Honest buyer note: Our furniture is made from solid Indonesian teak in vetted workshops in Jepara and Bali, so expect natural grain, colour variation and a small dimensional tolerance between pieces. Grade A kiln-dried teak runs about 8–12% moisture content for export markets; teak grades (A, B, reclaimed) are banded descriptions, not guarantees of identical appearance. All prices, MOQs, lead times, CBM and container counts are indicative ranges (FOB Indonesia) and final pricing is by quote. We work only with legal, documented timber — Indonesia’s SVLK system, with V-Legal / FLEGT documents; FSC-certified teak is available on request at a premium. We do not claim certifications we do not hold. We act as an independent sourcing desk and handle export packing and documentation.
Teak wood grades A, B and C describe which part of the tree a board was cut from, how much natural oil and tight grain it carries, and therefore how it will perform outdoors and over decades. Grade A teak is mature heartwood from the centre of the trunk: uniform golden-brown colour, high natural oil content, tight straight grain, and almost no knots. Grade B comes from the outer heartwood, with lighter patches and slightly lower oil. Grade C is sapwood and younger wood, pale, more porous, and far less weather-resistant. For any wholesale or export order, knowing which grade you are actually paying for is the single most important spec to lock before a deposit.
As an Indonesian teak furniture wholesale and export desk working with Jepara and Bali workshops, we quote against these grades every week. This guide explains how the grades are defined, why oil content matters, and how to confirm what a supplier is loading into your container.
What defines Grade A teak heartwood
Grade A is cut from the heartwood of a mature tree, usually 25 years or older in plantation cycles and often much older in legacy stock. The defining traits are consistent: even honey-to-brown colour with no pale streaks, very high natural oil and silica content, dense tight grain, and a smooth waxy feel when sanded. That oil is what makes teak self-preserving — it resists water, fungal decay and insects without chemical treatment, which is exactly why teak became the standard for ship decks and garden furniture. When a buyer asks for “grade A teak furniture” for an outdoor program, they are really asking for this dense, oil-rich heartwood that will silver gracefully instead of cracking.
Grade B and Grade C: where they belong
Grade B teak still comes from heartwood but from the outer rings, so you see some lighter colour variation and marginally lower oil. It is structurally sound and perfectly acceptable for indoor furniture, painted pieces, or budget outdoor lines where some colour blending is fine. Grade C is sapwood — the pale outer layer of the log. It is softer, more porous, absorbs moisture, and is not weather-durable. Grade C has legitimate uses in hidden internal components, drawer bottoms, or fully finished indoor items, but it should never be sold as outdoor-grade or quoted at grade A pricing. Most quality disputes we mediate come down to grade C sapwood blended into what was sold as a grade A order.
Why oil content and grain matter for durability
The natural oils in teak — together with silica — are what give the wood its 30-to-50-year outdoor lifespan. Higher oil content means better resistance to rot and a slower, more even weathering to that grey patina many designers want. Tight straight grain matters too: it moves less with humidity swings, which reduces checking (surface cracks) and joint loosening. When you compare two teak chairs that look similar on day one, the grade A piece will still be sound in fifteen years of rain while the lower grade can split at the joints. This is why grade is not a cosmetic label — it directly predicts field performance and warranty risk for hotel and resort buyers.
How grade interacts with moisture content
Grade tells you the quality of the wood; kiln drying tells you whether it is ready to be built. Even grade A teak will crack if it is built green. Reputable Indonesian workshops kiln-dry to roughly 8–12% moisture content (MC) for furniture, which matches the equilibrium humidity of most destination markets. Always specify both: “grade A heartwood, kiln-dried to 8–12% MC.” We cover the drying side in detail in our note on kiln-dried teak moisture content, and the broader sourcing trade-offs in plantation versus reclaimed teak.
How to verify the grade you are actually buying
Specifications on a quote are only as good as the inspection behind them. To confirm grade before you pay a balance: ask for close photos of raw boards under daylight, not just finished pieces; request a cut sample showing the cross-section; check that colour is uniform with minimal pale sapwood; and where budget allows, commission a third-party pre-shipment inspection that physically grades a percentage of the lot. A trustworthy supplier will document grade per item and let an inspector verify it. If grade questions are dodged, treat that as the answer. Our guidance on how to vet a teak furniture supplier walks through the full due-diligence checklist.
Grade terminology varies by supplier
One practical warning: “grade A,” “grade 1,” “premium,” “first grade” and “FEQ” (first European quality) are not standardised terms across every Indonesian workshop, so two suppliers can use the same label for different wood. What one calls grade A another might call grade B. This is why you should never buy on the label alone — define the grade by its physical characteristics in your purchase order: mature heartwood, uniform colour with minimal pale sapwood, high oil content, tight straight grain, sound knots only. When the spec describes the wood itself rather than relying on a letter, an inspector can verify it objectively and you remove the ambiguity that causes most grade disputes. We always pin grade to measurable traits, not marketing words, and recommend you do the same with any supplier.
Matching grade to your product and price point
Grade should be a deliberate commercial choice, not a default. For a flagship outdoor collection sold on durability, grade A heartwood protects the brand promise and the warranty. For mid-market indoor pieces, grade B delivers sound furniture at a better cost and the minor colour variation is invisible under most finishes. For painted or fully upholstered items where the wood is hidden, lower grades or grade B are entirely sensible. Many buyers run a tiered catalogue using all three grades intentionally, with the grade stated per SKU. The discipline is simply to decide the grade for each line on purpose and put it in writing, so you are never surprised by what arrives and your costing reflects what you actually specified.
Frequently asked questions
Is grade A teak always worth the premium? For outdoor furniture and pieces that must last decades, yes — the oil-rich heartwood is what delivers the durability. For painted or purely indoor items, grade B is often the smarter spend.
Can I mix grades in one order? Yes, and many buyers do — grade A for outdoor lines, grade B for indoor. The key is that the quote and packing list state the grade per item so there are no surprises.
Does grade affect colour over time? All teak greys outdoors under UV. Grade A starts more uniform and silvers more evenly; lower grades can grey patchily because of mixed sapwood.
How can I tell sapwood from heartwood? Sapwood is noticeably paler, sometimes near-white, and softer. On a cut cross-section the pale outer band is sapwood; the darker dense core is heartwood.
Choosing the right grade is the foundation of a teak order that performs and protects your margin. For a grade-by-grade breakdown matched to your product mix, see our teak wood grades and quality page, or talk specs directly with our sourcing desk on WhatsApp at +6281139414563 or by email at bd@juaraholding.com.