Teak - Medulla / White Inclusions

[alex grams]

I am talking to a guy about buying some teak, and he said some has medulla rays and some white inclusions. I presume the white inclusions is the equivalent of sapwood, but cannot find any idea of what the medulla rays are. Anyone have any information/pictures?

Also, I suspect I am getting a steal of a price on it compared to normal teak retail price, but what is the going rate of teak for most people? In Houston is ranges about 20-25$/bf, which is crazy expensive.

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Padilla]

I think you might be thinking of the classic medullary rays seen in quarter-sawn oak. I dunno about the sapwood in teak but it sounds right.

[Peter Quinn]

Some teak has has yellowish/white streaks that appear to me like extra oily mineral areas. They dull in the sun like the rest of the wood but are apparent in the fresh milled wood, more so right when it comes out of a planer or sander.

I have never seen any ray fleck in in teak, and I have worked both quarter sawn and flat sawn. Not sure it exists in real teak, but I'm no expert by any means. Worth a look if you can see it. I just processed a few hundred BF into patio tables and saw no fleck to speak of in any of that

Round here (New England) teak runs $19-$24/BF depending on thickness, width and sometimes length. Real teak that is. Plantation grown stuff is maybe a little cheaper, and beware, there are a bunch of impostors that go by every name under the sun that are all cheaper and have a similar look but not all the durability of the real deal.

[alex grams]

thanks for the info Peter. Do you have any more details on distinguishing farm teak vs natural wild teak? The lot I am looking at I was told was cut from a farm in South America.

Whats the difference in wear, color and other attributes in farm and wild teak?

Here are some pictures of some of it as well as some items made from it if that can help get me some info.

Thanks for the info, I just want to make sure I know what I am getting before I drop any money.

[Peter Quinn]

I am not a teak expert so I'm probably not the right one to advise on the specifics of farmed vrs wild. I think you can expect farmed (plantation grown) due to its faster growth in more open stands to yield a bit less tight grain, and possibly a bit less strength and stability? Not sure how that plays out in your specific purchase, but to my eye the wild stuff is a bit tighter grained and more elegant than what i have seen sold as plantation grown. Of course I didn't harvest the trees and haven't worked with a ton of it, so who knows? If i were building a boat it might make a difference, for furniture? Probably wouldn't matter to me if the price is right.

[alex grams]

well, the price i am getting quoted is 8$/bf, which is about 1/3-1/4 of market price locally. I would be fine with farm teak for that price for my needs unless there are any major shortcomings of the farm stuff(mainly a nice set of outdoor adirondack chairs and maybe a table to match).

The guy said it was farmed teak, so he is being honest about it. He harvested it about 7 years ago from SA and has had it air drying since then.

[Phil Thien]

I've looked at teak that turned out to not be teak at all, but rather afromosia and other teak look-alikes. Are you sure this is teak? Afromosia is a dead ringer in some cases.

[alex grams]

That is what I am trying to figure out Phil, because I really don't want to get the raw end of a deal or ripped off.

By the way, thanks for the baffle design, finally got it put in my 1 stage DC this weekend.