What is teak, and what is its price?

Teak is a globally recognized precious tree species. Although rosewood dominates the Chinese market, this does not diminish teak's status in the hearts of people worldwide.

The teak "frenzy" that swept the Chinese market in 2017 is still fresh in people's minds. Those timber merchants who made a fortune from teak are probably still secretly happy.

Today, let's take a closer look at this calm and sophisticated teak.

Non-standard names: annatto, pomelo, etc.

Latin name: Tectona

Bark: 0.5-1.0 cm thick, soft, and easily peeled. The outer bark is grayish-brown and easily peels off in small flakes. The inner bark is reddish-brown with well-developed bast fibers arranged in lamellar layers. Teak is a deciduous or semi-deciduous large tree, reaching a height of 39-45 meters and a diameter at breast height of 1.5 meters, with a straight trunk.

Wood properties: It has a golden luster; a slight leathery smell; and an oily feel.

Uses of the timber: Suitable for shipbuilding decks, flooring, and high-end decoration, etc.

Key identification points: The wood surface often features grooves and depressions. Growth rings are distinct. The heartwood is golden-brown. The wood is oily.

Teak possesses extremely stable properties, which is why our ancestors were captivated by its allure more than 600 years ago. For example, all the ships used in Zheng He's voyages were made of teak.

There's also the century-old teak bridge in Myanmar. Built in 1849 in the ancient capital of Mandalay, the U-Bein Bridge is the world's longest teak bridge. More than a century has passed, and the people living along the lake still rely on this bridge for their livelihood.

Teak, born with the qualities of a "star," continues to shine brightly in the world today, even after nearly a thousand years.

Nowadays, teak is the first choice for flooring decoration in most high-end venues because it has the smallest deformation coefficient of all woods. It is stable and does not deform when used for flooring. After being exposed to natural light, its surface is bright and warm like jade. Combined with the golden color of teak, teak flooring decoration has become a synonym for high-end!

For example, the teak wood trim inside the luxury yachts of the French brand Adagio.

In addition, Italy MoThe Monte Carlo MCY 70 luxury yacht features teak deck trim.

There's also the teak deck decoration on Russian Prime Minister Medvedev's luxury yacht, the "Sirius".

Teak flooring is the finest among solid wood flooring, with a typical market price of 600-700 yuan per square meter. Custom-made teak flooring is even more expensive!

However, after centuries of uncontrolled logging, large-diameter living teak trees are now extremely rare. Therefore, alternative teak species have gradually appeared on the market, such as South American teak and Lao teak. However, due to different growing conditions, flooring made from these "teak" trees cannot compare to Burmese teak. Therefore, when purchasing teak, be sure to look for Burmese teak!

(The current market price for Burmese teak logs in Guangdong is between 12,000 and 14,000 yuan per cubic meter.)

(The current market price for Burmese teak lumber in Guangdong is 24,000-26,000 RMB per cubic meter.)