Why We Don’t Cut Trees: The Enduring Beauty of Reclaimed Teak

In the forests surrounding Chiang Mai, the teak trees stand tall and silent. We believe they should stay that way.

At Siam Wood Artisans, our workshop philosophy is simple, but uncompromising: Sourced, not cut.

We are makers, but we are also stewards. We believe the finest timber for our craft doesn’t need to be harvested from a living forest; it has already been cut, used, and forgotten. Our mission is to find this "forgotten" wood - reclaimed teak that has served a previous life - and give it a new purpose in your home.

But choosing sustainable wood isn't just an environmental choice; it is a quality choice. Here is why we exclusively work with reclaimed timber.

What is Reclaimed Teak?

Reclaimed teak is not simply "used wood." It is history harvested.

Our materials come from disassembled traditional Thai houses, old agricultural buildings, or decommissioned boats in Northern Thailand. These are massive beams and planks that were cut decades, sometimes over a century, ago. This is upcycled timber in its truest sense, material that was destined for a burn pile or landfill, rescued by our collective of artisans.

The Difference: Old Growth Quality vs. New Plantation Wood

A common question we receive is: "Why is reclaimed wood better than new wood?"

The answer lies in time.

Today, much of the global furniture market is supplied by fast-growing "plantation teak." These trees are grown quickly and harvested young. While technically teak, this wood is often softer, lighter in color, and has a lower density of natural oils.

The wood we hunt for is effectively old-growth teak. Because it grew slowly in natural forests long ago, the grain is incredibly tight and dense. Furthermore, having spent decades seasoning under the Thai sun as part of a structure, it has achieved a stability that new wood cannot match.