Teak (Brazil)

Color/Appearance: When the wood is freshly cut, the heartwood is olive-green in colour, but becomes golden-brown when dry, often showing bands of dark colour that eventually fade with age. The sapwood is yellowish to white and abruptly separated from the heartwood.

Workability: The wood is quite abrasive and contains up to 1.5 % silica, so it should be sawn green and saws reinforced with stellite or tungsten carbide should be used. When worked with sharp tools, it has low resistance to sawing.

Common Uses: Ship and boatbuilding, veneer, furniture, exterior construction, carving, turnings, and other small wood objects.