Why does Teak wood patio furniture have to be expensive?
Teak is perhaps the most desirable, and arguably the most expensive, outdoor wood furniture on the market. It is a beautiful, honey-colored, dense, tropical hardwood and is resistant to insect infestation. It also contains natural oils which make it resistant to rot and decay. Unfortunately, teak trees grow very slowly and can take at least 60 years to reach harvestable size. Because teak furniture is in such high demand, it is not as easily acquired as woods like cedar, oak, or pine. With supplies not able to meet demand, the price of teak has increased dramatically. The advantage of teak, though, is that, with proper maintenance, it can last for more than 50 years, which makes the initial investment worth it for many homeowners. While cleaning teak is not mandated, it is not a bad idea to clean outdoor teak furniture each year to remove any buildup of pollen, sap, or mildew. Follow each cleaning with a coat of teak oil (optional) if you wish to keep the wood its original honey color. It is also recommended that you use protective patio furniture covers to prevent wear and tear. Eucalyptus wood and similar tropical hardwoods can be an alternative to teak, and they are generally cheaper.
In researching this article, I could only go back in time about 600 years. That was the time frame when the Chinese Ming Dynasty had a pretty powerful fleet of ships called “junk” ships. These ships were built out of teak wood. These were huge, powerful sailing ships that could carry thousands of men and cargo for extended periods of time. The Teak wood used was said to have been buried for several years before the Chinese deemed it usable to build into one of these ships. The Chinese knew that teak wood could withstand the sun while out on the ocean. They also knew that teak wood would not shrink when exposed to the wind, the heat, the rain or the salty ocean water itself. These are some of the main reasons why boat and shipbuilders today still prefer to use teak wood when building ocean vessels. Because teak wood experiences such little shrinkage, it makes an excellent choice for the ships doors and cabinets.
