Why is teak wood so expensive?
If you’ve priced on teak furniture or already own some, you know they don’t come cheap. One of the reasons teak is so expensive is because it is not from America. All the teak has to be imported, which adds to the cost. If you are looking to buy teak garden furniture or already have a set, it is very important to take proper care of it. You’ve spent a lot of money on your teak furniture, don’t let the Southern California elements ruin it.
One of the best ways to keep your teak furniture looking fresh and new is to clean it regularly. , we specialize in the preservation of teak furniture. We are one of the only companies that specialize in teak wood restoration. With more than 20 years of experience, you can rest easy knowing that we will take the best care of your furniture.
Why is teak wood so expensive?
Teak wood is expensive for several reasons:
Rarity: Teak trees are native to Southeast Asia and are grown in specific areas, making it a rare resource. Demand for teak wood is high, but supply is limited, driving up the price.
Durability: Teak wood is known for its natural resistance to rot, decay and insect damage, making it an ideal choice for outdoor furniture and boat building. The durability of teak wood also means that it will last for many years, making it a long-term investment that is well worth the price.
Quality: Teak wood has a fine, hard grain and a beautiful, natural golden brown color that makes it a popular choice for high-end furniture and other luxury products. The quality of teak wood is reflected in its price, as it is considered one of the finest woods in the world.
Labor intensive harvesting and processing: Teak trees grow slowly, making them a slow-growing resource. Additionally, harvesting and processing teak wood is labor intensive, as the wood must be dried and cured to maintain its quality. These factors contribute to the high price of teak wood.
Environmental regulations: The harvesting of teak wood is highly regulated in many countries, and the wood must be harvested sustainably. This helps protect natural forests and prevent deforestation, but also contributes to the high price of teak wood.
Overall, a combination of rarity, durability, quality, labor-intensive harvesting and processing, and environmental regulations contribute to the high value of teak wood. However, many people believe that the long-term value and beauty of teak wood makes it worth the investment.
Where does teak wood come from?
A man is cleaning a teak deck chair with a cloth.
Although saag is native to India and Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, in the 20th century, growers began cultivating it in African countries and some Central and South American countries.
Teak wood comes from the teak tree, which is found primarily in the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Myanmar is the leading country where you can find teak forests.
You can find natural teak in the Caribbean and some other countries in Africa. However, some varieties cannot be considered true teak by definition. For example, Bermuda teak is real, but some African versions, like iroko, are not. Iroko has similar properties and color, but is not considered true teak by industry standards.
Why is teak so expensive?
Many types of exotic woods can lighten your wallet, including teak.
As Myanmar and other teak-producing countries introduced government restrictions, teak extraction began to decline. Conflicts over logging are not isolated to Myanmar either. Because the prices are increasing. The demand for teak is constantly increasing, making it difficult to obtain. As demand increases and supply decreases, prices increase.
People think of teak as a type of wood, but there are many different trees under teak. Some trees are endangered, which means you shouldn’t buy furniture made from these particular species. If you find them in a store, they will be significantly more expensive. However, your purchase can help prevent the few remaining trees from being destroyed. An example of extremely rare and expensive teak is Tectona Grandis. Now endangered, this tree is found mainly in Indonesia and the Philippines.
A teak tree can take about 50 years to mature. This means that replacement trees can produce wood in a few years, but are not as durable as older trees. Because there are inferior products and imitation teak in the market. Natural teak wood furniture will be expensive. If something seems “too good to be true,” it’s probably fake. Look for words like young teak or teak-like wood in the description.
Your geographic location can also affect the price of greens. This is because some teak wood is dried to reach a certain moisture level. For example, a roof may need between 12% and 15% humidity. You can pay even more to have 8% moisture, which is drier than the industry average.
When shopping for teak planks for a decorating project, you may find some with tongue and groove edges. These boards are very easy to install and the price reflects that. You can expect to pay more per square foot for tongue and groove boards.
When you are shopping for teak wood for your next project, you may notice that there is a class to be mentioned. The grade of teak can affect its value. There are three types:
- Class A: This is their most expensive premium grade teak wood.
- Class B – This is still a long wood, perfect for decks.
- Class C – This is the least expensive teak and may not be uniform across boards.
Prices vary significantly by class. Class C tack sells for about $7 per board foot, while Class B sells for $13 per board foot. Class A boards can cost upwards of $41 per board foot.
A brief history of teak
Have you ever wondered about the history of greens? Well, here’s a rundown of how greens have played a role in helping humanity since time immemorial. We can trace the use of teak back to 2000 years ago. It was discovered during archaeological excavations at a site called Berenice Panchrysos in ancient Egypt, located in present-day Sudan in Africa.
During the 7th century, wealthy people began using teak in their homes, and the wood gained a reputation as a durable material for furniture and house construction. The Dutch popularized wood when they settled in Indonesia. They built boats from this wood, which they found suitable for its resistance to decay.
The Chinese also used teak around 600 years ago during the Ming Dynasty and made ships out of teak. During this period, they tried to reach the edge of the world by sea, but instead, they only managed to circumnavigate the world several times!
Teak was a favorite shipbuilding material of the Chinese because of its durability. They cured it by burying it in moist soil for many years before building their ships.
Teak is so durable that after World War II, people recycled the wood from salvaged ships for flooring and furniture. Since the 1800s, the vegetable’s popularity has spread worldwide. As it became more and more popular, its cultivation spread to other countries.
Although saag is native to India and Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos, in the 20th century, growers began cultivating it in African countries and some Central and South American countries.
Why is teak so expensive?
