Satisfaction Guaranteed: Enjoy a risk-free trial for 30 days. If you're not completely satisfied, simply return it for a full refund.

Live-Edge Slab Tables for Your Showroom, Restaurant or Business

Live-Edge Slab Tables for Your Showroom, Restaurant or Business

Live-Edge Slab Tables for Your Showroom, Restaurant or Business

If you’re looking for more than a stunning live-edge centerpiece for your dining room or kitchen, you may benefit from our rating system. Each single-slabe table is graded from A to B making bulk purchases more affordable.

Live edge tables, especially exotic hardwoods like monkeypod, saman, teak, or suar are quite unique. Each is a one-of-a-kind conversation piece. Some are absolutely flawless – no knicks, cracks, or scratches. 

Others are not so perfect. However, it’s the imperfections that provide character and truly accentuate their rarety. The table that absolutely stops you in your tracks might be quite different from the piece that catches the eye of your spouse or your colleague. And that’s the beauty. Each sunset is different, right?

Why Apply a Rating System to Exotic Hardwood?

Some commodities are rarer than others. Teak, monkeypod, saman, and suar are all rare hardwoods. These species cannot be imported to the United States or the EU from the Amazon because they are endangered. As a result, the demand is high. You might find second-rate pieces from Costa Rica or other diminishing nooks of rainforest in Central America, but the jungles of Indonesia and Borneo are now the epicenter of quality live-edge hardwood tabletops.

So to ensure that these species of hardwood are not cherry-picked, leaving the less than perfect pieces to waste, suppliers and buyers utilize a rating system. In working with exotic hardwoods, especially when dealing with raw timber and boards, the most competitively priced containers will contain a 50% ratio of grade A timber to 50% grade B and C. 

The same is true of live-edge slabs. 

If you’re a restaurant owner in need of eight tables for your dining room, you could certainly go all out and handpick eight flawless single-clab tables, but it will cost you. A better option might be to utilize our rating system. The standard combination would be as follows…

  • 4 Grade A Top Quality Table Tops
  • 2 Grade B
  • 2 Grade C

This allows you to showcase the perfect pieces in the most desirable and conspicuous sections of your space while being more discreet with the less-than-perfect pieces. That said, it’s the not-so-perfect pieces that have all the character.

Our grading system at Bali Teak Collective is based entirely on aesthetics. The integrity of each table is the same for grade A through grade C. These beasts are solid and are made to last. However, the appearance of the table may vary. See the description and examples below.

Grade A – The Creme de la Crem of Live-Edge Suar Table Tops

Nearly flawless in all reagard. It’s rare to find something so perfect in nature, but even in the jungles of Indonesia, perfection exists. No measurable cracks, holes or indentations. The fine lines in the grain of the wood are well maintained with beautifully distinguished borders. It’s hard to believe a live edge table can look this good. 

Grade B – Not Flawless, but Plenty of Character

Flawless these tables are not. However, depending on your taste and style, a B-grade table might be the choice for you. Personally, I like the Bs. If you want something perfect, go to Restoration Hardware. If you want a one-of-a-kind live-edge slab with a story to tell, go with one of the Bs. These might have a shallow gash down the middle of the table or possibly a hole all the way through it but they are nonetheless stunning. And with the Bs, we always include 1-2 charcuterie boards so that you can cover the imperfections if needed for a dinner party or entertaining guests.

Number 13 below is far from perfect, but it is the piece I am saving for myself. Number 63 on the far right is nearly flawless, but not quite a grade A. The middle slab, number 18 is also nearly flawless, but it is also slightly narrower. That said, it may be the perfect piece for your kitchen.

Grade C – It’s not quite a centerpiece table, but it will still impress

These are C grade for a reason. They’re not the best, but they make the As and the B-grade tables possible; and they’ll still take your breath away. The stability and integrity of the table are not in question, but it might have a crack that extends a 3rd of the way down the table. You may not want to showcase this table in your dining room or board room, but it’s great for restaurants, your patio, or your basement. And the value is tremendous. An epoxy filler is an option for these or you can leave them natural. These slabs need love too. If you’re buying an A or a B, ask about what kind of a deal you can get to include a C-grade table.

For more about Bali Teak Collective, visit our Youtube page.