Teak & Teak Alternatives

Teak sets the standard for outdoor and marine wood. Its natural oils and silica help it shrug off rot, insects and weather, and it weathers to a soft silver if you leave it unfinished. Teak slabs and lumber are a natural fit for outdoor tables, benches and boat trim. Because good teak is costly, a number of other woods are sold as teak alternatives, and we group them here. Afrormosia and iroko, sometimes called African teak, have similar color and durability. Cumaru, sold as Brazilian teak, and ipe are very hard, very dense South American woods built for decks and outdoor furniture. Afzelia, also called doussie, rounds out the group with excellent stability. All of these handle Florida sun and rain far better than most woods, but they can be hard on tools and some have dusts that irritate. Compare them species by species below.