Teak and Oak are two of the most esteemed hardwoods utilised in furniture design, renowned for their exceptional durability, strength and timeless visual appeal. While both are wildly popular, each boasts unique quirks and qualities that set them apart.

In this guide, we’ll offer a detailed side-by-side comparison of Teak and Oak, considering their longevity, style, maintenance, budget, and sustainability. Explore the pros and cons below to make an informed choice for your next furniture investment, whether for your living room, dining room or outdoor space.

A Brief Introduction to Teak and Oak 

To get started, let’s dive into the backgrounds of these two popular timbers and how they came to be so revered. 

Teak Wood

Teak is a tropical hardwood derived from teak trees, known scientifically as Tectona grandis, native to South and Southeast Asia. These majestic trees grow tall and straight, taking at least 25 years to reach maturity, though they can live for up to a century. Its close grain and high oil and mineral content make this timber impressively strong, durable, and resilient. These qualities make Teak a highly prized material in construction, especially for boatbuilding, crafting elegant furniture, and creating robust door and window frames.

Oak Wood

Oak wood comes from oak trees, of which there are roughly 500-600 species worldwide, mainly in Europe and North America. The trees are known for their grand trunks, charming acorns and distinctively shaped leaves. They can reach heights of up to 30 metres and live for an incredible 1,000 years, although a lifespan of around 600 years is more typical in many locations. Felling an oak tree yields a substantial amount of strong, durable hardwood with a rich, golden hue. This timber has been the cornerstone of construction, furniture-making, and carpentry for centuries, with buildings and artefacts crafted from oak still standing strong today.

Evaluation: Comparing Teak and Oak 

Durability and Longevity

Durability is vital when choosing furniture. It ensures long-term performance, saves money in replacement costs and promotes sustainability by minimising production and waste. Fortunately, both Teak and Oak are solid hardwoods celebrated for their strength. At Sustainable Furniture, we also use reclaimed timber, which has seasoned and hardened over time, improving its resistance to warping and splitting. To understand more about the robustness and longevity of each wood, see our evaluation below.

Teak:

Teak wood is known for its dense, close-grained structure, which gives it exceptional strength. The timber, especially from the innermost heartwood, is naturally rich in oils and minerals, providing several key benefits:

• Resistance to rot
• Insect repellent
• Fungal deterrence
• Water resistance

To enhance these natural beneficial properties, we finish our Teak furniture with a fine wax coating, adding extra protection. Also, Teak can withstand the elements better than most woods, so you can confidently use it as garden furniture. The cosmetic appearance may change with time, but it will retain its structural integrity. 

Oak:

Oak is similarly durable. Since Oak trees can mature up to 150 years before being harvested, it gives time for its wood to become robust, heavy, and dense – perfect for creating furniture that needs to bear weight, like sturdy sideboards, bookshelves and dining tables. The only downside to this intense strength is that it’s extremely heavy, so it’s not ideal for items that need to be flexible or fixed to a wall. 

Beyond its strength, Oak offers several other advantages, including:

• A high tannin content that helps resist insects and fungi.
  
  
• It has a dense, non-porous structure, which reduces decay and rot.
  
  
• High stability and shrink resistance. 

For these reasons, Oak is also well-suited for outdoor use, as seen in our selection of garden benches. We treat each piece with an environmentally safe wood preservative to ensure its success outside.

Overview:

Teak and Oak are highly durable and resistant, making them perfect for indoor and outdoor furniture. However, remember that Oak furniture can be incredibly heavy, which is unsuitable for some applications. 

Aesthetic Appeal

As much as durability and functionality are crucial, let’s not overlook the visual appeal of the timber that makes up your furniture. Whether you want to follow a particular design trend or seek timeless beauty, here’s some insight into each timber’s look. 

Teak:

Teak wood has a captivating aesthetic quality. The main attraction is the timber’s warm-toned appearance, which ranges from a beautifully buttery colour to a rich golden-brown hue depending on the species, grade and age. Another standout feature is the timber’s markings. Teak has a prominent straight grain that brings life to your furniture. Our reclaimed Teak is incredibly charming, as we preserve all the natural imperfections in the wood so that no two pieces are the same.

At Sustainable Furniture, we use Teak slightly differently in our indoor and outdoor products to enhance functionality. Our indoor Teak furniture features a solid surface, as shown above. In contrast, our outdoor products incorporate Teak slats with small millimetre gaps, as illustrated below. This design allows for efficient water drainage and accommodates the natural movement of the wood due to changing weather and temperature fluctuations. Left untreated and exposed to the elements, the outdoor Teak can also weather and take on a lovely silver-grey patina.

Oak:

Oak is another enchanting timber. Again, its colour can vary depending on the species and the age of the wood, but Oak is generally lighter than Teak. For example, the Oak in our Eden collection boasts a creamy beige tone, while our reclaimed American Oak showcases a deeper tawny brown colour. Oak is also known for its prominent growth rings and striking medullary rays, which lend a distinctive charm to each piece. 

A benefit of light Oak is that you can stain or varnish the wood. For instance, we’ve elevated our American oak furniture with a subtle grey wash finish to enhance its natural grain.

You’ll also find our indoor and outdoor Oak products appear differently. The indoor furniture features solid oak construction, while our outdoor designs, like the Oak Woodland garden bench shown below, have a slatted structure. The timber slats allow water to drain effectively, preventing moisture buildup and accommodating the natural movement of the wood caused by weather and temperature changes.

