As anyone who has ever enjoyed the durability, beauty and versatility of teak can tell you, it is a fine example of Mother Nature's bounty, repurposed to suit humans. But at what price? On the one hand, teak is a rich, beautiful, long-lasting material that resists the usual hazards that plague other trees and it has myriad uses to which it can be put once harvested. On the other hand, due to its limited range of growth, over-harvesting and a lack of adequate sustainability practices in place could drive this ancient and well-loved tree to extinction. Thankfully, with concerted efforts on the part of some conservationists, the teak tree still thrives, but more on that in a moment. First, let us discuss the properties of teak that make it so unique and a worthwhile material for so many varied uses in the world of modern humans.

Teak is a rich, lustrous hardwood, native to Southeast Asia. The teak tree is deciduous, shedding its leaves in the dry season. It is in possession of natural oils that make it exceedingly resilient to sun, rain, rot, termites and other hazards that would otherwise destroy a less hardy specimen. Indeed, teak is the standard by which most other wood for consumer use is matched. In addition to being very strong, teak is also flexible. The fierce storms that rock Asia would probably have long since decimated the teak forests there, yet the tree's natural inclination is to bend rather than break in the face of fierce winds and rain. When it comes to consumerism, there are other durable, eye-catching woods to be had, certainly, but no wood has the very unique combination of traits that teak does. In its natural state, teak is a warm-hued, golden-yellow wood whose natural oils and resins keep it well preserved. They also give it its characteristic 'glow'. As it ages, teak turns to a rich, dark gold-brown color. And this is without stain of any kind! Because of its natural hardiness, furniture and decking made from teak requires only cursory maintenance to maintain its warm luster. If left to its own devices in the elements, teak will develop a silvery patina, although this is only cosmetic. Some people prefer this aged look; others prefer using sealer to protect the original piece's unchanged beauty. Whatever you desires in that respect, it is undeniable that teak lasts for years. In point of fact, it is not uncommon for teak furniture to be passed down from one generation to the next. Considering how hands off teak really is, 70+ years is not unheard of for a piece of furniture's life cycle.

Teakís Ancient History and Its Future

Despite the assertion that teak is prized by modern humans (which it clearly is), teak itself isn't actually a modern wood. Shipwrights in Ming Dynasty China put it to use in crafting their fleets of great ships. They valued it for its natural resistances and inherent beauty.  Since then, it has seen regular use by many different countries around the world who recognize what a sturdy, adaptable material teak is. Unfortunately, teak is uncommon, despite its popularity, and will not grow just anywhere. This necessitates careful selection when it comes to conservation sites outside of the tree's native range. The tree is indigenous to India, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Thailand. Indonesia, one of many places that teak has been transplanted to, is arguably the world's biggest exporter of teak and the most vocal supporter of its continued longevity. Teak harvesting there is strictly controlled, as is the export of this rich and valuable resource. Tropical Africa and some areas of Central and South America are also home to sizable crops of plantation teak. Some argue that plantation teak is inferior to naturally occurring old growth. This has yet to be proven and so the use of plantation teak continues. Conservation measures are on going and efforts are continually being made to increase not only the size and number of teak plantations available to loggers and importers who want to sell the wood, but also to preserve the original old growth forests in Asia.

Teak's inherent rarity means that the less of it there is, the greater the demand for it will be. Teak is a naturally slow growing wood, taking at least 40 to 50 years or more to reach its full maturity and for its characteristic grain and appearance to become readily apparent. Plantation exporters have tried to find a way around this by harvesting 25 to 30 year old teak, but it is an imperfect solution. The quality of the prematurely harvested teak is debatable, as it seems to improve, the older it is allowed to get prior to harvesting.

Teak, as you can imagine, is an amazingly precious commodity. Whether one is inclined to use it for decking, furniture, flooring or in detail-work in the home, there can be no denying its quality and the status that it bears. As we continue to make use of this rare boon that Mother Nature has given us, we can ensure that with proper and diligent care, the teak tree will be around for centuries to come, both as a source of immense natural beauty and as one of the world's most sought-after and highly-prized sources of hardwood.

A Little About the Author:

My name is Malkit Ram. My wife, Bimla, and I are the publishers of Allteakboutique. I moved to the UK from India years ago, and now my family and I live in the historic English city of Wolverhampton. We have four children ñ three beautiful girls and one tremendous son (who puts me to shame on his game consoles!) Last but certainly not least is our lovable American Bulldog, Kano. He's as much a part of the family as the kids are.

In my free time, I love to go train spotting. I'm a train engineer professionally, and I really rather enjoy it. In addition, my wife and I share a deep-seated passion for the out-of-doors. We spend lots of time in our backyard and have turned it into our own private sanctuary from which we can escape the bustle of the city streets.