diff --git a/src/iceberg/file_reader.cc b/src/iceberg/file_reader.cc
index d0e291d96..022002a55 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/file_reader.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/file_reader.cc
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ Result<std::unique_ptr<Reader>> ReaderFactoryRegistry::Open(
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<ReaderProperties> ReaderProperties::default_properties() {
-  return std::make_unique<ReaderProperties>();
+  return std::unique_ptr<ReaderProperties>(new ReaderProperties());
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<ReaderProperties> ReaderProperties::FromMap(
     const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& properties) {
-  auto reader_properties = std::make_unique<ReaderProperties>();
+  auto reader_properties = std::unique_ptr<ReaderProperties>(new ReaderProperties());
   reader_properties->configs_ = properties;
   return reader_properties;
 }
diff --git a/src/iceberg/file_reader.h b/src/iceberg/file_reader.h
index d7e3b092d..85221a6a3 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/file_reader.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/file_reader.h
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ class ReaderProperties : public ConfigBase<ReaderProperties> {
   /// \brief Create a ReaderProperties instance from a map of key-value pairs.
   static std::unique_ptr<ReaderProperties> FromMap(
       const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& properties);
+
+ private:
+  ReaderProperties() = default;
 };
 
 /// \brief Options for creating a reader.
diff --git a/src/iceberg/file_writer.cc b/src/iceberg/file_writer.cc
index 477562db2..ef0c84bd2 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/file_writer.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/file_writer.cc
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ Result<std::unique_ptr<Writer>> WriterFactoryRegistry::Open(
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<WriterProperties> WriterProperties::default_properties() {
-  return std::make_unique<WriterProperties>();
+  return std::unique_ptr<WriterProperties>(new WriterProperties());
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<WriterProperties> WriterProperties::FromMap(
     const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& properties) {
-  auto writer_properties = std::make_unique<WriterProperties>();
+  auto writer_properties = std::unique_ptr<WriterProperties>(new WriterProperties());
   writer_properties->configs_ = properties;
   return writer_properties;
 }
diff --git a/src/iceberg/file_writer.h b/src/iceberg/file_writer.h
index ae6507500..f3540dd75 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/file_writer.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/file_writer.h
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ class WriterProperties : public ConfigBase<WriterProperties> {
   /// \brief Create a WriterProperties instance from a map of key-value pairs.
   static std::unique_ptr<WriterProperties> FromMap(
       const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& properties);
+
+ private:
+  WriterProperties() = default;
 };
 
 /// \brief Options for creating a writer.
diff --git a/src/iceberg/table_properties.cc b/src/iceberg/table_properties.cc
index b82fe59b8..3383e9456 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/table_properties.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/table_properties.cc
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ const std::unordered_set<std::string>& TableProperties::reserved_properties() {
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<TableProperties> TableProperties::default_properties() {
-  return std::make_unique<TableProperties>();
+  return std::unique_ptr<TableProperties>(new TableProperties());
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<TableProperties> TableProperties::FromMap(
     const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& properties) {
-  auto table_properties = std::make_unique<TableProperties>();
+  auto table_properties = std::unique_ptr<TableProperties>(new TableProperties());
   for (const auto& [key, value] : properties) {  // NOLINT(modernize-type-traits)
     table_properties->configs_[key] = value;
   }
diff --git a/src/iceberg/table_properties.h b/src/iceberg/table_properties.h
index 1ab98fec8..31493cfd8 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/table_properties.h
+++ b/src/iceberg/table_properties.h
@@ -295,6 +295,9 @@ class ICEBERG_EXPORT TableProperties : public ConfigBase<TableProperties> {
   /// \return A unique pointer to a TableProperties instance
   static std::unique_ptr<TableProperties> FromMap(
       const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& properties);
+
+ private:
+  TableProperties() = default;
 };
 
 }  // namespace iceberg
diff --git a/src/iceberg/test/config_test.cc b/src/iceberg/test/config_test.cc
index 712a0890d..ec3b39156 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/test/config_test.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/test/config_test.cc
@@ -64,48 +64,55 @@ class TestConfig : public ConfigBase<TestConfig> {
   inline static const Entry<TestEnum> kEnumConfig{"enum_config", TestEnum::VALUE1,
                                                   EnumToString, StringToEnum};
   inline static const Entry<double> kDoubleConfig{"double_config", 3.14};
+
+  static std::unique_ptr<TestConfig> default_properties() {
+    return std::unique_ptr<TestConfig>(new TestConfig());
+  }
+
+ private:
+  TestConfig() = default;
 };
 
 TEST(ConfigTest, BasicOperations) {
-  TestConfig config;
+  auto config = TestConfig::default_properties();
 
   // Test default values
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), std::string("default_value"));
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 25);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), false);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE1);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 3.14);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), std::string("default_value"));
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 25);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), false);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE1);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 3.14);
 
   // Test setting values
-  config.Set(TestConfig::kStringConfig, std::string("new_value"));
-  config.Set(TestConfig::kIntConfig, 100);
-  config.Set(TestConfig::kBoolConfig, true);
-  config.Set(TestConfig::kEnumConfig, TestEnum::VALUE2);
-  config.Set(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig, 2.99);
-
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), "new_value");
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 100);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), true);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE2);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 2.99);
+  config->Set(TestConfig::kStringConfig, std::string("new_value"));
+  config->Set(TestConfig::kIntConfig, 100);
+  config->Set(TestConfig::kBoolConfig, true);
+  config->Set(TestConfig::kEnumConfig, TestEnum::VALUE2);
+  config->Set(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig, 2.99);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), "new_value");
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 100);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), true);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE2);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 2.99);
 
   // Test unsetting a value
-  config.Unset(TestConfig::kIntConfig);
-  config.Unset(TestConfig::kEnumConfig);
-  config.Unset(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 25);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), "new_value");
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), true);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE1);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 3.14);
+  config->Unset(TestConfig::kIntConfig);
+  config->Unset(TestConfig::kEnumConfig);
+  config->Unset(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 25);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), "new_value");
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), true);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE1);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 3.14);
 
   // Test resetting all values
-  config.Reset();
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), "default_value");
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 25);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), false);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE1);
-  ASSERT_EQ(config.Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 3.14);
+  config->Reset();
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kStringConfig), "default_value");
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kIntConfig), 25);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kBoolConfig), false);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kEnumConfig), TestEnum::VALUE1);
+  ASSERT_EQ(config->Get(TestConfig::kDoubleConfig), 3.14);
 }
 
 }  // namespace iceberg