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Teak makes one of the best fine woods for outdoor furniture, especially a teak chaise lounge. Its beautiful pattern, sturdy structure and exotic aroma make relaxing in a teak chaise lounge an experience that brings visions of days past when huge sailing ships ruled the world’s seas.
Teak has been known as a valuable resource since ancient times. Actually a member of the Verbena family, its trees can grow as high as 150 feet with trunks six to eight feet in diameter. What’s more, it’s a renewable resource with amazing strength and durability.
Teak Chaise Lounge Made From Amazing, Enduring Wood
Many of the architectural treasures of southern Asia have endured because they’re made of teak. With a high content of oil and rubber, teak is practically immune to rot and quite nearly weatherproof. Teak’s heartwood, the part that is made into furniture and other objects, is a yellow brownish color. The wood is extremely heavy for its size; in fact teak logs are so heavy they do not float. Teak farmers still use elephants to haul logs from jungles inland to waterways for transport.
Teak trees reach maturity at about 70 to 80 years after they have been planted. The finest teak wood comes from trees at least 40 years old that have been seasoned (drained of water) for one to two years. Teak grows in the dry, hilly terrains of forests in Southeast Asia in various areas of Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Philippines and Malaysia, a long way from the coast. Contrary to common misconception, teak does not grow in rain forests. Governments strictly control the harvesting and conservation of teak, to ensure a supply of this high-grade wood.
When Brittania ruled the waves generations ago, sailing ships bore masts made of teak, and teak chaise lounges were standard equipment on steamers. As the great sailing ships of yesteryear gave wave to motorized vessels, ships’ carpenters adapted to the change in their profession by salvaging teak timbers to carve into furniture. Many English park benches made of teak are still in use after nearly a century of exposure to the elements.
As if all these beneficial attributes weren’t enough, natural teak patio furniture is virtually maintenance free. It doesn’t need preservatives or paint and left exposed to the outdoors will weather to a handsome silvery gray patina. To keep a teak chaise lounge its original golden brown color, simply rub it with high quality teak oil, or apply a teak preservative once a year.
Home outdoor furniture made of teak is highly prized. Today manufacturers often combine teak with steel, aluminum or wicker to make beautiful patio furniture. The wood can be worked into any style, whether it becomes the simple, inviting benches of tropical gardens in Hawaii hotels, or the rugged outdoor picnic tables at Colorado ski resorts. Teak chaise lounges are found in outdoor settings from the deserts of Arizona to the rockbound coast of Maine. Hardly any other wood can stand up to this range of temperature and humidity settings without succumbing to the effects of the environment.
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