Wood species

Teak

Tectona grandis · Lamiaceae

The gold standard for decay resistance and stability, used in India and Southeast Asia for centuries. Two facts a customer needs today: the wild tree is Endangered on the IUCN Red List and Myanmar teak is under US sanctions, so the honest stock is documented plantation teak.

Janka hardness: 1070 lbf
Density: 41.0 lb/ft³
Shrinkage T / R: 5.3 / 2.6 %
Origin: Southern Asia; plantation grown across tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America
IUCN Red List: Endangered

Shop Teak in stock (2)All live edge slabs

Pictured: (Pre-Built) Teak Live Edge Tabletop #PB051 59" x 49" - 50" x 1.6"

About Teak

Teak is golden to medium brown heartwood that darkens with age, with straight grain, a coarse uneven texture, and a slightly oily feel from its natural oils. Fresh cuts smell faintly of leather. Its high silica content dulls cutting edges quickly, so we sharpen often and wipe surfaces with solvent before gluing or finishing so the oils do not fight the adhesive. The heartwood is rated very durable, long the benchmark for decay resistance, so it belongs outdoors as much as indoors. It suits dining tops, benches, outdoor tables and boat trim. Native teak is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and trade stock is widely plantation grown; ours is kiln dried in Zebulon, NC.

Working & finishing

Easy to work in nearly all regards except that silica up to 1.4 % has a pronounced blunting effect on cutting edges, so run carbide and sharpen before the final pass. Despite the natural oils it usually glues and finishes well, but wipe the surface with a solvent first to reduce the oils, on every glue joint and before any finish. Oil finishes are the tradition; a film finish over the oily surface wants the solvent wipe or it can lift. Eye, skin and respiratory irritation are reported, so dust collection and a mask matter.

Care

Wipe spills and clean with a damp cloth. At 1,070 lbf it is a medium-hard top, a shade over walnut, and dents under hard use. Its heartwood is rated very durable and it belongs outdoors; left bare it grays to silver, so oil it yearly to hold the golden brown.

In stock now