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TEAK HARDWOOD IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
Teak
Teak’s heartwood is dark brown with a slight golden hue. It has a thin layer of yellow sapwood which is rarely seen by woodworkers or importers of teak lumber. The wood grain is usually straight, but can be wavy or interlocked.
Much of teak wood’s value is derived from the length of time it takes to harvest the teak tree. Teak is not kiln dried like most woods. Instead, teak trees are girdled and allowed to die and dry out for years before they are felled and transported. [2]
For over 2000 years, teak has been used for shipbuilding because its natural oils make it highly water resistant. When European sailors discovered teak’s advantages in shipbuilding, it became the standard over oak in European ships. Even today, teak decking is common.
Teak furniture and coffee tables are common, as well as outdoor furniture made of teak. Smaller turned items and household items such as cutting boards can also be made of teak. [1], [2]
Teak gives off a unique leather-like scent when being milled. It’s easy to work, but the high silica content of teak can have a serious blunting effect on tools. [2], [3].
Teak sports a moderate hardness with a Janka hardness scale rating of 1070. It’s considered by many to have the finest decay resistance, which is why teak is so desirable in marine and outdoor applications. It has exceptional strength and resistance to warping, but its strength properties are less desirable in the West as compared to its appearance or weather resistant nature.
Teak can typically accept glues and finishes, provided the surface of the wood has been treated with a solvent first. Finishing can be problematic, as teak doesn’t take lacquers or varnish well. [2], [3
Teak is native to southeast Asia, being found in the forests of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar (Burma). It’s now expanded beyond that range and has become a major export of India and Indonesia, where it is grown on plantations for sustainability
The size of teak trees distinguished them from other tropical hardwood trees. After about 300 years of growth, teak trees can reach a height of 100 feet and a diameter of twelve feet or more. Plantation trees can grow taller but never reach the diameter of their forest kin. [2]
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Source: The Department of Agriculture's Wood Handbook
*Data is based on a moisture content of 12%.
Impact Bending — In the impact bending test, a hammer of given weight is dropped upon a beam from successively increased heights until rupture occurs or the beam deflects 152 mm (6 in.) or more. The height of the maximum drop, or the drop that causes failure, is a comparative value that represents the ability of wood to absorb s hocks that cause stresses beyond the proportional limit.
Janka Hardness — Defined as resistance to indentation using a modified Janka hardness test, measured by the load required to embed a 11.28-mm (0.444-in) ball to one-half its diameter. Values presented are the average of radial and tangential penetrations.
Modulus of Elasticity — Elasticity implies that deformations produced by low stress are completely recoverable after loads are removed. When loaded to higher stress levels, plastic deformation or failure occurs.
Specific Gravity - A measure of the ratio of a wood's density as compared to water. If a wood species had the same density as water, the specific gravity would be 1.00.