Genuine Grade A Teak Doors: What You Must Know Before Buying

Teak doors are the heart of Thai architecture, but in today's market the label "Grade A" is routinely slapped onto Grade C wood packed with knots and white sapwood. The truth: sapwood rots and attracts termites first. Only 100% heartwood endures.

At S.Patana, we use only genuine Grade A teak heartwood — high in natural oils, completely free of sapwood and knots, and joined using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery rather than glue or screws that fail as wood moves naturally.

The Anatomy of a Genuine Teak Door

• 100% Heartwood, Zero Sapwood: Sapwood is the soft outer layer of the tree — low in oil, quick to decay, and a magnet for termites. True Grade A means heartwood only: deep golden, oil-rich, rock-hard.
• Knot-Free: Knots are branch stubs that decay faster than surrounding wood and become thermal bridges. A genuine Grade A door must have zero knots.
• Mortise & Tenon Joinery: The strongest joint in woodworking — not glue-gunned or screwed together. Hand-cut mortise-and-tenon joints tighten as wood naturally expands and contracts, rather than loosening over time.
• Tropical-Seasoned (12–14% MC): Our timber is kiln-dried to 12–14% equilibrium moisture content for Thailand's climate — unlike temperate-seasoned imports (6–8% MC) that absorb humidity, swell, and warp on arrival.

Whether you need a grand main entrance, interior panel doors, or double doors for a resort, only genuine Grade A heartwood justifies the investment in your home.