Teak as a material used for the manufacture of products that need to be highly resistant to the forces of nature has a vast history. The Chinese called it ironwood because of its high resilience to insect infestation and strength.
Teak is full of natural oils (and has a high silica content) that make it excellent for combating wood rot associated with moisture. This is one reason why Teak Outdoor Furniture holds up so well under harsh climates. However, there is another reason why teak is such a good wood for use in outdoor furniture – it is a sustainable wood.
Teak is generally not taken from the wild when used in the manufacturing process. In fact, it is farmed and many countries utilize teak farming as a viable cash crop. Certain strains of teak have become a protected species and while many argue that the strength of old wood teak is far superior to that of farmed teak, studies have proven that farmed teak holds in terms of strength and quality as that of old wood teak.
Teak itself is a strong wood, although a lot of the strength and quality that comes from the wood itself is directly attributed to how it is treated after it is harvested.
Teak is also a fairly attractive wood (which also makes Teak Outdoor Furniture an attractive option). After the wood has been exposed to air it darkens and hardens. The longer the wood is left the stronger it becomes. The Chinese developed a technique of burying teak in order to strengthen it before using it in their manufacturing processes.
The natural attractiveness of the wood coupled with its strength and resilience lent itself to the use of teak as a material used for ship building. Because of its popularity on a world wide scale and in order to reduce the risk of teak forests to milling companies – farming teak became a widespread practice in Asiatic countries during the 1800s.
Teak farming spread from Asia to African and American countries throughout the early 1900s and is now farmed over millions of hectares worldwide. It is a sustainable wood because of this and utilizing teak outdoor furniture is a more environmentally friendly option than utilizing plastic outdoor furniture.
It is also a more attractive option as it can be argued that plastic outdoor furniture is somewhat tacky looking. An attractive dark wood outdoor setting is much more conducive to an aesthetically pleasing garden or patio area.
Teak is a wood that has withstood the test of time and Teak Outdoor Furniture is likely to last much longer than outdoor furniture made of other materials. It is relatively easy to transport and also cost effective as a means of providing a comfortable and attractive outdoor setting for entertaining or relaxation.
Because of its high resistance to termites it is grown fairly easily without the use of chemical pesticides and the wood retains its strength for a large period of time. Cave temples in India that were built over 2,000 years ago utilizing teak are (allegedly) in mint condition to this day. Given this, your Teak Outdoor Furniture is sure to provide you with long lasting use.
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