Teak is one of the most expensive types of wood on the market. It is beautiful and durable. Teak wood survives in both sun and marine environments. It exhibits adequate resistance to shrinkage, cracking and warping. Thanks to the natural oil produced by teak, it is also highly resistant to insect attack. Wood also contains silica, which makes the wood dense. This is the reason why teak is widely used by shipbuilders for making boats.
Teak is an excellent choice for outdoor furniture for the above reasons. Over time, teak wears from silver to gray. While teak outdoor furniture may require some finishing, it doesn’t require as much maintenance as some cheaper types of wood.
Your wooden patio or outdoor furniture will last you for many years. Some of the caves discovered in western India are 2,000 years old and the untreated teak wood used there is still amazingly intact. This is a great example of how durable teak wood can be.
Due to excessive logging over the years, the supply of teak wood has been cut off. However, countries such as Indonesia have taken measures to prevent the indiscriminate exploitation of teak forests. Since the mid-20th century, the Indonesian government has operated a corporation dedicated to managing this precious national resource. A fixed number of trees are cut every year and the cut trees are replaced proportionately.
However, since teak is not always easy to come by, it is in such high demand that it can be quite expensive. The value of wood depends on many factors, such as how it is cut and the part of the tree it comes from.
Teak Wood: Durability Vs. Quality
Teak trees grow to great heights and can reach an average of 50 feet in a few years. However, the tree takes about 50 years to mature. Teak growers have experimented with shortening the rotation of teak to 40 or 25 years.
Although the aim of the growers was to maintain the quality of the wood, harvesting teak less than 50 years old produces smaller and lighter logs. The resulting wood grain was wider than the processed wood after 50 years. In summary, the wood obtained from these experiments was inferior.
Although the wood from the plantation was not as good as the wood from 50-year-old trees, it was still more durable than other types of wood. But immature wood had a tendency to warp and crack with improper treatment. It is the restrictions on the supply of teak that add to its high price.
Beware of fake vegetables
When buying teak wood, you have to be very careful, otherwise you may end up paying a lot for wood that is not real teak. You will find many companies advertising teak wood and furniture on the internet. They all offer great deals at incredible prices, but are not swayed by such sales talk.
If you look at the fine print, product descriptions from such companies will use names like “teak-like wood” to describe their products. This indiscriminate practice is common in the southeastern region of the United States. The wood these companies are selling at “unbelievable prices” may be teak instead of strong solid teak.
Or, the wood these companies sell you may be Nyatoh wood. Nyatoh is an exotic hardwood, but it doesn’t have the hardness or durability of teak. It dries slowly, breaks easily, and has little resistance to insect attack.
Other species with teak-like characteristics include American cherry, hickory, Japanese oak, African mahogany, western red cedar, and white pine. Some unscrupulous dealers sell these varieties under the guise of teak.
How to know if vegetables are real or not?
Many companies sell wood that is not real teak due to the ignorance of their customers. Use these tips to make sure the wood you buy is authentic:
the color
Look for the tree’s golden brown to dark brown heartwood. Teak wood is lighter and less durable.
Some dealers may stain the wood to hide its original color. Ask if the wood is stained and if so, this is the first red flag for fake teak. Real teak does not need to be dyed when sold as raw material.
Grain pattern
Real teak has a straight grain pattern. You should see straight light and dark lines down the length of the wood. If the wood is cut differently, slight ripples may occur. But if you don’t see a straight grain surface, you need to do more research.
smell
Teak has a distinctive, pungent, resinous and leathery smell. If you’ve been working with greens for a while, you should recognize this scent. This is a quick and easy way to identify real greens.
The weight
Teak has the highest density compared to many other species. This means that it should feel heavy in your hand when you pick it up. Teak is heavier than MDF or particle board.
waterproof
Putting a drop of water on teak wood absorbs very little. Most other woods absorb water readily, at least faster than teak.
Test against properties
Teak has many other properties that distinguish it from other types of wood. If you want to be 100% sure that you have real teak, you can test a sample piece for general teak properties such as hardness, dry weight, crush resistance and shrinkage.
Benefits of using teak wood
One of the main advantages of choosing teak furniture is the high durability of the wood. It has been used for centuries, especially in the marine industries for shipbuilding. Teak does not absorb water because it is porous. Without retaining moisture, it rarely develops mold, cracks or warps. Some other benefits of teak wood include:
- It has a non-slip surface, which makes it suitable for outdoor decoration.
- The natural oils in the wood help repel insects.
- It is attractive and very versatile.
- It is easy to clean and maintain.
As the teak ages it can take on a beautiful silver or gray color. Some people consider this an advantage because they prefer this look to a traditional teak stain.
Disadvantages of teak
One of the main disadvantages of teak wood is its cost. It is not the most expensive wood on the market, but it is expensive. While some people find the silver color on the greens to be dull, others find it a drawback. Teak requires regular maintenance and refinishing to maintain its original shine and luster. Teak wood can also get very hot, especially when exposed to direct sunlight. Walking barefoot can be quite painful if you use it for your platform.
Another potential downside to teak is getting matching boards if you use low-quality wood for a decorating project. Your teak deck can have many different types of wood, which may or may not suit your style. If you need to replace the dash, it will be hard to beat. Even with high-quality teak, you may have a waiting period to get a replacement because many stores may have to special order it.
Result
Technology is undoubtedly the “King of the Jungle” as it is popularly known. It is superior to other types of wood in many ways. It has stood the test of time, playing an important role in woodworking since ancient times. Many other types of wood cannot match the good looks and durability of teak.
Today, teak is an expensive type of wood, and you won’t be able to find real teak anytime soon. Every carpenter strives to work with teak and take advantage of its unique and superior properties. Knowing how to identify real teak is a basic requirement of any good carpenter.
We hope you know enough about teak to know good quality real teak when you see it. If you can do this, you will prove your reputation as a skilled carpenter.
