Teak wood is the hardwood shipbuilders have sought after and
used for centuries. It is understood that when a ship or boat has lived
its life and it is to go to the scrap yard, any teak decking or any
teak that is down below is to be recycled for further use. That is the
reputation of teak wood. It lasts forever.
Teak Tree, Mae Hong Sang Provence, Nw Thailand Photographic Print
Pitts, Michael
Buy at AllPosters.com
Teak wood comes from a teak tree. The most famous is the Burmese Teak tree, Tectona Grandis. This teak tree grows to 130-150 feet. It is a deciduous tree which grows on the dry hilly terrains of the forests of Southeast Asia. The trunk is free of branches to about 80 feet and this is what is used for commercial lumber. Today most teak comes from tree farms. Teak is a slow growing tree and it takes 50 years to grow a mature tree. Some manufactures want to advertise their other hardwoods as “teak-like” or “as good as teak” or “the family of teak” but do not be fooled, there is nothing like teak wood, especially in a marine or outdoor environment.
Teak wood offers a golden, tawny color to a deep brown and sometimes reddish color. If left to the elements outdoors on a boat or in a backyard or park with no maintenance treatment to the teak wood, within 3 months it will start to take on a silvery huge. Graying of the teak wood allows it to blend nicely into the environment. Total weathering is complete in 6-9 months and after this the teak wood requires no maintenance at all.
To keep the teak wood from weathering requires some maintenance most importantly on a regular basis. Teak Cleaner
from Boater's
World is an excellent product. If you keep up with it you
will have less work. If you let it go, more work will be
required to bring the color back. In the central Florida
environment where we live, every 6 months we take a Saturday afternoon
to “work on the teak” of our sailboat. Here is what my husband does;
First he washes the teak wood with a mild boat soap and rinses it well with fresh water. While the teak is still damp he will wet sand it. This roughs up the varnish that is still there and gets it ready for the new varnish to stick. He rinses the teak wood really well and then lets it dry. After it is dry, he uses a tack cloth
to remove
all the residue or dust that has fallen so the finish is smooth for the
varnish. He uses a
marine varnish. After the first coat dries, he wet
sands the area again, lets that dry, then puts
another coat on. He does this for 3 applications of
varnish. The
glass-like shine returns and the beautiful teak color against the white
fiberglass deck of our sailboat looks awesome. Sealing the
teak wood with the varnish helps the wood repel the insects
that may try to get into the wood. You can tell when the teak needs
more attention as some of the teak will begin to look lighter than the
surrounding areas. This mean the sealer is getting thin and you should
give it another coat or two as stated above. 
Teak wood is used on decks of sailboats and power boats. Teak wood has a high silica content that provides non skid qualities and this is perfect for the deck of any boat. Teak does not warp, twist or expand no matter what the temperature or weather which is ideal for the interior of boats. Teak wood is used on boats of all kinds for interior doors, hatches, cabinetry, shelves and flooring. We recently installed Teak and Holly flooring in our sailboat. Years of wear and tear had started to show and we knew it was time to replace the sole. Our sailboat had Teak and Holly on the sole originally that we really liked so we replaced it with the same and it looks great. We used marine grade plywood with a Teak and Holly veneer. We cut templates out of brown packaging paper and then used that pattern to cut the marine plywood. Then we cut the Teak and Holly and glued it to the marine plywood with a marine grade waterproof glue. We then attached it to the hull of the boat with silicone. We used silicone instead of glue in case we ever need to or have to take the floor up again for some reason. My husband did such a good job that it fits like a glove! To seal it we used a product called Ultimate Sole recommended by a friend and we think it looks beautiful.
Teak wood is a very popular commodity. It is used for boats and houses, indoor and outdoor furniture, and indoor and outdoor flooring. Nearly anything you can think of that can be made from wood can be made from Teak wood and it is not cheap.Teak furniture was very popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Danish Modern is now one of the most sought after types of vintage furnishings among antique lovers. Teak wood is very nautical due to its history in boat making but it has such practical qualities that home owners everywhere see the benefit of using it in all settings. The beauty of Teak wood adds an exotic touch inside and out.
Teak Tree, Mae Hong Sang Provence, Nw Thailand Photographic Print
Pitts, Michael
Buy at AllPosters.com
Teak wood comes from a teak tree. The most famous is the Burmese Teak tree, Tectona Grandis. This teak tree grows to 130-150 feet. It is a deciduous tree which grows on the dry hilly terrains of the forests of Southeast Asia. The trunk is free of branches to about 80 feet and this is what is used for commercial lumber. Today most teak comes from tree farms. Teak is a slow growing tree and it takes 50 years to grow a mature tree. Some manufactures want to advertise their other hardwoods as “teak-like” or “as good as teak” or “the family of teak” but do not be fooled, there is nothing like teak wood, especially in a marine or outdoor environment.
Teak wood offers a golden, tawny color to a deep brown and sometimes reddish color. If left to the elements outdoors on a boat or in a backyard or park with no maintenance treatment to the teak wood, within 3 months it will start to take on a silvery huge. Graying of the teak wood allows it to blend nicely into the environment. Total weathering is complete in 6-9 months and after this the teak wood requires no maintenance at all.
To keep the teak wood from weathering requires some maintenance most importantly on a regular basis. Teak Cleaner
First he washes the teak wood with a mild boat soap and rinses it well with fresh water. While the teak is still damp he will wet sand it. This roughs up the varnish that is still there and gets it ready for the new varnish to stick. He rinses the teak wood really well and then lets it dry. After it is dry, he uses a tack cloth
Teak wood is used on decks of sailboats and power boats. Teak wood has a high silica content that provides non skid qualities and this is perfect for the deck of any boat. Teak does not warp, twist or expand no matter what the temperature or weather which is ideal for the interior of boats. Teak wood is used on boats of all kinds for interior doors, hatches, cabinetry, shelves and flooring. We recently installed Teak and Holly flooring in our sailboat. Years of wear and tear had started to show and we knew it was time to replace the sole. Our sailboat had Teak and Holly on the sole originally that we really liked so we replaced it with the same and it looks great. We used marine grade plywood with a Teak and Holly veneer. We cut templates out of brown packaging paper and then used that pattern to cut the marine plywood. Then we cut the Teak and Holly and glued it to the marine plywood with a marine grade waterproof glue. We then attached it to the hull of the boat with silicone. We used silicone instead of glue in case we ever need to or have to take the floor up again for some reason. My husband did such a good job that it fits like a glove! To seal it we used a product called Ultimate Sole recommended by a friend and we think it looks beautiful.
Teak wood is a very popular commodity. It is used for boats and houses, indoor and outdoor furniture, and indoor and outdoor flooring. Nearly anything you can think of that can be made from wood can be made from Teak wood and it is not cheap.Teak furniture was very popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Danish Modern is now one of the most sought after types of vintage furnishings among antique lovers. Teak wood is very nautical due to its history in boat making but it has such practical qualities that home owners everywhere see the benefit of using it in all settings. The beauty of Teak wood adds an exotic touch inside and out.
