Teak is a tree of species Tectona grandis. The species is placed in the family Lamiaceae. Tectona grandis is a large, deciduous tree that is dominant in mixed hardwood forests. It has small, fragrant white flowers and papery leaves that are often hairy on the lower surface. It is sometimes known as the "Burmese Teak ( မြန်မာ့ကျွန်း )". Teak wood has a leather-like smell when it is freshly milled. Teak timber is particularly valued for its durability and water resistance, and is used for boat building, exterior construction, veneer, furniture, carving, turnings, and other small wood projects.[1] Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries in Africa and the Caribbean. Burma accounts for nearly one third of the world's total teak production.
The word teak comes from Tamil "tekku" (தேக்கு), Malayalam word thekku(തേക്കു്), From there it went to Portuguese teca.
heartwood is brownish red in color. It becomes darker with getting older. Sometimes there are dark patches on it. There is a strange scent in newly cut wood.
The wood is used for a variety of purposes including boat-building, domestic flooring and furniture. From the late 1990s, it was used as part of the txalaparta, a Basquemusical instrument constructed of wooden boards, due to its lively sound. Iroko is one of the traditional djembe woods.
It is a very durable wood; iroko does not require regular treatment with oil or varnish when used outdoors. Although it is almost as durable as teak, it does not have the same stability.
In the UK there are no trade restrictions on the machining of this timber. The only reported adverse effects known to be caused by the dust from Iroko are asthma, dermatitis and nettle rash.
Teak is a yellowish brown timber with good grain and texture. Teak, though easily worked, can cause severe blunting on edged tools because of the presence of silica in the wood. Teak is often an effective material for the construction of both indoor and outdoor furniture. Teak's high oil content, high tensile strength and tight grain makes it particularly suitable for outdoor furniture applications. Over time teak can mature to a silvery-grey finish, especially when exposed to sunlight. It is used in the manufacture of outdoor furniture, boat decks, and other articles where weather resistance is desired. It is also used for cutting boards, indoor flooring, countertopsand as a veneer for indoor furnishings. Teak is used extensively in India to make doors and window frames, furniture, and columns and beams in old type houses. It is very resistant to termite attacks. Mature teak fetches a very good price. It is grown extensively by forest departments of different states in forest areas.
Leaves of the teak wood tree are used in making Pellakai gatti (jackfruit dumpling), where batter is poured into a teak leaf and is steamed.This type of usage is found in the coastal district of Udupi in the Tulunadu region in South India. The leaves are also used in gudeg, a dish of young jackfruit made in Central Java, Indonesia, and give the dish its dark brown color.
Teak is used as a food plant by the larvae of moths of the genus Endoclita including E. aroura, E. chalybeatus, E. damor, E. gmelina, E. malabaricus, E. sericeus and E. signifer and other Lepidoptera including Turnip Moth
Teak and bamboo plantations in India are a good alternative crop solution to farmers of central India, where conventional farming is popular. Due to rising input costs of farming many farmers have grown teak and bamboo plantations because they only require water during the first two years. Bamboo, once planted, provides the farmer with output for 50 years until it flowers. Production of these two trees positively impacts and contributes to the climate change problem in India.
- sapwood is whitish to pale yellowish brown in color. It can easily separate from heartwood.
- wood texture is hard and ring porous.
- density is 720 kg/meter cube.
