Characteristics of the Teak tree and its location

Tectona grandis is the Latin name for TEAK, a hardwood of the family Verbenaceae
Tectona Grandis is said to be indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and Java. It has been extensively planted for timber or as an ornamental within its natural range and throughout the tropical regions of the world, including East and West Africa, as well as Cuba and the Caribbean, and South America from Panama to Brazil.

Tectona grandis, is not a timber from tropical rain forests, and indeed, teak cannot grow in rain forests - it is a deciduous tree which grows particularly well in the dry, hilly terrain typical of plantation forests in Southeast Asia.

Specifically in Java Indonesia, Perum Perhutani is the government agency which is responsible for managing Indonesia's extensive forests and plantations. Java has very large Teak plantations which were first planted by the Dutch in the early 1800's. These plantations are now well managed by Perum Perhutani.

Perum Perhutani operate a strict policy regulating the number and size of trees which can be felled, as well as with regard to the numbers of trees which are replanted to maintain the productivity of the teak forests for future generations. The teak plantations produce a high value crop that is a very valuable source of income in their local area. And the associated furniture and timber products industry provides regular local employment to many thousands of people.

When plantation grown the tree will attain a height of up to 45m [150ft] with a dia. 1 - 1.5m [3 - 5ft]. It will be ready for harvesting at around 50 - 60 years. If well maintained the tree can produce a clear stem of up to 30m in length giving a high timber yield. It produces a very large leaf similar to a tobacco leaf which is around 12" long and wide.
 

Characteristics of teak wood

Teak is an extremely dense [40lbs cu ft when dry] coarse grained hardwood.Teak wood is generally straight grained, but occasionally wavy. It has a coarse and uneven texture. The wood contains a high level of silica which causes rapid blunting of cutting edges. When fresh cut the surface of the wood is dull in appearance, and the timber has a distinctive, pleasantly aromatic odour which has been likened to the smell of leather. Fresh sawn teak has a slightly 'oily' feel due to the high oil content.

One of the most commonly quoted facts about the characteristics of teak is its durability. It is resistant to rot caused by fungal decay, and the high level of resinous oil present in the timber helps to act as a natural insect repellent giving the timber very high resistance to attack by termites and other wood boring insects.

The timber is said to be resistant to water and many chemical reagents, including acids. It does not have a strong reaction when it comes in contact with metals.

All these statements regarding the durability of teak are born out by the fact that we can see many instances of the timber which have withstood the test of time when used as key components in the boat building industry, or more sedately when used for making municipal furniture for our parks.

All our Teak Furniture is manufactured from genuine Teak.
 

Information About Caring For Teak Garden Furniture
 

We are often asked about the best ways to care for Teak Furniture.
Because of the hard and yet forgiving nature of the timber it will withstand a great deal of abuse.
But it will also repay a little tender loving care, so you may care to read through this page and
pick up a few hints.

Generally, you can buy our Teak Garden Furniture in one of two conditions:

1. Fine sanded
2. Oiled with Teak Oil.

1. Fine Sanded

If you buy your furniture fine sanded it will have only the natural color of the wood coupled with the raw natural texture of the teak grain. The untreated timber is a very pleasant yellowy-brown olive color when still fresh.

If your furniture is to be used indoors, and away from a lot of natural sunlight, over a period of time -perhaps six months to a year - the wood will gradually become a darker shade of brown.

If on the other hand the furniture is left outdoors, the effects of the suns rays will 'bleach out' the timbers natural colour, gradually turning it a soft silvery grey colour. This silvery grey 'patina' which develops over time gives Teak Furniture a distinctive appearance. The silver grey colour resulting from this natural ageing process is considered to be very attractive, and allows the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments. Teak furniture left in this state is easily maintained, and needs no treatment whatsoever to give many years of service. And this is about as easy as a maintainence schedule as its possible to get!
 

2. Teak Oiled

If you buy your furniture already oiled with teak oil it will have a darker than normal mid brown colour and a soft sheen. Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors, and the use of teak oil won't increase the life of the timber. It does change the colour somewhat and it can also help a little to prevent stains from seeping into the timber grain. It will slow down the greying effect caused by ultra violet rays.

To maintain its appearance teak oiled furniture will need to be re-oiled periodically. If you decide to re-oil your furniture you can contact us for supplies of teak oil, or buy from your local supplier. A basic method for oiling is as follows:

The furniture will need to be cleaned first [see below] Afterwards ensure that it is nice and dry before starting to oil. Have a good look around the furniture first and attend to any areas requiring sanding before starting work.

You will need some teak oil, a clean 1" or 2" paint brush, some clean cotton rags, good light and plenty of space to work in. It can be a little messy so be sure to wear some overalls, and wearing household gloves to keep the oil off your hands is a good idea as well.

The oil can be applied with a clean brush, starting from the top and working downwards. The surface should be left wet by the brush, but try to avoid leaving too much surplus oil behind as you work.

After a few minutes - maybe 5 - 15 depending on the ambient temperature, the oil will start to become 'tacky'. At this point the surface of the furniture should be wiped down with a clean cotton rag, carefully removing all surplus oil.

One coat is usually sufficient, but you can apply a second coat if required, after a minimum of one hour for the first coat to dry. Once you've completed the oiling and the surface is touch dry, a second clean rag can be used to buff up the surface.

Please be sure to dispose of any used rags and cleaning cloths carefully, and in accordance with the instructions from the oil manufacturer.

Cleaning Teak Furniture

If your Teak furniture requires cleaning this can be done with a normal household bristle brush [not too hard] and some warm mildly soapy water. Wash down afterwards with clean water. There are also proprietary cleaners on the market which can also be used to clean off various deposits and accumulated dirt and stains.

We do not recommend the use of high pressure hoses, and steel wool or steel wire brushes should not be used at all as any residue eft in the grain will rust and discolor the wood.

If the furniture has some stubborn and heavily ingrained stains these can be removed by sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper, being sure to work only with the direction of the timber grain. After sanding stains away like this, if the furniture was previously teak oiled you may wish to re-oil, or if it had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing silver grey patina.