Questions
Questions
The things worth knowing before you order.
Buying a piece that does not exist yet, from a workshop on the other side of the world, is a reasonable thing to hesitate over. Here is everything we would want to know.
Time
How long will it take?
Smaller pieces — side tables, mirrors, shelves — about 3–4 weeks, sent by express air. Statement pieces — consoles, sideboards, dining and coffee tables — about 8–12 weeks, sent by sea. The clock starts the day you order.
Why does it take that long?
Nothing is built until you order it. Your piece is carved after the fact, then kiln-dried for four to six weeks so it does not crack in a heated American winter, then crated and shipped. The drying is the part we will not shorten.
What if it is late?
Hand carving is not a predictable process and sea freight is not a punctual one. If your piece is going to be late we tell you as soon as we know, with a revised date. We would rather deliver a piece that is right than one that is quick.
Money
What do I actually pay?
The price on the page. Import duties and taxes for the United States and Canada are included, and delivery to your door is included. There is nothing to pay on arrival.
Do you take a deposit instead of the full amount?
For commissions and multi-piece projects, yes — write to us. For catalogue pieces, payment is taken at the time of order.
Delivery
What does “to your door” mean, exactly?
Your piece arrives crated and protected, and the carrier brings it to your door — the entrance of your home or building. Bringing it inside, unpacking it and positioning it are yours to do. Plan for two people on anything larger than a side table; solid teak is heavier than it looks.
Can you bring it inside and unpack it?
Not as standard — it is not included in the price. If your piece has to reach somewhere a crate cannot easily follow, write to us before you order and we will quote an inside delivery honestly.
How is it packed?
Statement pieces travel in a purpose-built crate. Smaller pieces come by courier in protective packaging. Photograph the outside of the crate before you open it, and keep the crate until you are happy with the piece — it makes any claim straightforward.
Where do you ship?
United States and Canada as standard. Anywhere else, write to us and we will quote the route.
Certainty
Can I see it before it ships?
Yes. We photograph your piece at key stages — timber selected, carving underway, finish applied — and send a final set before it is crated. Nothing ships unseen.
Will it look exactly like the photograph?
No, and that is the point. Every piece is cut from a different tree. Grain, colour and figure will differ from the images shown, and small knots and natural variation are characteristics of solid teak rather than faults. The design, the dimensions and the standard of finish will be the same.
What if it does not fit?
Measure your doorways, stairs and lift before ordering — dimensions are on every product page. Listed dimensions are nominal, with a tolerance of about ±2cm on hand-made work. If a precise fit matters, tell us before you order and we will confirm it.
Changing your mind, and things going wrong
Can I cancel?
Within 72 hours of ordering, yes — in full, no questions. After that your timber has been selected and cut, and we cannot take it back.
Something arrived damaged. What happens?
Tell us within 10 days of delivery, with photographs and an unboxing video if you have one. Then we fix it, and how depends on how bad it is:
- A scuff, a mark, a small finish flaw — we send the oil and materials to put it right with instructions, or we pay for a local restorer and reimburse you.
- More than cosmetic, but repairable — we arrange and pay for a local furniture repair, or agree a partial refund and you handle it. Your choice.
- Serious damage, or not what you ordered — a replacement or a full refund. Yours to choose.
Can I just return it?
Where nothing else will do, yes — but it needs our written agreement first, so please talk to us before sending anything back. Honestly: shipping a crated console back across an ocean costs more than almost any repair and puts a piece that could be saved into a skip. We would rather spend that money making yours right where it stands.
Can I exchange it for a different piece or finish?
Not once production has begun. Your piece is built to your order and approved by you in photographs before it ships, which is precisely why we ask you to look carefully at that stage.
The wood
What is SVLK?
Indonesia's national timber legality standard — Sistem Verifikasi Legalitas Kayu. It is a chain-of-custody system that traces wood from a legal, managed source through the mill to the workshop. Every supplier we buy from holds it. Most imported teak cannot tell you where it came from; ours can.
How do I look after it?
Dust it. Re-oil it once or twice a year with a natural furniture oil — it takes ten minutes and the wood deepens every time. Keep it out of prolonged direct sun and away from radiators and vents. Solid teak that is looked after outlives the person who bought it.
Practicalities
Can you make it to my dimensions?
Most pieces, yes. We also take original commissions where the brief suits our makers. Send the drawing, the room, or just the idea.
Do you work with designers?
Yes — see the Trade page.
Anything not answered here: hello@teakwa.com. We reply personally, usually within a day.