Frequently Asked Questions

That is a common misconception, but no. Generally speaking, teak requires less maintenance than stainless steel. One of the greatest features of quality teak wood is that it requires very little maintenance and ages gracefully.

If you appreciate the natural color of aged teak, then all you really have to do is clean it regularly. A good rinse once or twice a month with a garden hose and a wipe down with a towel is plenty in most cases. If you prefer the golden color of new teak, more regular cleanings will maintain much of the original hue. You can also treat teak wood with a teak protector or sealer, which will preserve the golden honey tone that many people love. Oiling teak will also preserve teak’s golden color, but starts a regimen that involves cleaning and re-oiling every 3 months to 1 year.

The quick answer is no. The natural oils that protect teak wood from weather, pests, and rot are always inside the wood. Additional coats of oil won’t soak in and penetrate the wood to protect it. Commercial “teak oil” may even deplete the oils that are there naturally, because it includes solvents which can break down and damage the natural oils in teak wood. If you decide you want to oil your teak, 100% tung oil or linseed oil is a better choice.

A good rinse once or twice a month with a hose and a wipe down with a towel is plenty in most cases. In harsher environments, or when cleaning has been neglected, a light scrub with a teak cleaner or mild dish soap and clean water with a towel or soft nylon-bristle brush is all it takes.

We do not recommend using a pressure washer to clean our teak cabinetry, but it can be done as long as you do so very carefully and are aware that too much pressure can damage the surface of the wood. Use only low pressure, a wide spray nozzle, and keep the tip at least 12 inches away from the teak.

A good cleaning with a teak cleaner or mild dish soap and clean water, scrubbed with a soft nylon-bristle brush, will bring back most of the natural honey-gold color of new teak. You can also give your cabinets a light sanding, which will expose fresh wood and restore it to the original color.

The process of teak aging and naturally turning gray is the result of its exposure to water and UV light. It will take approximately 9 to 12 months, depending on the amount of ultraviolet light and rain the teak is exposed to.

No. We are about giving customers choices in the look they want, so our cabinets are left natural with no finish.

Absolutely. Since our cabinets are 100% solid wood, you can stain them to match any natural materials or decor.

This would be true for most wood cabinets, but not if they are made of solid teak. Teak wood contains high levels of resinous oils that make it naturally resistant to moisture and impervious to the effects of extreme weather, including hot sun, rain, frost, and snow. Teak also contains silica, which creates a density in the wood, making it extremely resistant to water, rotting, warping, shrinking, swelling, mold and fungal decay, and many harsh chemicals. This is why we consider teak the only serious choice in building outdoor wood cabinetry.

All wood expands and contracts to some degree with changes in temperature and humidity. If some amount of movement of the wood is not allowed, it can crack in some cases. Pacific Teak Millworks cabinets are designed and built using floating panels that are allowed to move within the frames to eliminate cracking.

Again, this would be true for most species of wood cabinets, but not solid teak. Teak wood contains high levels of resinous oils that make it highly distasteful and repellent to insects, especially termites. It is one of very few woods that has this quality.

Teak wood will easily last a good 75 to 100 years virtually unaffected when left unprotected outdoors. Teak beams in good condition are commonly seen in buildings many centuries old, and have lasted in palaces and temples over 1,000 years. In fact, teak structures have been uncovered intact in the jungles of Southeast Asia dating back 1,000 years. Teak is the only wood that can make these claims.

Thank you for asking. Our cabinetry is crafted using 100% solid, kiln-dried, certified A/B grade teak. All components are fabricated using state-of-the-art CAD manufacturing machinery for exact, precision fit, then hand assembled in tooled fixtures and fine sanded to a furniture-quality finish. Construction is glued mortise and tenon, for the highest quality and strength.

Doors and drawers include solid 1-inch thick frames inset into the beveled outer flange for a clean, professional, high-end appearance. Door panels use a floating design, while drawer faces feature double-front, tongue-and-groove construction. We also include PVC drawer bottoms for a lifetime of easy cleanup and durability that will never require maintenance.

Excellent question. Many people think that this refers to a better or poorer quality of wood. Actually, A, B, and C “grade” teak refers to the part of the tree that a particular piece of wood comes from.

“A Grade” teak comes from the heart of the tree, with the straightest, most consistent grain patterns and no knots or sapwood. “B Grade” comes from the area a little further toward the outside of the tree. It has much of the straight grain, but includes more character with some swirl and knots in the grain. “C Grade” teak comes from the outer part of the tree and includes the most character and variety of color and grain pattern.

Since teak trees are not particularly large, most pieces of wood are not strictly A, B, or C grade, but include some of two or all three areas of the tree, which is where the A/B, B/C, and A/B/C grade terms come from.

Because we want you to choose where you want them to be. Since people have different preferences about the location and orientation of cabinet knobs and handles, we prefer not to limit our customers’ choices in this area. Some customers choose not to use our standard handles because they want a different style. In fact, some customers don’t want any handles or knobs at all, and add hardware that opens the doors and drawers with a light push or tap.

Manufacturers of stainless steel cabinets pre-drill the handle holes mainly because stainless is extremely difficult to drill, and if the drill bit “walks” or moves while drilling, it will permanently damage the door or drawer. Wood, however, is much easier and safer to drill and, if necessary, repair.

Doors: Open the door all the way. Reach under both hinges at the very back, or tail, of the hinge and press the release triggers. The hinge bodies will release from the mounting plates and the door will be loose from the chassis.

Drawers: Our soft-close drawer glides include an orange release and adjustment mechanism at the front of the glide with a blue release trigger. To remove the drawer, open it all the way and depress both triggers outward at the same time while lifting the drawer up and out of the chassis.

Yes, both our self-closing, soft-closing doors and drawers are adjustable. Please see our installation instructions available on our Resources page for these procedures.

Pacific Teak Millworks warrants to the original purchaser that your outdoor cabinetry will be free of defects in materials and workmanship for a period of ten years from the original date of purchase. In addition, door hinges are warranted to the original owner for as long as you own your cabinetry, and our drawer glides are covered for a period of 5 years. Read the full warranty.

No. Teak is native to a large range of several countries in Southeast Asia. Our teak specifically is grown on commercial plantations in Indonesia.

There is in fact some illegal teak logging that still goes on in some countries. Due to the large worldwide demand for teak products, most teak today is grown on commercial plantations. Indonesia in particular has strict controls on harvesting teak, and strict penalties for illegal logging.

Our wood is plantation-grown Javanese teak that comes from a variety of private and government-managed forests in Indonesia.

All our raw materials are purchased from suppliers either PEFC or FSC certified at the source. More importantly, all Pacific Teak Millworks products are built under the SVLK certification, which is generally considered more strict than FSC.

SVLK is the Indonesian governmental program which sets legal standards for wood-related industries, not just to preserve the environmental aspects of this valuable resource, but also to promote the economic and social quality of life of its people. SVLK ensures, in an officially transparent manner, that all our cabinetry is manufactured using legally and sustainably grown, harvested, and purchased timber.