Teak

 

Teak - Indian oak - lat. Tectona grandis

Teak is a highly prized tropical wood originating mainly from Southeast Asia, with the best-known sources being Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. It is known for its exceptional durability, resistance to moisture, pests and weather. Teak wood has a warm golden brown to honey color that naturally changes over time to a highly desirable silvery shade if not maintained.

Due to the high content of natural oils and density, teak is an ideal material for outdoor use, such as garden furniture, terraces, boats and bridges. It is also used for the production of luxury interior furniture, floors and wall coverings. Teak is sought after not only for its functionality, but also for its aesthetic value and longevity, which makes it one of the highest quality and most expensive types of wood in the world.

Its hardness is somewhere around 1070 lbf. One cubic meter weighs 0.63t on average. The wood is therefore not a very hard wood, but it is nevertheless very strong. The tree reaches up to 40 m and is harvested at the age of approximately 50-80 years with a trunk diameter of 1-2 m. That is why it is imported in shorter pieces, up to 3 m. It feels like rubber or leather when turned. Almost does not dry at all or he doesn't work. It lasts 3x longer than ordinary oak because it contains a lot of silicic acid (white dots in cross-section) and resin oil, which makes it "greasy" on the cut.

The highest quality and most expensive teak in the world is the so-called BIRMA - MOULMEIN - golden yellow, brownish, clean, has the best color and contains the most oils.