The Manufacturer’s Guide to Teak Furniture Finishes: PU, NC, Melamine & Water-Based

After all the hard work of building a beautiful piece of teak furniture, there’s one last, crucial step: the teak furniture finishes. Think of it less as a decorative touch-up and more as a coat of armor. It’s the sophisticated barrier that stands between a masterfully built piece and the reality of daily life. For us as manufacturers, the choice of finish is a critical decision that reflects the furniture’s grade, its intended use, and its final aesthetic.

The truth is, there’s no single “best” finish—it’s about choosing the right technology for the job. Our finishing system is based on a transparent furniture grading structure: Polyurethane (PU) for our Grade A pieces, Nitrocellulose (NC) for Grade B, and durable Melamine for Grade C. However, we also offer advanced Water-Based finishes for clients with specific environmental or aesthetic goals.

But it’s not always that simple. Sometimes, the furniture’s design dictates the finish. So, let’s demystify the world of teak furniture finishes, explain our grading system, and show you how we make the right choice for every piece.

The Role of a Finish for Indoor Furniture

It’s a technical necessity that provides a barrier between the wood and the world. It also plays a role in indoor air quality, as different finishes release different levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)—a topic detailed by health authorities like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A good finish provides:

1. Moisture & Stain Protection: Making the wood impervious to common household spills like wine, coffee, or oil.
2. Abrasion Resistance: Creating a durable surface that protects the wood from daily wear and tear.
3. UV Protection: Slowing down the aging process from sunlight, keeping the wood’s color true for longer.
4. Aesthetic Enhancement: Making the grain pop and giving us precise control over the final look and feel.

Polyurethane (PU): Our Grade A Finish for Maximum Performance

When a piece of furniture needs to withstand the highest levels of use and look incredible for years, we turn to Polyurethane. PU is a liquid plastic resin that cures into an incredibly tough, durable solid. It is the gold standard for high-performance protection among all teak furniture finishes.

• Why it’s Grade A: The primary reason is its exceptional durability. It’s highly resistant to almost everything: water, alcohol, heat, and physical scrapes. It creates a thick, protective barrier that offers the ultimate in worry-free protection for high-use items like dining tables, coffee tables, and commercial furniture.
• The Downsides: PU takes longer to cure, which is a factor in its higher cost. It’s also harder to do spot repairs on; a deep scratch usually means sanding down and recoating the whole surface.

Nitrocellulose (NC) Lacquer: Our Grade B Finish for Classic Beauty

NC lacquer has been a furniture industry staple for a century. It’s a fast-drying finish that’s famously easy to work with and produces a beautiful, natural feel that is sometimes preferable to the hard film of PU.

• Why it’s Grade B: NC offers a fantastic balance of beauty and protection for furniture that will see moderate use. Its biggest manufacturing advantage is its fast drying time. It’s also very easy to repair, as a new coat will “melt” into the previous one, allowing scuffs to be buffed out seamlessly. This repairability makes it a very forgiving choice for teak furniture finishes.
• The Downsides: Its durability, while good, is a step down from PU. It has lower resistance to chemicals (like alcohol), heat, and scratches.

Melamine: Our Grade C Finish for Pragmatic Durability

For projects where high durability and cost-effectiveness are the primary goals, we use Melamine. Unlike the other finishes, Melamine isn’t a liquid that’s sprayed on; it’s a super-tough layer of resin-saturated paper that is heat-fused directly onto the wood’s substrate.

• Why it’s Grade C: Melamine offers incredible surface durability for its cost. It is highly resistant to scratches, heat, and moisture, making it a fantastic choice for high-volume commercial projects, office furniture, or institutional use where practicality is paramount. It serves an important role in our range of teak furniture finishes.
• The Downsides: Because it’s a laminate layer, the edges can be prone to chipping if subjected to very hard impacts. It’s also nearly impossible to repair; a damaged panel must be replaced.

Water-Based Finishes: The Eco-Conscious & Aesthetic Choice

Representing the forefront of green finishing chemistry, water-based finishes use water as the primary solvent instead of harsh chemicals. This technology stands apart from our grading system, as it’s typically chosen for its unique benefits rather than a simple durability scale.

• Why it’s a Crucial Option: The main benefit is an extremely low (or zero) VOC content, making it far safer for our workers and for the indoor air quality of our clients’ homes. They are also crystal clear and completely non-yellowing, meaning they preserve the natural, pale blonde color of unfinished teak better than any other finish.
• The Considerations: While modern formulas are excellent, the technology has historically offered slightly less durability than top-tier solvent-based PU. Application also requires more skill, as water can raise the grain of the wood if not sealed and sanded properly.
• Best Application: Water-based teak furniture finishes are the perfect choice for clients who prioritize sustainability and health—such as in children’s furniture, healthcare facilities, or for LEED-certified building projects. They are also ideal for designers who want to achieve the most natural, non-ambered aesthetic possible.

The Exception to the Rule: When Aesthetics Guide the Grade

Here’s where true craftsmanship comes in. Sometimes, even on a Grade A order, PU isn’t the right choice. For an antique-style piece with intricate carvings, the goal is to achieve a soft, satin patina that looks and feels like a treasured heirloom. A thick PU film would fill in the fine details and look too modern.

In these cases, we use NC lacquer. Its thinner film and more natural feel are unbeatable for achieving that classic, antique look. This is a perfect example of how the art of applying teak furniture finishes goes beyond a simple grading system.

The Other Exception: Unfinished Teak for Outdoor Furniture

Now, you might be asking: “What about outdoor furniture?” This is the one area where we often do sell raw, unfinished products.

Here’s why: Teak’s dense grain and high concentration of natural oils and silica make it uniquely resistant to rot and weather. It doesn’t need a protective finish to survive outdoors. In fact, applying a film-forming finish like PU or NC to outdoor furniture is often a mistake. Under constant assault from sun and rain, the finish will inevitably crack and peel, leading to a maintenance nightmare of stripping and refinishing.

The best and most traditional treatment for teak outdoor furniture is to do nothing at all, aside from a final fine sanding. Left to the elements, it will gradually develop a beautiful, silvery-gray patina. In this specific context, the best of all teak furniture finishes is no finish at all.

Conclusion: A Finish for Every Purpose

Choosing from the vast world of teak furniture finishes is about understanding a project’s goals. Our grading system—PU for Grade A, NC for Grade B, and Melamine for Grade C—provides a clear framework for durability and cost. Alongside these, specialized water-based finishes offer a premier solution for health and aesthetic purity. Our expertise truly shines in knowing when to use each of these, when to break the rules for artistic reasons, or when to skip a finish entirely for the unique demands of outdoor use.

At Naramulya, we don’t just have a finishing department; we have a philosophy of finishing. It’s a partnership between you, the furniture’s design, and our deep knowledge of the materials we work with every day.