Teak vs. Iroko: The Honest Comparison

Ask any boatbuilder what wood survives weather and you'll get one word: teak. Ask what they actually use when the budget is real, and you'll often get another: Iroko. We stock Iroko and source true teak by custom order, so this comparison comes from milling both — not from a supplier's brochure.

Where teak earns its legend

Teak's silica and oil content make it nearly indifferent to water, rot, and insects — it's the wood of ship decks for a reason. It machines predictably, moves very little, and weathers to the famous even silver. The catch is entirely economic: old-growth plantation teak is one of the most expensive commercial hardwoods on earth, and prices climb every year.

Where Iroko closes the gap

Iroko — West African, sometimes literally sold as “African teak” — shares the traits that matter outdoors: high natural oil content, strong decay resistance, and calm movement through wet-dry cycles. It's actually harder than teak (1,260 vs ~1,070 lbf Janka), weathers to the same even silver-grey patina untreated, and holds its golden-brown under an exterior oil regimen. Decades of European exterior joinery, garden furniture, and boat trim are the track record.

The differences that are real

• Grain: teak is straighter and more uniform; Iroko carries a gently interlocked grain with more color variation board to board — some buyers prefer the life in it.
• Feel: teak's oiliness gives it a distinctive waxy hand; Iroko is drier to the touch.
• Price: the headline. Iroko delivers most of teak's outdoor performance at a fraction of the board cost — which is exactly why it's the outdoor species we keep in stock.

Our recommendation

For patio dining tables, outdoor kitchens, and restaurant terraces, Iroko is the rational spec — the performance gap is small and the price gap is not. Choose teak when the project demands the name or must match existing teak pieces; request a quote and we'll source it. Otherwise, price your Iroko top and read the full outdoor wood guide for how we build for exposure.