little messy so be sure to wear some overalls, and wearing household gloves to keep the oil off your hands is a good idea as well.
The oil can be applied with a clean brush, starting from the top and working downwards. The surface should be left wet by the brush, but try to avoid leaving too much surplus oil behind as you work.
After a few minutes – maybe 5 – 15 depending on the ambient temperature, the oil will start to become ‘tacky’. At this point the surface of the furniture should be wiped down with a clean cotton rag, carefully removing all surplus oil.
One coat is usually sufficient, but you can apply a second coat if required, after a minimum of one hour for the first coat to dry. Once you’ve completed the oiling and the surface is touch dry, a second clean rag can be used to buff up the surface.
Please be sure to dispose of any used rags and cleaning cloths carefully, and by the instructions from the oil manufacturer.
Cleaning Teak Furniture
If your Teak furniture requires cleaning this can be done with a normal household bristle brush [not too hard] and some warm, mild soapy water. Wash down afterward with clean water.
There are also proprietary cleaners on the market that can also be used to clean off various deposits and accumulated dirt and stains.
We do not recommend the use of high-pressure hoses, and steel wool or steel wire brushes should not be used at all as any residue left in the grain will rust and discolor the wood.
If the furniture has some stubborn and heavily ingrained stains these can be removed by sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper, being sure to work only with the direction of the timber grain.
After sanding stains away like this, if the furniture was previously teak oiled you may wish to re-oil, or if it had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing silver-gray patina.
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Teak-Facts
Teak requires no varnishing due to its natural oil content.
Anderson Teak is our (VanBar outdoor teak furniture) source for your Outdoor Teak Furniture.
About Anderson Teak
Anderson Teak is a manufacturer, importer, and distributor of Anderson Teak brand products.
Anderson Teak is a manufacturer specializing in Teak Garden Furniture.
Anderson Teak has more experience than any other company in this field.
Anderson Teak makes the furniture from kiln-dried first-grade plantation grew teak-wood (Tectona Grandis) from legal sources in Indonesia.
Anderson Teak only uses marine-grade brass and stainless steel fitting for our furniture.
Anderson Teak furniture is manufactured at a higher standard compared to other teak garden furniture.
Anderson Teak assembles our furniture using the traditional method of mortise and tenon joints with teak-wood dowels.
Mortise-and-tenon joints are one of the strongest and most used joints in woodworking. Mortise-and-tenon joinery is used for almost any project that has frame construction and needs to be as strong as possible
Anderson Teak is the main and first-hand source for retail stores, wholesalers, and even importers in Teak Garden Furniture.
Our furniture is built with pride and confidence.
Made from high-quality material and hardware that makes the furniture last long for generations.