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Teak Information
(Tectona grandis is the Latin name for TEAK,
a hardwood of the Verbenaceae species)
Teak History
Teak is indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and Java. It has been extensively planted for usable timber, or as an ornamental within its natural range throughout the tropical regions of the world, including East and West Africa, as well as Cuba and the Caribbean, and South America from Panamato Brazil. |
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villa & hut -
eco reality, we're not just talking about, we're doing it |
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Teak 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.
In Indonesia (where Villa & Hut source most of their timber), the legal timber trade is controlled by an organisation called Perum Perhutani. This organisation is endorsed by most of the world's environmental agencies, and is run by the government agency which is responsible for managing Indonesia's extensive forests and plantations, as well as all reforestisation and eco management.
The archipelago of Indonesia has a massive supply of Teak plantations, creating sustainable forest re-growth, strong employment opportunities, government controlled income (via taxation on all legal timber), and
most importantly, planned land management. Teak was first planted by the Dutch in the early 1800's, and these plantations have yielded many, many crops, they have been replanted many, many times, and have been
proven to be sustainable for some 200 years.
Perum Perhutani operate a strict policy regulating the number and size of trees which can be felled, as well as pre-planning the numbers of trees which are required to be replanted. This maintains the productivity of the teak forests for future generations, and promotes a truly green product source. Teak plantations produce a high value crop that is a very valuable source of income in the local area’s, and the associated furniture and timber products industry provides strong regular local employment to tens of thousands of people.
When plantation grown, teak will attain a height of up to 45m [150ft] with a diameter of 1.0 - 1.5 metres [about 3 - 5 feet] and will be ready for harvesting at around 30 - 80 years. If well maintained the tree can produce a clear stem of up to 30m in length giving an incredibly high timber yield that is one of the most productive of any timber source, and has almost nil wastage. Visually, it looks different to what most people have in mind. Rather than being a straight, tall bushy leafed tree, it is almost spindly in its growth structure, produces a very large leaf similar to a tobacco leaf which is around 12" long and wide, and often looks bare of foliage.
Characteristics of teak wood
Teak is an extremely dense [40lbs per cubic feet when dry] and 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 also 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 moisture and fungal decay, and the high level of resinous oil in the timber help 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 ar born out by the fact that we can see many instances of the timber which have withstood the test of time when used as recycled timber for the making of Villa & Hut furniture. Teak sourced from such varied history
including the boat building industry, bridge construction, railroad, road works, industrial buildings, and old house beams.
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 Villa & Hut Teak Garden 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 Villa & Hut Teak Garden Furniture in one of two conditions:
1. Fine sanded
2. Oiled with Teak Oil.
1. Fine Sanded
If you buy our 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 alot 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 natural, 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 – so this is about as easy as a maintenance schedule as it is possible to get!
2. Teak Oiled
If you buy our furniture already oiled with teak oil, it will have a darker than normal mid brown to golden colour, and a soft sheen. Teak wood is itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors, and it is worth noting that 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. At best, 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 our 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 left 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.
Whatever it is, we know your home will enjoy your new Villa & Hut Teak Furniture! |
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