Mahogany vs Teak Wood: Janka Hardness & Cost Compared
Teak beats mahogany in every outdoor durability test — 1,070 lbf Janka hardness versus 900 lbf, per The Wood Database — but mahogany costs 30-50% less and cuts far easier with hand tools. Picking wrong means paying for weather resistance you do not need indoors, or watching an unsealed outdoor piece warp within a season. This guide compares real hardness numbers, board-foot pricing, sustainability status, and the exact maintenance schedule each wood requires.
Mahogany vs Teak at a Glance
Both are premium tropical hardwoods prized for furniture, but they solve different problems. For the broader picture of where these two fit among other species, see our types of wood guide. The numbers below come straight from lumber-industry reference data, not marketing copy.
| Property | Mahogany (Honduran) | Teak (Burmese) |
|---|---|---|
| Janka Hardness | 900 lbf (4,020 N) | 1,070 lbf (4,740 N) |
| Specific Gravity (12% MC) | 0.52-0.59 | 0.55-0.66 |
| Price per Board Foot (2026) | $10-$20 | $35-$100+ (old-growth $50+) |
| CITES / IUCN Status | Appendix II, Red List (endangered) | Not CITES-listed; plantation-grown |
| Years Before Refinishing (Outdoor) | 1-2 years (needs sealing) | 3-5+ years (natural oils) |
Source: The Wood Database (hardness, specific gravity, CITES status); board-foot pricing compiled from current 2026 U.S. exotic lumber retailer listings.
Durability, Weather Resistance and Pest Resistance
Teak’s natural oils are the reason it dominates boat decks and outdoor furniture: those oils repel water, resist rot, and make the wood largely unappetizing to termites and marine borers. Mahogany has none of that built-in oil content, so an unsealed mahogany piece left outdoors will absorb moisture, swell, and eventually warp or crack within a season or two.
| Threat | Mahogany | Teak |
|---|---|---|
| Termites | Moderate resistance | High resistance (natural oils) |
| Rot / decay | Needs sealing to resist | Resists untreated for years |
| UV fading | Reddish-brown darkens, can blotch unevenly | Weathers to an even silver-gray patina |
| Warping outdoors, unsealed | Common within 1-2 seasons | Rare even after years untreated |
If a piece will sit outside uncovered, teak can handle regular wetting better than almost any other furniture-grade hardwood. Mahogany can still work outdoors, but only in covered or semi-outdoor settings with a real maintenance routine behind it — see the finishing section below.
Finishing and Maintenance: Which Needs More Upkeep?
Mahogany finishes the easier of the two: it takes stain and sealer evenly and holds a smooth polish with basic tools. Teak’s natural oils work against film finishes — paint, varnish, and polyurethane struggle to bond to an oily surface, which is exactly why teak-specific penetrating oils exist.
Md Meraj, Woodworking Advisor: “Teak’s natural oils sit right at the surface, so before I glue or finish a teak piece I wipe it down with mineral spirits or alcohol first — skip that step and film finishes will fight you the whole way. Mahogany does not have that problem; it just takes stain straight.”
- Mahogany, outdoor: spar varnish needs a fresh coat every 2-3 years, up to 5 with annual light sanding and a touch-up coat.
- Mahogany, indoor: a penetrating oil finish needs reapplication roughly once a year.
- Teak, outdoor in direct sun: teak oil needs reapplication every 2-3 months during the season for a fed, golden look; leave it unoiled and it silvers on its own with no damage.
- Teak, covered or indoor: teak oil once or twice a year is enough.
Best Teak Oil Pick
STAR BRITE Premium Golden Teak Oil 16 oz
A sealer, preserver, and finish in one coat, formulated specifically for teak’s oily grain — the same job description as the “teak oil” applications referenced throughout this guide.
- Best for: outdoor teak furniture on the 2-3 month (direct sun) to twice-a-year (covered) reapplication schedule this guide covers
- Why we picked it: golden-tint formula restores color instead of just sealing over graying wood
- Main drawback: in direct sun it needs recoating as often as every 2-3 months, same as any teak oil
Compare more mahogany & teak finish options
 Budget Teak Oil Minwax Helmsman Teak Oil Clear 1 Quart
|
 Mahogany Spar Varnish TotalBoat Lust Marine Spar Varnish Quart
|
 Natural Mahogany Finish HOPE’S 100% Pure Tung Oil
|
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For the full step-by-step process, see our guides on how to apply teak oil and finishing mahogany for outdoor use.
