Teak in interior design

[SnakeEyes]

Are all manufacturers today using teak veneer in interior design or are some still using solid teak?

For example the scandinavian boatbuilders that tend to be more expensive than their european counterparts still use solid teak?

[coopec43]

I think "Burmese"Teak has become prohibitively expensive these days.

[Tillsbury]

I don’t think anyone has used teak in “interior design” since the 80s. It’s not a particularly good timber to use anyway, so apart from the price of solid teak it wouldn’t be appropriate to use it for large panels. Good quality marine ply will always be far stronger and longer lasting. The better boat builders will use veneered panels and solid edging for whatever timber you choose.

[SnakeEyes]

Well never mind the actuall wood type. Is it veneer in all boats now a days or is it solid wood. The RS in the post above seems to be Mahogany or Oak, but is it solid or veneer?

I know the jeaneaua, bavarias etc. use veneer, but what about the premium segment boat builders?

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by SnakeEyes

Well never mind the actuall wood type. Is it veneer in all boats now a days or is it solid wood. The RS in the post above seems to be Mahogany or Oak, but is it solid or veneer?

I know the jeaneaua, bavarias etc. use veneer, but what about the premium segment boat builders?

As far as I can make out Hallberg Rassy are solid timbers.

Nov 16, 2018 - SOLANA V is a spectacular example of the venerable (Hallberg-Rassy 46 for sale). ... The locker doors are of solid mahogany and louvered for ventilation.

Feb 5, 2018 - Hallberg-Rassy's new 340 has a bowsprit, twin rudders, twin helms and no chart ... Then there are the materials used – this amount of solid wood is not often found in production yachts...

[Sailmonkey]

I’ve not yet run across a modern boat that is solid timber anywhere but cabinet doors. Veneer plywood is so much more directionally stable than solid wood, it wouldn’t make sense to build with solid timber.

[Bill O]

Most of the current production boats are going to be veneer for large panels and for cabin soles. You will even see bamboo used extensively by manufacturers. Noticed one more recent manufacturer to state their cabin soles were solid wood, but were no more than a thicker veneer w/a plywood base. Very misleading in my book of standards.
For the solid wood components, many have switched away from teak (too expensive) and use cherry, maple, etc. Fabric to cover bulk heads, etc. is also common.
We love real wood and have built (rebuilt) our boat accordingly. With that said, we too have used teak veneered ply to cover larger vertical surfaces like bulk heads and cabinet sides. In these areas it's ok to use veneer, but not for our cabin soles that will get heavy wear. Here we used 3/8" thick teak and white oak. Also solid teak or mahogany was used for cabinet trim, hand rails, drawer faces, etc.
Not everyone appreciates real wood and in a world of boat builders that are trying to cut expenses, the first thing to go is solid wood (replaced w/heavily varnished veneer that looks like plastic) and more sail drives.


If you like real wood you will need to look around to find one to your liking (they are still out there).

[tkeithlu]

Using teak in any amount involves cutting down yet another rainforest. ditto mahogany. There goes another habitat, there go a few more species, and our habitat is next. I wish we could either except boat interiors more along the lines of house interiors, rather than demanding that they be fine furniture. If we need wood, let's return to oak or something else we at least farm.

[SnakeEyes]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Using teak in any amount involves cutting down yet another rainforest. ditto mahogany. There goes another habitat, there go a few more species, and our habitat is next. I wish we could either except boat interiors more along the lines of house interiors, rather than demanding that they be fine furniture. If we need wood, let's return to oak or something else we at least farm.

I do agree, cutting down rainforests is not the way to go. It's not that I'm specifically looking for a manufacturer that uses solid teak or mahogany. I'm just trying to get a grip on what is actually used in premium production boats compared to the others. I have found it to be quite difficult to get a clear picture.

There is nothing wrong with veneer but as stated here there is a difference in where you use it. Some places on the boat do get much more wear and tear.

[Bill O]

One can easily find teak these days that is "farmed" (and many other hardwoods), therefore grown and harvested in a sustainable manner. Not saying this happens all the time, but is no different than over fishing or taking juvenile fish. Not all have long term sustainability in mind.
Not all woods are good or stable for boat building or for boat interiors. One needs to look at the specific wood characteristics to see if its a correct match for the intended use. Oak was mentioned as an example and white oak is much more rot resistant than red oak or maple. A quarter sawn white oak will swell/expand less than other cuts of white oak and less than other woods.

Below is an example table (of many) that briefly looks at different wood characteristics.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by SnakeEyes

It's not that I'm specifically looking for a manufacturer that uses solid teak or mahogany. I'm just trying to get a grip on what is actually used in premium production boats compared to the others. I have found it to be quite difficult to get a clear picture.

Armed w/knowing what to look for and your likes, I think you need to look around at different boats to see what you like. Isn't that half the fun is looking??!!
Besides the wood interior, try to match other things like sailing performance, etc. so you will be happy all around.


Bill O.

[tkeithlu]

Thank you for the guide, Bill. Having spent my career studying lemurs that are now extinct or damned close to it, and seeing the devastation of Madagascar as it progressed, I trimmed my boat in rough cut white oak and oak plywood panels. It's not as beautiful as most yachts, but quite comfortably attractive, and could be much better if I was a better carpenter.

[Island Time O25]

Too bad there is no serious effort in the boat building industry (similar to historic houses restoration movement) to recycle mountains of teak being crushed together with the hulls.

Call me old fashioned but I just don't get the charm of the IKEA-style interiors of the modern boats. I get the "easy to care part" but these boats look so sterile and fake compared to the well maintained traditional wood trimmed pre-1990s boats. I'm not advocating going back to the cave/English reading parlor room look as it is not everyone's cup of tea (although that is my personal preference) but the IKEA style just looks and feels cheap. Like Yugo on the water.

Oh, and to address the point about "losing the rainforest". The wood at least can be regrown, albeit slowly. The oil used in creating those plastic interiors? Not at all. Same for real leather vs vinyl.

Speaking of the forests. By the mid 19th century Massachusetts was practically de-forested, losing 95% of its old forest growth, since the Pilgrims arrived, to farms, housing and so forth. After the Civil War and more so toward the end of the 19c there was a concerted effort to re-plant and re-forest, being helped by relative underproductivity of New England farming compared to Midwest. Sure not all replants were native species, many (most?) were not. But the results were still spectacular - the state today is back to 75-85% of its 17c forest cover. Can't do that to the depleted oil and gas reserves, can you?

[john61ct]

New England's reforestation over the last century+ was from sheer neglect of the previously cleared fields, yes beneficial, but certainly not human-intentional.

[CarinaPDX]

When building Carina beginning in 1978 I used a lot of teak below, with white-painted plywood. Some plywood is teak-veneered as well. In one place the veneer is failing, lifting and splintering, and I am considering filling and painting that white as well. If I had it to do over I would use a lighter-colored wood where I have used teak inside. Teak's useful properties are a good match for exterior use but are unnecessary for the interior, and it darkens with time resulting in a too-dark interior. There are so many other beautiful woods that also hold varnish better.

H-R may have a few decorative solid mahogany cabinet doors, but overall they don't throw the solid wood around. IIRC they do not use wood moldings around cabinet doors, instead using rabbets on the doors to cover the panel edges, on the newer models at least. I know of no current mass-produced boats that are great examples of the master cabinetmaker's craft; they necessarily are keeping the costs down. Curved moldings are now commonly laminated rather than cut from solid planks - laminating is a more efficient use of the lumber. I'm not being critical; keeping costs down while making an attractive boat is a good thing.

Greg