Is It Really Teak Wood? What’s the Difference? (Part One)
“Let the buyer beware”.
If you have Teak wood outdoor furniture, there is very little you will need to do to keep it ready for your summer gatherings. If however you purchased “teak oiled” or “better than teak wood” or “as good as Teak” outdoor furniture, you may be in for a big surprise.
There are several outlets and stores selling wood outdoor furniture using phrases like, “Teak oiled wood furniture”. Teak oiled means just that: the wood the furniture is made from is not Teak but has been oiled with Teak oil. Period. Many who have purchased it believed it to be real Teak.
A lot of the problem is that we are all looking for a “deal”. We want to pay as little as possible as a result we often overlook or don’t pay attention to what we are actually getting for our money. I can do the same thing at times.
What does “Teak like” furniture mean? Does that mean that the wood has high silica content like Teak wood? Does it mean that the wood will stand up to the weather well like Teak and last 75-100 years left outdoors? What exactly does it mean?
Some of these outdoor wood furniture pieces that look like “GREAT DEALS” are made from a wood called Nyatoh, not Teak. Nyatoh is a term given to a number of species of wood that are typically being converted into outdoor furniture now being sold in North America. It is sold as an exotic hardwood. Many outlets and advertisers call it a wood which wears and behaves like teak. Go on to E-Bay and you will even find some sellers who are advertising it as “stronger than teak wood”. In fact, that is not true.
Some marketers are very good at putting a spin on things to make us think we are buying something we want, when in fact because we are not paying attention, it turns out to be something quite different. Who are these marketers trying to kid? Why us of course.
Many of these wood outdoor furniture sets are being purchased from big chain department stores all across the continent, as well as local grocery and drugstores, and on the internet.
Let’s take a look at Nyatoh versus Teak in one area of wood measurement: Durability. Nyatoh wood is generally rated as Class 3, nondurable to moderately durable, and has a low resistance to termite attack. Its sapwood is liable to powder-post beetle attack. Other woods more familiar to us with this similar durability rating are: American Cherry: African mahogany: Japanese Oak: Southern Pine: and American Walnut: just to name a few.
Teak woods durability is classified as Class 1, Very Durable. Woods in this class include Ebony: Iroka: Makore: and Opepe to name a few. This is just one area of measurement we can look at.
Class 2 woods, which are classed as Durable, contain familiar woods like American Oak: Balau: Sweet Chestnut: Cedar: Ekki: and Karri woods to name a few.
Though there is nothing wrong with Nyatoh wood as a wood. And it is being fashioned in very similar styles as other high quality outdoor furniture. Just be aware of what it is you are really buying. It is NOT Teak wood and you will need to maintain it differently than you would Teak wood. You may need to replace it more frequently just as you have your previous outdoor patio furniture.
Nyatoh wood is only protected with an oil finish. This wood will need to be consistently treated each year to maintain some protection from the elements. When it comes to Nyatoh wood, the consumer must pay particular attention to sufficiently oiling the “joints” where the protection is needed most. If water gets trapped in the joints of this wood, wood rot will begin.
Finally but not least these species of nyatoh occur throughout Southeast Asia but the vast majority of exports are coming from Indonesia, where over-logging has had a catastrophic effect on rainforests. The demand for nyatoh is causing tropical forest destruction and illegal intrusions on indigenous peoples’ lands and native wildlife is being gravely harmed as their forest homelands are ruined by logging.
In contrast the Teak wood that is used today in outdoor furniture production is farmed or plantation grown and considered a renewable resource. Look for genuine Teak and environmentally friendly plantation grown Teak when buying outdoor furniture.
Look for the continuation of this article to get the complete information on “Is It Really Teak Wood?”
Continually developing “ideas for outdoor living”
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