TEAK WOOD

Tectona Grandis is the Latin name for Teak, a hardwood from the Verbenacea family Tectona Grandis is said to be indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and Java. It has been extensively planted for timber within its natural habitat and throughout the tropical regions of the world including East and West Africa, as well as Cuba, the Caribbean and South and Central America from Panama to Brazil

Tectona Grandis, is not a timber from a tropical rainforest because it cannot grow in wet conditions It is a deciduous tree which grows particularly well in the dry, hilly terrain typical of plantation forests in Southeast Asia, specifically in Java Indonesia.

Perum Perhutani is the government agency which is responsible for managing Indonesia’s extensive forests and plantations. Java has very large Teak plantations which were first planted by the Dutch in the early 1800’s. These plantations are now well managed by Perum Perhutani. Perum Perhutani operates a strict policy regulating the number and size of trees which can be felled, as well as regulating the numbers of trees which are replanted to maintain the productivity of the teak forest for future generations.

When plantation grown, the tree will attain a height of up to 150ft.and 3-5ft. diameter. It will be ready for harvesting at around 50-60 years. If well maintained the tree can produce a clear stem of about 100 ft. in length giving a high timber yield. This tree produces a very large leaf similar to a tobacco leaf which is around 12” long and wide.

The teak plantations produce a crop that is a highly valuable source of income in their local area.

The associated furniture and timber products provide regular local employment to thousands of people.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TEAK

Teak is an extremely dense coarse grained hardwood (40 lbs per cubic feet when dry). Teak wood is generally straight grained, but occasionally was and has a coarse and uneven texture. The wood contains a high level of silica which causes rapid blunting of cutting edges. When freshly cut, the surface of the wood is dull in appearance, but has a slightly oil feel due to the high oil content. The timber has a distinctive pleasantly aromatic odor which as been likened to the smell of leather.

One of the most commonly quoted facts about the characteristics of Teak is its durability It is resistant to rot caused by fungal decay In addition, a high level of resinous oil present in the timber helps to act as a natural insect repellant giving the timber very high resistance to attack by termites and other wood boring insects.

The timber is said to be resistant to water and many chemical agents, including acids, therefore does not have a strong reaction when it comes in contact with metal. All these statements regarding the durability of teak are born out by the fact that we can see many instances of the timber which have withstood the test of time when used as key components in the boat building industry or more sedately when used for making municipal furniture for our parks.

 

UNFINISHED TEAK

Generally, you can buy teak furniture finely sanded and without finish. If you buy your furniture unfinished it will have only the natural color of the wood coupled with the raw natural texture of the teak grain. The untreated wood is a very pleasant, yellow-olive-brown color when still fresh.

If the furniture is used indoors and away from a lot of natural sunlight, over a period of time (6 months to a year) the wood will gradually become a darker shade of brown. If. on the other hand, the furniture is left outdoors, the effect of the sun’s rays will “Bleach out” the wood’s natural color, gradually turning it a soft silvery grey This silvery grey “patina” which develops over time gives teak furniture a distinctive appearance. The patina resulting from this natural aging process is considered to be very attractive, and allows the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments. Teak furniture left in this state is easily maintained and needs no treatment whatsoever to give many years of service.

OILED TEAK

If you buy your furniture already oiled with teak oil it will have a darker than normal mid brown color and a soft sheen. Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors. Furthermore, the use of teak oil will not increase the life of the timber. Oil will change the wood color somewhat and it can also help, a little, to prevent stains from seeping into the wood grain. Oiling teak will also slow down the graying effect caused by ultra violet rays

To maintain its appearance, a re-application of oil will be needed periodically The furniture will need to be cleaned first, then wait until the wood is completely dry before starting to oil First, inspect the furniture and tend to areas that may require sanding. You will need teak oil, a clean 1” or 2” paint brush, clean cotton rags, good light and plenty of space to work. It can be a bit messy so cover your clothes and use household gloves to keep the oil off your hands.

For better results apply the oil with a clean brush, working from the top towards the bottom, but try not to leave too much surplus oil behind as you work. After 5-15 minutes, depending on the ambient humidity and temperature, the oil will become “tacky”. At this point the surface of the furniture should be wiped down with a clean cotton rag, carefully removing the surplus oil.

One coat is usually sufficient , but you can apply a second coat, if desired, after a minimum of one hour for the first coat to dry Once you have completed the oiling and the surface is touch dry a second clean rag can be used to buff up the surface.

 

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