Why IKEA Should Not Be Your First Stop For Teak Furniture

Whether you're styling your outdoor patio or are on the hunt for the perfect shower bench, teak wood has been a beloved choice thanks to its water resistance and durability. Many folks have praised the benefits of investing in a teak shower bench over any other material, due to the wood's close-grained texture and its high oil content, making it well-suited for high-moisture spaces. However, if you're looking for the perfect teak furniture, IKEA may not be the best choice. While the retailer is known for its gorgeous wood furniture, you might be surprised to find teak wood pieces hard to come by.

If you're looking for a tropical hardwood like teak, IKEA's search results will show similar-looking items that are made from stained acacia wood instead. Acacia and teak wood share many similarities, but teak wood is often considered more durable and weather-resistant, making it the preferred choice for many. However, IKEA does not sell many teak wood pieces. Due to sustainability and ethical concerns, the retailer has opted for acacia and other wood species instead. Acacia is still a durable choice and can be rot-resistant and weather-resistant, more so than other wood types like pine or oak. Furthermore, acacia accepts stain well and can be treated to look like teak. So, while rattan may be one stylish design trend IKEA can help you get in on without overspending, it's fair to say that the same isn't true for genuine teak wood.

A quick search for teak furniture on the IKEA site will bring up numerous options. However, many are made of acacia wood, not teak. Why is that? According to 2024 data, IKEA reported that only 13% of its wood was imported from Asia, where teak is often forested. The majority of IKEA's wood, over 50%, was sourced from Poland, Lithuania, and Sweden, whose logging industries mainly export species like pine, birch, and spruce. Now, you may wonder, why avoid teak wood if it's so popular as a water-resistant material for furniture? The issue with teak wood is that it is sometimes harvested illegally. While some producers harvest their teak wood ethically, the industry has faced challenges with environmental devastation and human rights abuses. 

So, when it comes to furniture, IKEA uses other ethically sourced options like acacia, which is perhaps the best substitute for teak, thanks to its weather and rot-resistance. IKEA sells plenty of acacia stools, benches, and outdoor dining sets. However, it's important to treat your acacia wood with a sealant or tung oil to prevent moisture from ruining the wood. Further, you may need to store or cover your furniture out of direct sunlight and extreme heat, which could cause the material to crack or split. Still, acacia could be the sustainable wood material you'll want to use everywhere in your home in place of teak.