Why Teak?

[Redbeard33]

Is there any reason other than tradition that merits the use of teak aboard boats? I have worked with many other exotic woods that are superior in strength and weathering ability, as well as being cheaper. Ipe is a wood I have used to build numerous decks over the years and have been amazed by its resilence. Has anybody experimented using other woods and how did they agree with marine finishes?

[SunKing]

could be teak is lighter in weight???

[Johnathon123]

I looked at a boat with a beech deck. It was about 10 years old. It needed some boards replaced but otherwise looked great

[virginia boy]

Last year I obtained a couple of sample flooring boards of Brazilian cherry and placed them outside to see how they weathered. One side was wet much of the time but doesn't appear to have suffered any water stains, warping, splitting, or rot. I'm thinking Brazilian cherry for my cap rail replacement would be waay prettier than teak.

[Svsilvergirl]

Woodworking is my hobby. Teak is incredibly stable as well as rot resistant. It doesn't swell as bad as most woods , and more importantly doesn't have a tendency to warp , when getting wet and then drying out. I built all the double hung windows in my house out of eucalyptus , and have been very pleased with how stable this wood is. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the $25.00 a board foot that teak is going for. It's twice asdense and heavy as oak , could be a factor if weight is an issue.

[Astrid]

There are several woods with equal strength and weathering ability that are popular. Ipe (tabebuia) from Argentina is a popular one of course and widely used for decking; another good substitute is Iroko from the African milicia excelsa. It is often called African teak, although Iroko and teak are not related. Honduran mahogany is also a good choice, and traditional, but rain forest depletion is a major concern to some. Yet another alternative is Japanese Cypress which like the others has excellent weather resistant properties.

White oak is also a good material, and tradtionally used in old time sailing ships.

[rustypirate]

Any thoughts abuot Black Locust? It is locally available in the US and weathers very well.

[GordMay]

See “Waves of Grain: Choosing Wood for Marine Applications”
➥ Waves of Grain: Choosing Wood for Marine Applications | Ross A. Laird

And Chapter 3 of
“Guidance on Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance of Wooden Hulls” (NVIC 7-95)
➥ http://l-36.com/n7-95.pdf
or ➥ http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/NVIC/pdf/1995/n7-95.pdf

***

Wood is an engineering material. Douglas Fir, Southern Yellow Pine (long leaf), and White Oak furnish most of the wood used for boat and shipbuilding in the United States. Of these, Douglas Fir is the predominant choice due to availability and relatively rapid growth.

1. When requirements call for strength, moderate to good decay resistance and ability to hold fastenings well (frames, keels, stems, etc.), the following woods are most commonly used:
Douglas Fir
Southern Yellow Pine (long leaf)
Teak
Western Larch
White Oak

2. Where light wood, which is easy to work and is warp and decay resistant, is required (planking, etc.) the following woods are most commonly used:
Cypress
Mahogany
Cedar (Port Orford, Northern White, Western Red and Alaska)
Tangile (Philippine hardwood)

3. Where light, easily worked and strong woods of moderate to low decay resistance are
required, the following woods have found favor:
Sitka Spruce
Western Hemlock
White Pine
Yellow Poplar
There are many other varieties suitable for boat use. These are listed together with their properties in The Encyclopedia of Wood, and Wood - A Manual for its use as a Shipbuilding Material < http://www.dngoodchild.com/0296.htm >.

Woods Used in Ship and Boat Construction
Hardwoods:
White Oak, Teak Mahogany (American or True Mahogany) (Swietenia spp), African Mahogany (Khaya spp.) Philippine Mahogany (Shorea species and Dark Red Lauan)
Softwoods:
Douglas-fir and Southern Yellow Pine, Alaska Yellow-Cedar, Atlantic White-Cedar, Baldcypress, Northern White-Cedar, Western Redcedar, Port-Orford Cedar, and Redwood, Sitka Spruce, White Pines, Ponderosa Pine, Western Hemlock, and Noble Fir

[sneuman]

When was in Indonesia, I was told by the builders of pinisi schooners that they had turned to something called ironwood as the availability and cost of teak had skyrocketed. I am told ironwood has the many of the same sough-after qualities and secretes and oil similar to teak that helps in rot prevention.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by sneuman

... I am told ironwood has the many of the same sought-after qualities and secretes and oil similar to teak that helps in rot prevention.

Just what is "ironwood"?

Here’s an(other) excellent article on “LUMBER SPECIES FOR BOAT BUILDING”
➥ Boat building lumber and plywood 3

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Just what is "ironwood"?

Here’s an(other) excellent article on “LUMBER SPECIES FOR BOAT BUILDING”
➥ Boat building lumber and plywood 3

that's what they call it in Indonesia. Apparently it's native to Sulewesi, which is where most of the pinisi schooners are built. It reminds me of a very tough african variety called lignum vitae that found favor at some point in the construction of propeller bearings and other things that needed a wear-resistant, rot-resistant, material.

[sneuman]

Found it:

Ironwood = Eusideroxylon zwageri



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusideroxylon_zwageri

[GordMay]

Often, whichever local wood is the hardest, and/or most dense, can become known as "ironwood". Some trees commonly known as ironwoods include:
Bengkirai, Bangkirai, or Balau.
Carpinus caroliniana, or American hornbeam
Casuarina equisetifolia — Common Ironwood from Australia
Choricbangarpia subargentea
Copaifera spp.
Eusideroxylon zwageri
Guajacum officinale and Guajacum sanctum — Lignum vitae
Hopea odorata
Ipe also known as Brazilian Walnut
Krugiodendron ferreum — Black Ironwood
Lebombo ironwood Androstachys johnsonii
Lyonothamnus lyonii (L. floribundus) — Catalina Ironwood
Mesua ferrea — also known as Rose Chestnut or Ceylon Ironwood, from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia
Olea spp. — various olive trees
Olneya tesota — Desert Ironwood
Ostrya virginiana — Hop hornbeam
Parrotia persica — Persian Ironwood

[Honey Ryder]

i found some 100 year old "cardinal wood" at my local timber merchant. apparently it comes from columbia. it is incredibly heavy and dense, and full of oil.

it is now my bowsprit!

[David M]

You have to watch it with Ipe, it is extremely hard and it warps easily. Teak and mahogany is traditional because of its rot resistance, it is not extremely hard and it is resistant to warping.