{"id":3580,"date":"2026-10-14T12:35:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T04:35:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.3nayah.com\/blog\/?p=3580"},"modified":"2026-10-14T12:35:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T04:35:57","slug":"what-is-the-weight-of-a-teak-log-42c6-d3872f","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.3nayah.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/14\/what-is-the-weight-of-a-teak-log-42c6-d3872f\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the weight of a Teak Log?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a teak log supplier who\u2019s spent the better part of two decades hauling, grading, and shipping teak across Southeast Asia, I\u2019ve lost count of how many times someone new to the teak trade asks: \u201cWhat\u2019s the actual weight of a teak log?\u201d It\u2019s not a question with a one-size-fits-all answer\u2014far from it. I\u2019ve had clients show up to a loading yard in Surat Thani with a bathroom scale trying to weigh a 12-foot teak log, and I\u2019ve learned quick that guessing or going off generic data will get you stuck with extra shipping fees, or worse, a load that\u2019s not what you expected. Today, I\u2019m breaking down the science, the variables, and the real-world numbers I rely on every single day to get teak logs from our forests to your jobsite. Teak Log<\/a><\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s start with the most common misconception: people think teak is a dense, super heavy hardwood like African ebony or Brazilian walnut. It\u2019s dense compared to softwoods like pine or cedar, but its weight swings wildly based on two factors most folks don\u2019t account for: moisture content and log size\/grade. I always tell new buyers to stop thinking of \u201cteak as a material\u201d and start thinking of \u201cteak logs as individual pieces\u201d\u2014each one is a unique product, like a hand-carved tool, not a generic box of parts.<\/p>\n

First up, moisture content. This is the biggest variable, by far. Teak is a tropical hardwood, so when it\u2019s still standing in the forest, it\u2019s packed with sap and water, often clocking in at 40% to 60% moisture content. I\u2019ve logged teak first thing in the morning during monsoon season that weighed 30% more than the exact same log cut at 2 p.m., when the sun had baked off the surface water. We never ship \u201cgreen\u201d teak logs\u2014any reputable supplier will air-dry logs in a covered yard for 6 to 12 months before shipping, bringing moisture content down to 12% to 15%, the industry standard for international trade. That\u2019s the sweet spot: it\u2019s dry enough to avoid mold and rot during shipping, and it won\u2019t shrink or warp once it\u2019s at your facility.<\/p>\n

When people ask for a \u201cstandard weight\u201d for a teak log, we almost always use that 12% moisture content baseline. Now, density. Teak\u2019s density at 12% moisture is roughly 650 to 750 kilograms per cubic meter. Let\u2019s translate that into terms anyone can grasp, because no one orders teak by cubic meter (though we do, for grading). A 12-foot-long teak log, 16 inches in diameter at the small end (that\u2019s a common grade for decking and furniture lumber), has a volume of about 0.35 cubic meters. Multiply that by 700 kg per cubic meter, and that log weighs roughly 245 kilograms, or about 540 pounds. Wait, but I\u2019ve seen smaller teak logs that weigh less, and huge ones that way more\u2014let\u2019s talk about size.<\/p>\n

Log dimensions matter, and not just the basic length and diameter. The International Teak Grading Rules (ITGR), which we follow strictly at our company, measure logs by their \u201csmall end diameter\u201d (SED) inside bark, not the total outer width. A log that\u2019s 18 inches outer diameter at the small end but has 1.5 inches of bark all around has an SED of 15 inches, which changes the volume and weight. I once had a client reject a load because he thought a 14-inch SED log was too small, only to realize he\u2019d measured the bark. Those small 1-inch differences in SED add up fast: a log with an SED 2 inches larger will have roughly 20% more volume, and thus weight, all else equal.<\/p>\n

Grade also plays a role, believe it or not. Fancy, straight-grained teak logs (Grade A, per ITGR) are often from older, mature trees, which tend to have higher density than younger, lower-grade logs. I once graded a 50-year-old teak log that was Grade A, 20 inches SED, 16 feet long, and weighed almost 500 kg (1,100 pounds) at 12% moisture. Compare that to a Grade C log from a 25-year-old tree, same dimensions, which came in at 420 kg (925 pounds) on our scale. The older, denser heartwood in mature teak is where most of that extra weight comes from\u2014plus, Grade A logs have fewer knots and defects, so less waste when milled, which is why we charge a premium for them.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get into the numbers that actually matter for buying teak, not just random stats. For a common Grade B teak log (great for furniture, cabinetry, or high-end decking), here\u2019s what you can expect at 12% moisture:<\/p>\n