Overview:

Evidently, both timbers are unique and offer undeniable natural charm, perfect for complementing current interior design trends or standing the test of time. However, if you’d prefer more flexibility over the hue of your furniture, perhaps opt for Oak, as you can experiment with various stains and washes to achieve your desired look. 

Sustainability

While timber is a natural and renewable building material, it doesn't automatically ensure good sustainability. We also need to consider factors like deforestation, carbon footprint from transportation, and effects on local ecosystems and communities. Here’s an insight into the sustainability of each timber and how we ensure it’s acquired responsibly. 

Teak:

Teak has a complicated history with sustainability. In regions like Indonesia, the demand for this wood has historically led to illegal or poorly managed logging. The result has been rapid deforestation, impacting local communities, biodiversity, and the environment. For Teak to be genuinely sustainable, we take the following measures: 

• We use FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) certified solid Teak and work with organisations like Trees for Trees and Perum Perhutani to prevent illegal logging and encourage reforestation.
• We use reclaimed Teak salvaged from old Colonial buildings, utilising existing timber rather than chopping down new trees. This technique also gives trees time to renew. 

We use all parts of the tree, including the roots, which you can see in our Teak Root tables or Teak Root Sculptures displayed below. This act also helps to clear and rotate the soil, encouraging new growth and helping to sustain local communities in Indonesia.

Oak:

Oak trees may be abundant but are slow-growing and take time to reach maturity. It requires care and consideration to prevent over-harvesting. Here’s how we ensure we source our Oak ethically:

• We often use reclaimed Oak to repurpose existing timber, reducing the need to cut down new trees and minimising environmental impact.
  
  
• When sourcing new Oak, we select timber from well-managed forests that plant new trees after felling old ones. This timber is also FSC-certified.
  
  
• We often use British-grown Oak from Devon and Cornwall, which is processed locally in our Cornish sawmill. This practice helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation.

Overview: 

While Teak and Oak are naturally regenerating and biodegradable resources and, therefore, much better than plastic furniture, they still require responsible management throughout the supply chain to ensure good sustainability. Opting for furniture with strong eco-credentials helps support this initiative. 

Care and Maintenance

Are you curious about the upkeep your new furniture will need? Each timber has its particular maintenance requirements to stay in top shape. Here’s a closer look at how Teak and Oak compare in terms of care and maintenance.

Teak:

Thanks to its many innate protective properties, Teak is a low-maintenance timber that requires very little help to look and perform at its best. Simply mop up spills promptly, use gentle soap, and move in line with the grain when cleaning. If you want to enhance its cosmetic appearance, a few treatments are available.

• Give your indoor Teak furniture a coating of Briwax to protect against spillages, grease, dirt and grime. Briwax Natural Spray Wax is also great for more frequent polishing and dusting.
  
  
• A clear sealer can help prevent potential watermarks and scratches.
• Once your outdoor Teak has weathered, you can apply a sealant to replenish the oils and protect against the sun, rain, and frost. Use a clear option to preserve the silvery hue, or opt for a tinted Teak sealer to revive the timber’s original warmth. 

Oak:

Similarly, Oak is a remarkably easy timber to maintain. Keep your indoor Oak furniture in good condition by cleaning spills quickly and only using mild soap.

With your outdoor Oak furniture, you can leave it untreated to enjoy its natural beauty. However, for an extra layer of protection or to keep your furniture looking its best, consider applying OSMO Oak Protection Oil to shield your outdoor furniture from UV rays, rot, insect damage, and fungal growth. This oil is also water and dirt-resistant, helping to minimise wood swelling and shrinkage.

Overview:

Truthfully, any furniture needs a little upkeep to keep it looking its best. However, Oak and Teak stand out for their minimal maintenance needs – only requiring occasional treatments for added protection or cosmetic enhancement. Either timber is ideal for those who value ease and convenience. 

Price 

Which timber comes with the higher upfront cost? Let’s break down the pricing of each wood and help you find the best option for your budget.

Teak:

Teak is among the most expensive timbers on the market, mainly driven by its high demand and limited supply. With a slow growth cycle of 20-25 years and the emergence of strict logging laws in Indonesia to curb illegal harvesting, Teak is relatively scarce. Transportation costs and import charges further inflate the price.  However, there are different grades of Teak available on the market to accommodate various budgets.

Oak:

Supply and demand also impact Oak's price. As a premium hardwood, this timber is highly sought-after, but it grows incredibly slowly. In fact, up until the tree reaches 100 years old, it can still be considered ‘young’. This long, strenuous wait for the tree to mature impacts its value and cost. However, you can find slightly more affordable options by investing in British-grown Oak, as this timber will come without hefty transportation and import fees.

Overview:

The higher prices of Teak and Oak stem from supply and demand, transportation costs, import fees, and stricter logging regulations. However, there are budget-friendly options, like choosing lower-grade or locally sourced timber. Also, investing in durable, well-made furniture can save you money in the long run.

Invest in Sustainable Teak and Oak Furniture.

As you can see, Teak and Oak are impressive timbers with plenty of charm and a long lifespan, making it nearly impossible to crown one as superior. Ultimately, your taste will be the deciding factor. Are you captivated by the rich hues of Teak, or does Oak’s classic appeal catch your eye? You could even incorporate both into your decor for a truly distinctive look.

Whatever your preference, explore our range of sustainable and responsibly sourced Teak and Oak furniture to bring your vision to life. If you have any further questions about our products or sustainability practices, please don’t hesitate to contact us.