BURMESE TEAK

Technological properties

It is oily to the touch and has a characteristic scent of leather. It is a medium-weight wood, heavier than mahogany but lighter than oak. Teak dries slowly, but well, and once dry it is characterised by its stability. Due to its weight, it is a strong wood, but it is difficult to saw and work with due to its abrasive nature. It is extremely durable.

It dries slowly, but this may vary depending on density. It has a very low risk of deformations arising or cracks appearing.

Sawing is quite easy. Saws are blunted very quickly and stellite saws are recommended. It is suitable for obtaining rolled and sliced veneer. Machining is not a problem. Tools are blunted very quickly and it is recommended to use tungsten carbide tools. It is moderately suitable for curving.

Gluing is not a problem if neutral or acidic glues are used, such as urea formalin type, but it is necessary to incorporate small amounts of wetting agents or first wash the surfaces. Nailing and screwing requires prior drilling. Before applying the finish products it is necessary to carry out a surface treatment, and sometimes, due to its oily nature, it is necessary to seal the surface with an inhibitor (a linseed oil based product). It can be varnished or polished successfully despite its oily nature.

Origin and availability

It originates from Southeast Asia, India, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It also originates in other areas in which it has been planted extensively: tropical regions of Western Africa and tropical Central America (Guyana, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, etc.). The latter plantations date to the 20th century.

Its forest masses are stable, as is its production, with little export – it is only exported as roundwood from Burma and Indonesia, which is under state control). Its export is prohibited in Thailand, Indonesia and India.

Teak is one of the most notable woods in the world, used as a point of reference for comparison with other woods. Although there are various woods called teak, only that from the Tectona grandis species is true teak. It grows spontaneously in Burma and Thailand, where the main commercial shipments come from, and in India, Indochina and Java. It comes from trees of varying sizes and shapes, which can reach up to 40m tall, with a trunk of 1 to 1.5m in diameter, although in the large trees the trunk is often ridged.

Description of the wood

The colour of the sapwood varies from yellowish white to light grey, and the heartwood varies from yellowish brown to dark brown, darkening with copper-red highlights when exposed to light. The sapwood is clearly differentiated and in the roundwood takes up a thickness of 2 to 6cm. It sometimes has dark markings due to areas of parenchyma darkened due to climate variations. The growth rings are clearly differentiated, but vary considerably from one band of two or three layers of large pores to a few scattered large pores which do not form a defined band.

The fibre is generally straight, although on rare occasions there may be wavy fibre, common in the wood from India. The grain is thick. The wood has an oily feel. It has variable levels of silica. Recently cut, it has a strong scent of old leather which largely disappears when drying. The wood is resistant to some acids. Teak is generally a uniform golden brown colour, but can be medium or dark brown and have a darker, almost black grain. It has ringed pores, with the outlines of growth rings very visible on the quarter-sawn surfaces and a coarse texture which is often uneven.

Natural durability

The wood from Asia, Indonesia, etc., is classified as very durable against the action of fungi and moderately durable against termites. The wood grown in other countries varies from moderately durable to very durable against the action of fungi and from sensitive to moderately durable against termites.

In terms of penetrability of the wood from Asia, Indonesia, etc., the heartwood is not penetrable, and the sapwood has low penetrability. There is no information on the wood grown in other countries.

Applications and use

Teak is the best wood for shipbuilding, used for applications which require resistance, stability and durability, and is better than any other wood for roofs. It is used for fine carpentry and for laboratory finishes, especially for shelves and anything which must resist the attack of acids. Other uses: Decorative veneers, Coverings, Flooring and parquets, Friezes, Countertops, Platform flooring, Furniture and Carpentry, Bridges, Turnery, Posts, Beams, Curved pieces. Outdoor carpentry: Coverings. Shipbuilding: Ships. Bridges: elements in contact with the ground or water. Cooperage. Posts. Recipients resistant to acid.