About Teak Wood
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Teak wood comes from the Teak (or tectona) tree. Teak is a tropical hardwood birch originally from Southeast Asia. The tree can grow to a height of about 30 to 40 meters and sheds its leaves annually. The trees often live to substantial ages, and have been known to live over 100 years. The tree is extremely resilient and can adapt to changes in the weather easily, and is very flexible, which allows it to bend rather than break under highwind speeds.
As part of its natural resistance, teak produces a special oil in its heartwood that is highly resistant to water. This protects the teak tree from rotting, termites and other insects, and bacteria. Although this oil protects the tree, it also helps humans in making it easier to cut down. Because of the large, thick fibers that make up teak wood, its lumber is comparatively easy to sculpt into useful or decorative forms. This special combination ofresilience and ease of use has largely contributed to teaks popularity. Since it is easy to work, but holds up well to outdoor climates, teak has seen significant use in furnitureapplications.
Because of the popularity of teak wood, the Indonesia government operates the Teak Plantation Cultivation and Conservation. The best teak trees to cut are older, and at least 40 years in age. Since the trees take so long to “mature,” it is important to regulate how many are harvested any given year to ensure plenty will be left for the next seasons.
Before a teak tree can be harvested, all of the water must be drained from the tree. This is done by creating a cut around the base of the tree. The process is slow, and can take as long as 2 years before the tree is dry enough to be harvested and cut intousable lumber. After it is dry and harvested, the teak can be used for materials to produce furniture and other mainstream products.
Teak wood is used for other things as well as just furniture. It is used for many common, household items, such as a teak bath mat. In Thailand, teak is used to produce entire buildings. Since the wood is so resistant to water, no sealant is needed. Places in India have been known to use teak wood to produce window frames and doors. Indonesia and Denmark use teak wood toproduce furniture for export, and it remains a large piece of their national income.
Perhaps the most notable use for teak wood is outdoors as furniture. It has a natural resistance to poor weather, which protects the furniture and contributes to longevity. The very dense teak wood also holds its form under such conditions for many years. It has also been used for the decks of ships, and because of its luxurious appearance, it can often be found on cruise ships.
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Source by M. Holland
