ODOR
Unpleasant odor, with a characteristic oily fragrance when freshly cut and accentuated when moistened or heated (400).
COLOR
When the wood is freshly cut, the heartwood is olive-green, but becomes a golden-brown color when dry, often showing bands of dark color that eventually fade with age. Sapwood is yellowish to white and abruptly separated from heartwood. (400)
COLOR INDEX (1=BLACK, 7=LIGHT YELLOW,WHITE)
3
GRAIN
Straight (400)
TEXTURE
Accentuated veining, produced by the growth rings (400)
LUSTER
Medium gloss (400)
NATURAL DURABILITY
Good durability, lasting 10 to 15 years in exterior use. Heartwood is resistant to attack by drywood termites. It is also moderately resistant to subterranean termites and very durable in the ground, but is easily attacked by sea moth. Sapwood has none of the durability properties of heartwood, as well as being attacked by woodworm. (400)
NATURAL DURABILITY INDEX (1= VERY HIGH DURABILITY, 7=VERY LOW DURABILITY)
3
INTERNAL GROWTH STRESSES
Wood from thinnings has many stresses that make sawing difficult. (435)
SILICA CONTENT
Contains up to 1.5% silica, so it should be sawn green and saws reinforced with stellite or tungsten carbide should be used. (434)
OILS OR RESINS
It has natural oils, these oils make it resistant to termites and fungi (434).
RESISTANCE TO IMPREGNATION
Teak heartwood is difficult to treat with preservatives, while sapwood responds best to treatment with 6% copper sulfate, followed by 7% borax, in three-day immersions and three-week diffusion periods. (434)
SPECIALIZED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THESE TOPICS
400 – Timber in Colombia
434 – Manual for Teak (Tectona grandis L. F) Growers in Costa Rica
435 – Teak: Tectona grandis L. f. Verbenaceae
