Teak

Specs

Common Names

Teak, genuine teak

Scientific Name

Tectona grandis

Origin

Native to southern Asia; widely grown on plantations throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Appearance

Heartwood tends to be a golden or medium brown, with color darkening with age. Grain is straight, though it can occasionally be wavy or interlocked. Coarse, uneven texture and moderate to low natural luster. Raw, unfinished wood surfaces have a slightly oily or greasy feel due to natural oils.

Avg. Dried Weight

41 lbs/ft3 (655 kg/m3)

Janka Hardness

1070 lbf

Modulus of Rupture

14,080 lbf/in2 (97.1 MPa)

Elastic Modulus

1,781,000 lbf/in2 (12.28 GPa)

Crushing Strength

7,940 lbf/in2 (54.8 MPa)

Shrinkage

Radial: 2.6%, Tangential: 5.3%

Durability

Teak has been considered by many to be the gold standard for decay resistance, and its heartwood is rated as very durable. Teak is also resistant to termites, though it is only moderately resistant to marine borers and powder post beetles.

Workability

Easy to work in nearly all regards, with the only caveat being that teak contains a high level of silica (up to 1.4%) which has a pronounced blunting effect on cutting edges. Despite its natural oils, teak usually glues and finishes well, though in some instances it may be necessary to wipe the surface of the wood with a solvent prior to gluing/finishing to reduce the natural oils on the surface of the wood.