Teak
Rhodesian Teak (Baikiaea plurijuga)
Type: Hardwood, also known as Zambesi redwood, umgusi, mukushi and
mukusi. Grows in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Appearance: Fine even texture, straight or slightly interlocked
grain,
red-brown heartwood, often with black flecks, and much paler sapwood.
Properties: Very heavy and hard with a high resistance to
abrasion.
Rates high in bending and crushing strength, decay resistance, and
stability in service.
Qualities of Teak:
durability, workability, beautiful figure and non-spliting.
Some desirable features are: straight grain, knotless and defect free.
Teak is one of the most durable timbers in the world. On some dry
sites, it has lasted for more than seven hundred years. In contact with
ground, it can remain serviceable for more than twenty-five years.
Natural durability is one of the prerequisites
that make teak a high quality timber.
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. Historically used in
shipbuilding, especially for decks. 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.
African teak is a rich brown with darker markings. It is oily or waxy
to the touch with a fairly coarse texture. The durability of Teak is
due to the high level of natural oils. A low uptake of moisture
associated with the high level of oils produces little warping,
resulting in enormous stability.
Although other quite durable wood types are usually fairly heavy, teak
combines its extreme durability with a specific gravity below that of
oak. It has a high resistance to absorption of chemicals.
Teak has excellent workability and exceptionally beautiful colour and
texture.
As teak is a naturally durable timber, no preservative treatment is
necessary.
