Gourmet Sink and Prep Kit

Teak Wood: Care & Characteristics

• Characteristics of Teak Wood
• Origins of Teak Wood
• Cleaning & Care

Characteristics of Teak Wood

Teak is regarded as one of the most beautiful, high-quality woods manufactured today. It’s a very dense, straight-grained hardwood with a coarse texture, high natural oil content, and a distinctively aromatic scent (often compared to leather).

Widely renowned for its durability and resistance to rotting, teak is almost impervious to the effects of sun, rain, frost, and snow. Its high level of resinous oil acts as a natural insect repellent, giving it a very high resistance to termites. Due to its hard-wearing nature, teak has been the timber of choice in shipbuilding for hundreds of years. More recently, it has become a popular material for outdoor furnishings. Many other hardwoods are often marketed as “teak substitutes”, but no other material performs to the same standards as genuine teak.

Another popular trait of teak wood is its weathering tendency. Over time, teak furniture will attain a handsome silvery-gray patina. This process takes approximately nine months, depending on the amount of sunlight and rain exposure. During weathering, a slight lifting of the grain may occur on the tops of the arms and legs, and you may even see a few cracks. This is not considered a defect, but a natural expanding and contracting of the wood. The grain will return to its original smooth finish after the weathering process is complete.

Origins of Teak Wood

Teak (also known as Tectona Grandis, its Latin name) is indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, and Java. It has been extensively planted for timber and as an ornamental tree throughout the tropical regions of the world, including East and West Africa, Cuba, the Caribbean, Panama, and Brazil.

Teak cannot grow in rain forests; it is a deciduous tree that thrives in the dry, hilly terrain of plantation forests in Southeast Asia. When plantation-grown, the teak tree will reach a height of up to 150 feet, with a diamater of 3-5 feet. It is ready to be harvested after 50-60 years.

Java has very large teak plantations, initially planted by the Dutch in the early 1800’s. Today, these plantations are closely monitored by the Indonesian government. A strict policy regulates the number and size of the teak trees that can be felled; those that are cut down are replaced with newly planted trees to maintain the forests for future generations. In its native area, teak is a high-value crop and a vital source of income and employment.

Cleaning and Care of Teak

Teak does not require any special maintenance other than an occasional cleaning. If left to age naturally outdoors, the surface of the wood will gradually change to a soft silvery-grey as the pigments fade. We recommend that you maintain the silver patina with regular, gentle cleaning with soft-soap flakes dissolved in warm water (not detergent). Be sure to use a non-abrasive brush or sponge, and avoid using steel wool or wire brushes. When finished, rinse the entire piece of furniture with low-pressure water to remove any dirt or remaining solution.