TEAK
Family: Verbenaceae

Other Names:
Mai sak, pahi (Burma); sagwan, tekku, kyun, sagon, tegina, tadi (India); jati sak (Thailand); djati, gia thi (Indonesia).

Distribution:
Indigenous to Burma and India, and S.E. Asia, and introduced into East and West Africa and the Carribean.

General Description:
Indian teak is wavy grained and mottled, but generally straight to wavy grained, coarse textured, uneven, oily to the touch, and sometimes with a white glistening deposit.

Color:
The true teak of Burma is a uniform golden-brown without markings, but most other teak is rich brown with darker chocolate-brown markings.

Weight:
Varies from 610-690 kg/m3 (38-43 lb/ft3), average 650 kg/m3 (40 lb/ft3).

Specific Gravity:
.65.

Mechanical Properties:
•  Bending strength – Medium
•  Crushing strength – High
•  Stiffness – Low
•  Resistance shock loads – Low
•  Fissile and brittle with great dimensional stabillity
•  Fire and acid resistance

Seasoning:
Dries well but rather slowly. Variations in drying rates can occur in individual pieces. Standing trees are girdled and left to dry out for three years before felling. There is small movement in service.

Working properties:
It offers medium resistance to tools but a severe blunting effect on cutters. Tungsten carbide tipped saws are suitable. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing. Gluing is good on freshly planed or sanded surfaces. Fine machine dust is a skin irritant. Stains well and takes a satisfactorily finish, especially an oil finish.

Durability:
Very durable; liable to insect attack. It is extremely resistant to preservation treatment.

Uses:
•  Ship and boat building for decking, rails, hatches, etc.
•  Acid resistant purposes
•  Furniture and cabinet making
•  Interior and exterior joinery
•  Flooring