King of all woods, precious timber - Teak

Burmese teak forests 

Teak (Tectona grandis L. f.; International common name: Teak), also known as rouge tree, purple teak, blood tree, etc., is a deciduous or semi-deciduous large tree, reaching a height of 40-50 meters and a diameter of 2-2.5 meters, with a straight trunk. The bark is brownish gray, and the branches are quadrangular, covered with stellate hairs. 

Teak is a tropical tree species that requires a relatively high temperature. It is commonly found at altitudes below 700-800 meters in low mountains, hills and plains. Teak can be used in medicine and is also a material for making high-end furniture, flooring, and indoor and outdoor decorations. Teak is a rare wood species recognized worldwide and is known as the "King of All Woods". It is also one of the world's most famous and valuable wood species. There is an old saying in Europe: "Old teak is as precious as gold." Since it was discovered by Westerners, this wood has always been used as a strategic resource. In Myanmar and Indonesia, teak is called a "national treasure". 

Teak is native to Myanmar, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Laos and other places, among which Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar are the most famous. The teak in Myanmar benefits from its long-term growth in the primeval forest. The 50-year-old trees provide a large amount of nutrients for the teak. At the same time, due to the changeable environment, the teak secretes more silicon dioxide than regular wood. It is precisely because of this characteristic of teak that it is regarded as the top material for shipbuilding. 

It is said that teak is the only wood that does not warp or crack when exposed to seawater and sunlight. For centuries, teak has been regarded by sailors as the most durable wood in the world. 

A large amount of high-quality teak was used in the interior decoration of the Titanic back then. 

The World's Longest Teak Bridge - U Bein Bridge 

The U Bein Bridge is located in Amarapura Town, Mandalay Province, spanning the most beautiful Taungthaman Lake in Myanmar. It was built during the reign of the Pagan King (Konebaung Dynasty) in the early 18th century. With a total length of 1.2 kilometers, approximately 1 mile, it is regarded as the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world. 

The world's largest teakwood building - Thailand 

The Fifth King's Palace in Thailand was built in 1868 and is located in Bangkok. The entire palace is constructed of teak wood. The three-story building has no nails at all, yet it remains as good as new after over a hundred years of exposure to wind and rain.

The characteristics of teak wood are as follows: 1) High density, with a density of 630 to 720 kg/m³.

 2) High hardness. Teak wood is extremely hard, and its properties are similar to those of iroko wood, which is often used as a substitute for teak.

 3) Good steam bending performance. It is easy to bend under steam and can be steam-bent to a medium radius, allowing for the creation of various shapes. 

4) The teak wood structure is medium-sized with coarse fibers and moderate weight. It has an extremely small shrinkage coefficient, with a radial shrinkage rate of 2.2% and a tangential shrinkage rate of 4.0% from green to air-dry. It is one of the woods with the smallest deformation coefficient.

5) It has good corrosion resistance and can resist termite and marine worm attacks in different sea areas.

6) It is relatively brittle and has moderate processing difficulty. Due to its silicon content, it tends to dull tools, making cutting more difficult during processing. Therefore, it is not suitable for making tool handles and sports equipment, as these products require strong impact and bending strength. 

7) Rich in oil, it has good weather resistance because of its high oil content. However, this also means that the oil will fill the capillary pores, resulting in poor paintability and colorability, and the painting process is relatively difficult. ……