Q&A for How to Identify Teak Wood

It depends on what kind of wood it is, the dryness and quality of the wood.

Check if it is veneered. Look for the end grain on all edges of the table. If no end grain is seen, it is probably veneered, and the veneer glue will be for interior use only. (You don't say whether the porch is open to the weather.) To check if the table is teak, look at the grain and compare it with online pictures. If you are lucky enough to have an old, solid teak table, left outside it would turn to raw silver and need a once-a-year, mild bleach/disinfectant to remove any algae, although the inherent teak oil will partially protect it from the weather. If stained varnish was used, steel wool (wire wool) and sandpaper will remove the stain/varnish to reveal the real timber.

Burmese teak has been hard to get for many years. There are substitutes, however, available online once in a while.

Mid-century interior furniture will be veneered unless it is exceptional, as the cost of real teak or teak lookalike will be prohibitive in commercially marketed furniture.