What is a certified forest?

The term "independently certified forest products" refers to those products originating in a forest that an independent third party has certified as well-managed and sustainable. Forest certification validates on-the-ground operations employing the best management practices at a specific forest to ensure the long-term health of the total forest ecosystem. Today, the only ratings available that meet the criteria established by the Certified Forest Products Council are those of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC standards were developed by representatives of conservation groups, the timber industry, economic development organizations and the general public. A forestry operation that meets FSC standards protects forest ecosystems, water quality, wildlife habitats and local communities. To ensure the integrity of the certification, the wood and fiber from certified forests are tracked through the commercial chain from logging sites to retailers and to the end user. www.fsc.org

Why should I buy teak wood?

Teak is a relatively new wood material, which people are beginning to choose as an alternative to standard hardwood flooring. The wood is time tested and durable and of course one of the main reasons to choose teak is the natural beauty which can be stained or colored to suit your environment.

What are the details of teak wood?

Teak / Jati / Tectona Grandis
Tectona grandis is the Latin name for Teak, and Jati is the Indonesian name for Teak where the lumber come from. Teak is a hardwood of the family Verbenaceae

Is there a waiting time for uninstalled planks to acclimate to the environment?

Teak flooring should be acclimated to the local humidity. We recommend a minimum of 72 hours acclimation time from the removal of the flooring from the box to the installation. With climates that have large variations in humidity, we recommend 120 hours.

Why is prefinished teak wood a good choice?

Prefinished nail or staple down installations are gaining more popularity because they do not require the extra finish cure time. In our example of 400 square feet one can expect an installation to begin on a Monday, and be ready Tuesday afternoon to move in furniture. Comparing this to a site finished installation it would be common to wait at least 10 days to safely return to normal living conditions due to finish odors and curing time.

Another favored feature of prefinished products lies in the finishing. Many products are given seven (and more) coatings in controlled settings. Whereas traditional site finished products offer two to four. Site finished are prone to the elements, as airborne particles may get into the finish before it has cured. Finish warranties with site finished products cannot compare to prefinished.

Characteristics of teak wood and location

Tectona Grandis is said to be indigenous to India, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and Java. It has been extensively planted for timber or as an ornamental within its natural range and throughout the tropical regions of the world, including East and West Africa, as well as Costa Rica, Cuba, the Caribbean, and South America from Panama to Brazil.

Tectona grandis, is not a timber from tropical rain forests, and indeed, teak cannot grow in rain forests - it is a deciduous tree which grows particularly well in the dry, hilly terrain typical of plantation forests in Southeast Asia. Specifically in Java Indonesia, Perum Perhutani is the government agency which is responsible for managing Indonesia's extensive forests and plantations. Java has very large Teak plantations which were first planted by the Dutch in the early 1800's. These plantations are now well managed by Perum Perhutani.

When plantation grown the tree will attain a height of up to 45m [150ft] with a dia. 1 - 1.5m [3 - 5ft]. It will be ready for harvesting at around 50 - 60 years. If well maintained the tree can produce a clear stem of up to 30m in length giving a high timber yield. It produces a very large leaf similar to a tobacco leaf which is around 12" long and wide.

Characteristics of teak wood

Teak is an extremely dense [40lbs cu ft when dry] coarse grained hardwood.

Teak wood is generally straight grained, but occasionally wavy. It has a coarse and uneven texture. The wood contains a high level of silica which causes rapid blunting of cutting edges. When fresh cut the surface of the wood is dull in appearance, and the timber has a distinctive, pleasantly aromatic odor which has been likened to the smell of leather. Fresh sawn teak has a slightly 'oily' feel due to the high oil content.

One of the most commonly quoted facts about the characteristics of teak is its durability. It is resistant to rot caused by fungal decay, and the high level of resinous oil present in the timber helps to act as a natural insect repellent giving the timber very high resistance to attack by termites and other wood boring insects.

The timber is said to be resistant to water and many chemical reagents, including acids. It does not have a strong reaction when it comes in contact with metals.

All these statements regarding the durability of teak are born out by the fact that we can see many instances of the timber which have withstood the test of time when used as key components in the boat building industry, or more sedately when used for making municipal furniture for parks.