Teak is one of the world’s outstanding woods. It occurs naturally in India, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand and Laos, but has been planted in many parts of the world. The tree can reach 40 meters in height and have a bole 1 to 1,5 meters in diameter.
Teak wood is strong and durable and resists water. It takes a high polish and has an oil that helps it resist insects and decay. The wood is dark golden-brown.
Teak dries slowly but well, and once dry it is noted for its stability in use. It is strong for its weight, but is hard to saw and machine because of its abrasive nature. It is extremely durable.
These characteristics and its attractive looks means teak has been put to many uses especially outdoors, for example ship-building, carpentry, and furniture
The teak for these benches comes from plantations in Panama.
The plantations are FSC®-certified. This means that you can feel secure that our products has been made in a responsible way, and also that our forests are managed in an equally responsible manner. The FSC-labeling also reassures you that none of our products comes from illegally felled forests.
The forestry company we use manages and owns 650 some of the oldest teak plantations Panama.
The main part of this teak was planted between 1991 and 1999. The average diameter is about 30-35 centimeters for the oldest forest (at breast height, about 1,5 meters from the ground), and the teak is pruned up to between 7 and 10 meters above the ground, with a very low percentage of dead knots.
Advantages with our plantation-grown teak
- It does not contribute to the destruction of the rainforest, but instead to the reforestation of former clearings.
- Everything is FSC-certified.
- There is no risk of mixing with natural teak since teak does not grow naturally in Panama.
- The whole chain from plantation to the customer is known, providing assurance to the customer.
- Teak plantations help to absorb carbon dioxide to thereby relieve global warming.
Whats’s the difference between our plantation-grown teak and the natural forests?
- It is the right choice from all social and environmental aspects.
- It is the same species, and thereby should provide the same features such as resistance to decay.
- There is a stability of supply, since logging is done in our own plantations.
- It provides local residents work, which prevents shifting cultivation.
The colour of Teak is highly dependent of site conditions, like the soil and the climate conditions. Our teak from Panama shows a colour very similar to the Burma Teak.
It has a durability of up to 25 years. If left untreated, Teak will turn silvery/grey over a period of 3-6 months. It can be treated with Timber Treatment, Timber Sealer or Protector.
