Questions We Get Asked

Straight answers to the things people actually call and ask. If yours is not here, call or text me, Norman, at (773) 584-7334 — any day of the week.

Visiting and hours

When are you open?

Seven days a week, Monday through Sunday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, by appointment. Weekends included. Most people shopping for a table this size are free on a Saturday or Sunday, so that is when I am glad to meet you at the warehouse. Same-day appointments are usually possible — call or text and we will set a time.

Why appointment only?

We are a working warehouse in Lincolnwood, not a showroom. Booking a time means the piece you came to see is pulled out, standing up and lit when you arrive, rather than buried behind a pallet. It takes one phone call and it makes the visit worth the drive.

Can I see the actual table before I buy it?

Yes, and I would rather you did. Everything we sell is on the floor in Lincolnwood, Illinois. On a piece at this price the most useful hour you can spend is standing next to it with a tape measure. Nothing is drop-shipped, back-ordered or made to order.

The tables

Are these really single slabs, or boards glued together?

Every top is a single slab — one cross-section of one Saman tree, commonly called monkeypod, natural edge to natural edge. No glue lines, no panels, no bookmatches. Each top is 2½ inches thick, and every table is listed individually with its own measured length and widths.

Why does the width change along the length of the table?

Because a single slab is not a rectangle. It is a cross-section of a tree, and it is wider where the tree was wider. That is why every table on this site publishes three measured widths rather than one number, and it is the whole reason to buy a single slab instead of a milled panel. There is more on this in our size and seating guide.

What size do I need?

As a rule of thumb, allow 24 inches of table edge per person, and leave about 36 inches of clearance behind the chairs on the long sides. Eight feet seats eight, nine feet seats ten, ten feet seats twelve. Eight and nine foot tops are the dining sizes; nine to ten and a half feet are the conference and boardroom sizes.

Is the steel base included, or is that extra?

Included. Every table is a slab top plus a black steel base with adjustable levelling feet, factory-finished, and the base is in the price on the page. Buyers routinely assume it is an add-on — it is not. Four base designs are available. A top can also be bought on its own if you already have a base you intend to use.

Can you hold a piece while my client decides?

Yes. For an active design or architectural project we will take a specific slab off the floor and hold it on approval. Tell us the slab number.

Buying and reserving

Can I reserve a table before I pay for it in full?

Yes. A $500 deposit takes that slab off the floor and holds it in your name — it stops being shown to anyone else. It is refundable in full until your balance is invoiced, and it is applied to the purchase price, not charged as a fee. Balance is due before the piece is released. You can also just call and I will do it on the phone; the page exists so you can hold a piece at ten o'clock on a Saturday night.

Getting it home

What does delivery cost?

Through 15 October 2026, white-glove delivery is free in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin — into the building, into the room, assembled, packaging removed. That is a limited promotion, not our standing price. White-glove delivery normally runs $650–$750, quoted per order, and it returns to that price after 15 October 2026 — stairs versus elevator, distance from the dock to the room, certificate-of-insurance requirements and after-hours access all move the number. It is always billed separately from the table so you can see exactly what the service costs instead of finding it folded into the price of the wood. Beyond those three states we quote common-carrier freight; will-call pickup at our Lincolnwood dock is always free.

Do you deliver, or is it pickup only?

Both. Will-call pickup at the Lincolnwood dock is free, by appointment, seven days a week — bring two people and a vehicle that can take the length.

How do we get a ten-foot table into our building?

Measure three things and we can answer it in a phone call: the narrowest doorway on the route, the tightest turn, and the freight elevator if there is one. A slab travels on edge, not flat, and the top and base travel separately and are assembled in the room. The full checklist is in our delivery and access guide.

Do you ship outside Chicago?

Chicagoland, north-west Indiana and southern Wisconsin are the natural radius for white-glove service. Beyond that, the top and base go by common-carrier freight, quoted to your address, and you arrange final placement locally. Short teak boards ship by parcel nationwide.

The wood

Where does it come from?

Ecuador. We import container-direct, clear it ourselves and warehouse it in Cook County — CBP-entered, duty-paid, and we will show the entry paperwork on request. We make no FSC, CITES or third-party certification claims; only the documents we actually hold.

Is Saman the same thing as teak?

No, and it matters. The table tops are Saman (Samanea saman), commonly called monkeypod. The lumber we sell by the board foot is Ecuadorian plantation teak (Tectona grandis). Two different species, two different products, both from Ecuador.

What grade is the lumber?

We make no NHLA grade claim. We would rather you grade it yourself, on our dock, than argue percentages on the telephone. You inspect and tally every board before it leaves, and the tally taken at loading with your representative present is what gets invoiced.

Do you sell small pieces, or only tables and full lots?

Small pieces too. Teak by the board foot in lengths from about one foot up to eight, including short boards for knife scales, cutting boards, boxes and turning. There is no minimum — one board is an order.

Trade

Can a designer, dealer or shop buy from you?

Yes. We work with the design trade, furniture dealers, and millwork and cabinet shops. Trade and volume pricing is quoted directly and is materially different from the retail figures on product pages. Illinois resale certificates accepted (CRT-61 or your state's equivalent); W-9 on request. See Trade & Wholesale.

What about the photographs on the product pages?

Every photograph on this site is our own — our stock, our tables, our bases. Nothing is a stock image and nothing is a rendering. Individual photography of each numbered slab is still in progress, so a table listing's images show the character of the group rather than that one specific numbered piece, and every listing says so plainly while publishing that slab's own measured dimensions. Ask about a particular number and we will tell you what we can show you.

What if something arrives damaged?

Because each slab is one of one, sales are final — but there is a 48-hour inspection window. If anything was damaged in transit or does not match its description, send photographs within 48 hours and we will make it right. Natural characteristics of solid wood are disclosed rather than hidden. Full detail is on our Policies page.

Still have a question?

Call or text (773) 584-7334, or email info@platinumluxuryteak.com. Quotes go out the same day, seven days a week. Norman · Platinum Luxury Teak LLC · Lincolnwood, Illinois.