The true cost of Teak wood for outdoor furniture
Like me, you might have wondered why teak outdoor furniture is so expensive. Take a chaise lounger for example. Prices range from just over $100 for an aluminum one up to $2000 for a teak chaise lounger. Adirondack chairs can start at $70 going up to almost $1000 each! Why the huge price difference? They all look about the same, yes have different materials, and different colors, but all are about the same size and shape.
One of the huge factors in the cost difference is how long your patio furniture will last. Aluminum might last two seasons before starting to break down. Plastic will hold out for about three seasons before being dangerous, I mean being brittle and starting to break into pieces. Wicker normally will last you five years, while oak and cedar could last ten or more years if you take proper care of them. Teak wood has been known to last 60-75 years without doing anything except the normal cleaning that you would do with any outdoor furniture. An aluminum set might cost $100 or less but will last about 2 seasons before you have to work on it.
Another factor in the cost is the availability of the materials. Aluminum is easily made as is cast iron; oak and cedar can be found almost anywhere. Wicker is also easily found. Genuine teak wood is grown on government-regulated plantations in Indonesia. Some of the regulations include but are not limited to are, replacement of every tree cut, each tree must be a certain age before being harvested, and only a certain amount of trees can be harvested every year. Be cautious of some “non-genuine” teak. Some outdoor furniture is called teak but does not come from Indonesia, these do not have all the properties of genuine teak wood.
Life expectancy and availability of materials are two factors in the cost of new outdoor furniture. Now let’s add the hidden costs. Aluminum patio furniture usually has fabric webbing; you must replace this every so often. Cast iron needs to be painted so it won’t rust as fast, oak and cedar need to be painted or varnished, and these also need to be stored inside during the harsh months of winter, if you want them to last more than a few years. None of these are required for teak wood.
With wood outdoor furniture you have another problem that needs to be attended to, bugs. Termites love wood. Maple, oak, and cedar wood have a scent to them that termites just can’t resist. With these woods, you will need to fight off the bugs just so you can enjoy your favorite lounger to relax in. Now teak on the other hand has a natural oil that bugs don’t like right inside the wood. Termites don’t like the flavor of teak wood you get to enjoy your teak lounger without worry.
Plastic, aluminum, oak, maple, cedar, and most other outdoor patio furniture materials will not last as long, look as good, withstand the weather, and are as low maintenance as teak wood. With all of this information in your procession now, is teak wood more expensive? The answer is simply no, teak is less expensive.
About the Author
Bruce Gokey is Co-Owner of VanBar’s Outdoor Patio he has a passion for “the great outdoor experience” and is responsible for the general operations of VanBar’s Patio Furniture
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