How to identify Good Teak wood For Your Furniture? - LCETED

How to identify Teak wood Furniture?

Teak wood furniture is very expensive, so it is good to have some basic knowledge about teak wood before buying.

How to Identify Good Teak Wood for Your furniture?

 

What are the different teak Wood grades?

The colour, hardness and durability of teak vary from tree to tree due to significant differences in quality. Be aware that wood is classified into different grades

These provide information on the origin, colour and resistance of teak wood.

 

Class-A	Best class for teak. The wood has a uniform colour and differs in its strength. It usually comes from a tree over 30 years old, because the older the tree, the stronger the wood;
Class-B	Class B teak, although good looking and uniform, may have black spots and more knots;
Class-C	Finally, a classified C teak comes from young trees that have very low resistance. Teak naturally contains a lot of oils and essential oils, which allows it to be highly resistant. If it is cut young, it is shorter and therefore has a shorter lifespan.

 

This article lists ways to identify teak wood by looking at its different characteristics.

 

Colour:

The sapwood of teak is yellowish-white, while the hardwood may be golden-brown or dark brown. Black lines (stripes) are sometimes clearly visible on the heartwood.

Note: Hardwood is the central dry part of the wood, while sub wood is the outermost layer of high humidity. As a general rule, hardwood is stronger, harder and better than sapwood.

Colour varies according to species e.g. Precious and expensive Burmese teak is golden-brown in colour, while other varieties have brown hardwood.

The most important thing to note about teak wood colour is the stain made by the furniture makers. Often light-coloured teak wood is stained using wood dye to make it look brown and dark. In such cases, the grain patterns are still visible but the colour has changed

So we as customers should know that just because teak wood furniture looks brownish it may not necessarily mean that it's good quality heartwood. Perhaps the best way to go identifying high-quality teak in such cases is to ask the furniture makers whether staining has been done, or whether that's the natural colour of the wood.

 

Grain:

After the colour, the most important and easily recognizable feature of teak wood is its pattern of grain. Wood grains look like lines or streaks of darker colour on the surface of the wood and are formed by the way the tree grows in different seasons.

 

Grains appear on the surface of the tree after being cut in mills. The method of sawing wood (plain, quarter-sawn, crown-cutting) determines what the grain method will look like. The most common method is plain sawing and it brings ‘long grain’ to the tree.

The grain pattern of the teak wood is usually straight (Burmese teak is the best example of this). But it can also have wavy grain lines in some cases.

 

Weight:

The average air-dry specific gravity of teak wood is about 0.65, i.e. it is moderately heavy. Therefore, a simple test to find out if the furniture is made of teak wood is to check how heavy it is. Particleboards and teak veneered MDF are lighter in weight compared to solid teak wood.

 

Fragrance:

Teak wood contains natural oils that help fight termites, insects and rot. It is this oil in its wood that makes teak wood so durable. This oil has a faint but distinctive aroma and smells like skin. So this is one of the ways used to determine if the wood used in the furniture is teak wood.

 

Evaluating a Wood by its price:

The price of the furniture we buy is usually a good indicator of the quality of the wood. Solid teak wood furniture is more expensive compared to other solid wood or furniture made of plywood, particleboard or MDF.

However, it is helpful to know a little about teak, as even low-quality furniture made from teak other than teak can sometimes be sold at a higher price.

Also Read: Solid Teak Wood Vs Plywood | Pros And Cons | Homeslibro

 

Getting Information by Asking Questions:

The best way to identify teak wood furniture is to ask furniture vendors directly about the types of wood used in the furniture. If they say teak is made of wood, you can ask what kind of teak wood (like Burmese teak) and explore further.

In short, the points listed above are some ways to identify teak wood, but all of these are easier said than done because it requires a lot of experience with different types of wood.

Teak wood furniture is easy to buy from a reliable source, from local furniture makers you trust, or from reputable furniture brands with a good reputation.

 

PROPERTIES OF TEAK WOOD

Colour:	Sapwood - light yellow heartwood - brown and golden tones. It is a wood that ages really well since its colouring improves.
Fibre	coarse
Grain :	Generally straight. Sometimes wavy
Density :	Semi-heavy wood. It has an approximate density of 690 Kg/cum.
Hardness :	According to the Monnin test - 4.2.
High durability	Very good resistance to humidity and attack by fungi and insects. It is even possible to leave it in the open without treatment thanks to its natural oils. It is difficult to find woods that offer similar durability being so light, they are usually much denser. In this sense, there are important differences between cultivated teak and that which grows naturally, the latter being the one with the best durability.
Dimensional Stability :	It is a dimensionally stable wood. Dimensional stability coefficient: 0.34%. Teak wood is a little edgy.
Mechanical Properties :	Compressive strength: 570 kg / Cum Static bending strength: 1,000 kg /Cum Modulus of elasticity: 140,000 kg /Cum
Impregnation	Sapwood is slightly impregnable, heartwood is not impregnable.
Workability :	Sawn: No problem. Due to its high silica content, it can accelerate tool wear. Drying: Slow, practically without risk of decay or cracking. Brushing: No problem. It has the smell of leather after being cut or brushed.
Glueing:	Some problems may be encountered due to its resins or natural oils. In these cases,   it will be necessary to clean the surface.
Nailing and screwing:	Good bearing capacity
Finish	Has a good finish Compared to other woods

Also Read: Teak Wood Polish Care And Maintenance - Homeslibro

After reading these facts such as colour, grain, odour and weight. With that, you can clearly know how to identify a real teak wood. True teak wood should have all the properties mentioned above.

Also Read: Woodworking Materials Guide for Beginners! | Woodworking Handbook