Benefits of Using Teak Wood

The main source of the lumber used in the world is forests, and in turn has caused environmental damage that is so hard to fix in this wood economy we have created. The demand for wood has over time taken so much from our forests and has left us struggling to look for ways to salvage what’s left. Some eco-activists object to lumbering, because of clear-cutting. They explain that clear-cutting changes soil and climate of ecosystems, which makes it impossible for new trees and plants grow and for wildlife to thrive.

However, people on the forestry management side say that many forests are overgrown as well as infested with disease and loaded with fuel due to the dead wood and brush. This makes wildfire more likely to happen and the attempted re-growth of trees almost impossible, due to the potentially damaged soil. So in this sense, sometimes it can be argued that it is acceptable to take down a portion of lumber, but not to completely destroy a forest.

So what is there left to do to help in this ongoing crisis? Some wood manufacturers have come up with the idea to select and reserve an appropriate amount of land to plant trees and use that lumber for wood, to distribute. This not only helps to save our forests from corporations destroying acres of trees, but controls and keeps track of the amount of trees that are being cut down, in a designated area.

Teak (also known as tectona grandis) is a yellowish brown timber with rich grains and texture, that has a very nice solid finish. Teak wood has a natural ability to resist moisture, insects, cracking and warping. It is an ideal choice for outdoor applications, and is desired by designers and interior designers. Teak, found mostly in south and Southeast Asia is also planted and grown in these designated areas that are being used.

The process for planting these trees is quite extensive. Teak is grown mainly from seeds. There is a pretreatment which involves alternate wetting and drying of the seeds. The seeds are soaked in water for 12 hours and then laid out to dry in the sun for 12 hours. This is repeated for 10-14 days and then the seeds are sown in beds of coarse peat covered by sand. The seeds then germinate after 15 to 30 days. This process is done repeatedly to ensure the teak wood is grown to it’s full potential.

Proteak manufacutres a range of teak wood goods. They follow the same method of renewably harvested forestry. The teak wood is harvested from their renewable plantations in Mexico and Latin America.