King of the Forest Why Teak Is The Best Wood For Outdoor Furniture

You have just purchased your very first house; the house that you’ve desired for a long time and saved up for. Now comes the second hardest part. Deciding on what sort of furniture to get especially for your outdoor space! Which should you get – wood, steel, plastic or … teak?

The answer is obvious. Outdoor teak furniture is the best sort of furniture to accentuate the ample space that you have enveloping your house. Timeless style, unrivaled durability and sustainable materials this is why teak fit perfectly into a garden or patio setting.

Now let us discuss why teak is so much in demand as outdoor furnishing material:

• Teak is durable due to high density of grains present in the timber. The houses built entirely with teak have stood for centuries and they still look new. Think of the teak wood benches in the parks of your hometown. They were there in the time of your granddads and will be there when your grandchildren are grown up.
• Teak is genus of tropical hardwood trees and therefore is not easily breakable or bendable. It is especially more so because of the presence of silica in its grains. The carpenters’ tools often become blunt because of this.
• Teak is water resistant because of presence of a unique natural oil and do not easily rot. Ships that crossed the Atlantic to discover the Americas or went round half the world in search of spices were all made of teak. They sailed through the high seas for months and faced storms, rain and hail and yet survived to tell the tale. Be sure, if they could endure that, your outdoor teak furniture can bear them too. You will not have to drag them indoors with the hint of bad weather.
• The natural oil in them also saves them from the attacks of pests and insects like fungi and termites.
• Because teak is not bendable, it makes the ideal stand for market umbrellas. Like the tall masts of the ships of yore, they have the capacity to stand erect even after a terrible storm. It is however; wise to close the umbrellas when not in use or when a storm is in the offing. When you buy an outdoor umbrella, make sure the cloth is thick enough to stop the UV rays from reaching you, or else it will only serve a decorative purpose. Too much sun often causes skin cancer; the market umbrellas are there to protect your skin from that. However, that is beside the point. We were talking about teak.
• Teak has a natural honey brown color that remains so for long period and you will be fool to want to paint them with any other color or put any kind of varnish on them.
• That is also the reason why it does not easily catch fire. Because it is generally devoid of any chemical coating or even painting and varnishing, it is one of the most non-flammable furniture materials available. This is another reason why it can be suitable for backyards and patios, especially if you like to cook outdoors. It is also safe kind of furniture if you have patio heaters that have open flames.

What is so special about teak anyways? Sure, it would make a perfectly decent piece of furniture, yet why does it reign above other forms of wood as well as metal, steel and plastic. You must be aware that you are investing the right type of furniture. The following are some of the reasons why teak is considered above the rest;
1) Durable and Stable – We often hear that teak is durable yet we sometimes wonder how durable is teak? This is why. Teak is tremendously dense-grained because it is a type hardwood tree indigenous to the dry, hilly ground of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The insides of it are immense stable making it highly resistant to rot and decay. Its high natural oil content acts as a natural preservative shield to the wood so you don’t have to bother bringing your furniture inside due to climatic changes. Perhaps this is why many public parks are furnished with teak benches –as they can withstand the wrath of time.
2) Non-Flammable – Although it possesses high natural oil content, it is immune to rotting, fungi and harsh chemicals ultimately making it one of the few timbers that can withstand both heat and flames. This is ideal for patio heaters that use propane. Imagine your patio heaters outside in the heat of the summer, you wouldn’t feel the need to worry it spontaneously combusting. Instead, it will exude a cool feel or touch to its surface, not allowing it the heater to heat up. Also, teak will not turn black when in contact with metals like how some woods would.
3) Belle of the Forest – Nature’s envy itself, Teak ages gracefully and like how most of us develop grey hair through time, so does teak develop grayish hairlines. Nothing that a little warm honey can’t heal though. So don’t fret when you see those grayish lines. Teak is very smooth to the touch and does not splinter. It remains very neutral in temperature compared to plastic or metal furniture and has a faint, pleasant aromatic smell. This is why, market umbrellas are designed and crafted with teak. Well made teak outdoor furniture like patio or market umbrellas are classic-looking in design with clean architectural lines and timeless style. Untreated teak however can be left in the open for more than 30 years whilst becoming an attractive soft silver color. Teak is one of the timbers not susceptible to termite (white ants) attacks. The look of this long lasting outdoor furniture has a very elegant and appealing design, many high end country clubs and gardens use teak furniture to decorate their garden areas because of it uncomplicated designs.
4) Affordable and Valuable – With great price, comes great value. Of course, wood such as oak and teak have a reputation for being very costly but lately many manufacturers are bringing the cost of teak patio furniture down. When choosing a brand of teak furniture pay attention to workmanship and quality. Designs are important to focus on too, because the more exclusive the designs are, the more pricy the furniture will be.

Considering all this powerful characteristics, it is no wonder why teak is considered one of the best. It is safe to place your trust on their sturdiness. However it is important that you select the right teak furniture for you house environment. After all, they are going to be hanging around your home for a long time.

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using patio heaters, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His work on patio heaters are widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.

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