Cost and Availability in 2026
Mahogany currently runs about $10-$20 per board foot for Honduran-grade lumber. Teak runs far higher, roughly $35-$100+ per board foot depending on grade and origin, with old-growth teak trading at $50+ per board foot in 2026 — a gap driven by teak’s slower plantation growth cycle and tighter supply. See our dedicated teak wood cost breakdown by grade and origin for the full pricing table.
Sourcing is also getting more paperwork-heavy in 2026. Under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), large and medium timber importers and traders must prove their wood is deforestation-free with full supply-chain traceability by December 30, 2026 — a compliance deadline that applies to teak and mahogany imports alike and is starting to show up as a line item in wholesale pricing.
Sustainability: Endangered vs Plantation-Grown
This is the one area where the two woods are not close. Genuine Honduran mahogany is listed under CITES Appendix II and on the IUCN Red List as endangered, following a population decline of more than 60% over the past three generations (roughly 180 years) from decades of selective logging in the wild. Teak is not CITES-listed or IUCN Red List-listed at all, because the overwhelming majority of commercial teak today comes from managed plantations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America rather than wild-harvested forest.
Practically, that means asking your supplier for FSC-certified or plantation-grown mahogany is not optional if sustainability matters to you — wild-harvested mahogany is a real conservation concern in a way plantation teak simply is not.
Workability: Cutting, Carving and Tool Wear
Mahogany is one of the easiest premium hardwoods to work with hand or power tools: it cuts cleanly, carves fine detail well, and rarely tears out even against the grain, which is why it shows up so often in detailed wood crafts. Teak is workable too, but it fights back in one specific way: it contains up to 1.4% silica, a mineral content high enough to visibly dull blades and bits faster than almost any other cabinet-grade wood. Carbide-tipped blades hold up; standard high-speed steel does not last a full project.
Both woods are dense enough to hold screws and joinery well. If you are trying to confirm a board is genuine teak before you commit tools to it, our real teak identification guide covers the five practical tests.
Appearance, Color Change and Best Uses
Mahogany opens a deep reddish-brown and darkens further with age and light exposure, developing the rich patina that makes it a staple of traditional and antique furniture, cabinetry, and dining tables. Teak starts a golden honey-brown and, left unoiled outdoors, weathers to a silver-gray patina that many buyers choose on purpose for a modern, minimalist look.
As a rule of thumb: choose mahogany for indoor furniture, cabinetry, and fine joinery where its workability and color depth matter most. Choose teak for anything that lives outside — deck furniture, boat trim, planters — where its oils do the protecting for you. If budget or availability rules out both, cedar is the closer domestic alternative to mahogany for outdoor projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between mahogany and teak?
Mahogany is a reddish-brown hardwood (Janka hardness 900 lbf) prized for its fine grain and easy workability in furniture and cabinetry. Teak is a golden-brown hardwood (Janka hardness 1,070 lbf) whose natural oils give it superior resistance to water, rot, and insects, making it the standard choice for outdoor and marine furniture.
Which wood is more expensive: mahogany or teak?
Teak is significantly more expensive, typically $35-$100+ per board foot in 2026 versus $10-$20 for mahogany. The gap comes from teak’s slower plantation growth cycle, tighter global supply, and higher demand for outdoor and marine use.
Which wood is better for outdoor furniture?
Teak is the better choice for outdoor furniture. Its natural oils resist moisture, decay, and insects without any finish at all, while mahogany needs a maintained sealer or varnish outdoors and still has a shorter unprotected lifespan.
Can you use teak oil on mahogany?
Yes. Teak oil is a penetrating oil finish, not a product exclusive to teak, and it works fine on mahogany’s open grain for an indoor or covered piece. It just will not outperform a marine spar varnish on mahogany left in direct outdoor sun and rain.
Is mahogany or teak better for a dining table?
Mahogany is the more common choice for indoor dining tables because it is easier to finish smooth, takes stain evenly, and costs less per board foot. Teak works too and needs less babying long-term, but its higher price and oily surface make it a less typical pick for indoor furniture.
Conclusion
Teak wins on hardness, moisture resistance, and low-maintenance outdoor durability — mahogany wins on price, ease of finishing, and indoor workability. Match the wood to where the piece will actually live: teak outdoors and in the weather, mahogany indoors where its color and grain get to be the whole point.
