TEAK

Origin :
Native to southern Asia;Widely grown on plantations throughout tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Color or Appearance : 
Heartwood tends to be a golden or medium brown, with color darkening with age.

Grain/Texture :
Grain is straight, though it can occasionally be wavy or interlocked. Coarse, uneven texture and moderate to low natural luster. Raw, unfinished wood surfaces have a slightly oily or greasy feel due to natural oils.

Endgrain : 
Ring-porous or semi-ring-porous; large to very large solitary earlywood pores, medium to large latewood pores, few; solitary and in radial multiples of 2-3; tyloses and other heartwood deposits (light-colored) common; medium rays visible without lens, spacing normal; parenchyma vasicentric, and banded (marginal), with bands sometimes wide enough to enclose entire earlywood pores.

Rot Resistance : 
Teak has been considered by many to be the gold standard for decay resistance, and its heartwood is rated as very durable. Teak is also resistant to termites, though it is only moderately resistant to marine borers and powder post beetles.

Workability : 
Easy to work in nearly all regards, with the only caveat being that Teak contains a high level of silica (up to 1.4%) which has a pronounced blunting effect on cutting edges. Despite its natural oils, Teak usually glues and finishes well, though in some instances it may be necessary to wipe the surface of the wood with a solvent prior to gluing/finishing to reduce the natural oils on the surface of the wood.

Odor : 
Teak can have a leather-like scent when freshly milled.

Allergies / Toxicity : 
Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Teak has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, as well as other health effects, such as pink eye, rash, nausea, asthma-like symptoms, and vision effects. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Comman Uses :
Ship and boatbuilding, veneer, furniture, exterior construction, carving, turnings, and other small wood objects.