Teak Characteristics
and Benefits
There
are many types of wood that are used for outdoor furniture, however, the best
is still the tried
and true Teak.
Consider
these scenarios:
- The
patio has been in the sun all afternoon. You have just gotten
home from work and would like to relax on the patio. What would
you most want to relax on? Plastic? Aluminum? Wrought
Iron? Or Wood? Wood does not absorb the heat that plastic,
aluminum and wrought iron do. The thermal diffusivity of
wood is much lower than that of other structural materials , such as
metal, brick and stone, because of the low thermal conductivity and
moderate density and heat capacity of wood.
- You
have just gotten home from work. It has been windy all
day and you would like to relax on the patio, however, when you arrive
at your patio your plastic and aluminum patio furniture has blown up
against the fence or has completely disappeared! Wood furniture
is still safely in place. The inexpensive
plastic or aluminum furniture cannot compete with real wood!
- View
your patio in your mind's eye, picture it first with a high
quality plastic dining set, now picture it with the smooth, beautiful,
visual depth of teak. Can you "feel" the difference?
- Teak
furniture can be found in a variety of styles. A simple
but comfortable style is usually best. Remember that the higher
price is not always indicative of better quality.
Characteristics
and Benefits of Teak
- Teak
(and other wood furniture) will not make you uncomfortable by holding
either heat or cold. Metal and even plastic patio furniture
will be burning hot when left in the sun, while wood moderates heat
and will still be comfortable to the touch. Metal or plastic patio
furniture will also absorb cold. The night may have been cold
but the patio furniture will still be comfortable, if it is wood. Wood
improves your comfort level on any patio, or in any sunroom or garden.
- Teak
is durable in all weather. Teak has a natural oil content and
a dense grain that resists rot. Many teak benches approach or
exceed 100 years old.
- True
Teak (Tectona grandis) grows naturally in dry, hilly forests in
Southeast Asia (India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, North & South
Vietnam, East Indies) and is a deciduous tree. Tectona grandis does
not grow in rain forests but it has been over-harvested and should only
be purchased from sources that can verify that it is from a Teak farm
and not from natural forests.
- Heartwood
or sapwood. Teak furniture should only be made
from Tectona grandis heartwood. The heartwood turns
a rich brown when exposed to air. It is usually straight &
has a distinctly oily feel. The heartwood has excellent dimensional
stability and a very high degree of natural durability.
- Teak
does not cause rust or corrosion when in contact
with metal.
- Teak
can be left outside all year. Whether you finish your teak
furniture with Spar Varnish (recommended) or leave it to weather naturally,
your furniture does not require the use of indoor storage space in the
winter. No lugging furniture in and out. Simply wash with
soapy water in the spring and repair any areas where the Spar Varnish
may be worn or damaged. Sand with a fine sandpaper, remove all
sawdust, then apply Spar Varnish as noted under 'Finishing'.
References:
Wood
Handbook, Wood as an Engineering Material; U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Forest Products Laboratory
Misc. other resources