Teak
Teak is an oily tropical hardwood designated TECT in EN 13556, available as kiln-dried, green, plantation and old-growth stock at 0.65 g/cm³.
Reference datasheet — Teak is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Teak tempers and conditions
Teak is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green / unseasoned | Freshly sawn stock for large timbers or on-site shaping; strength and stiffness are markedly lower and shrinkage on drying must be allowed for. | 80 | 1.3 | 0.28 W/m·K | ||
Plantation-grown teak, kiln-dried | Fast-grown plantation stock (Indonesia, Central/South America, Africa): lower density, wider rings, less extractive content — cheaper but noticeably less durable and softer. | 88 | 1.1 | 0.15 W/m·K | ||
Old-growth (Burmese/FEQ) teak, kiln-dried | Slow-grown natural-forest heartwood with the highest extractive/oil content — the benchmark for yacht decking and exterior joinery, at premium price and constrained legal supply. | 110 | 1 | 0.17 W/m·K |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Teak is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
KD12Default | Kiln-dried, 12 % moisture content | Surface finish |
What is Teak?
Teak is an oily tropical hardwood designated TECT in EN 13556, available as kiln-dried, green, plantation and old-growth stock at 0.65 g/cm³. It is chosen for natural rot and insect resistance (corrosion/decay score 82) in marine decking, exterior joinery and outdoor furniture, with about 100 MPa tensile strength and a 12.3 GPa elastic modulus. Cost and supply are the main constraints, silica content dulls cutting edges, and the maximum service temperature is 90 °C. Thermally modified ash is the usual substitute when plantation teak is unavailable. Teak has a density of 0.65 g/cm³ (0.0235 lb/in³), lighter than 56% of natural material grades. Teak has a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi), stronger than 85% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 12.3 GPa (1.78 Msi).
What is Teak used for?
- Boat decking
- Outdoor furniture
- Flooring
- Window/door frames
- Veneer
Advantages
- Good corrosion resistance — 82/100, better than 87% of natural material grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 65/100, worse than 81% of natural material grades
Teak properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among natural material grades.
Physical2
Teak has a density of 0.65 g/cm³ (0.0235 lb/in³), lighter than 56% of natural material grades.
Mechanical9
Teak has a tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi), stronger than 85% of natural material grades. Elongation at break is 1% and the elastic modulus is 12.3 GPa (1.78 Msi).
Thermal5
Teak is rated for continuous service to 90°C (194 °F). It conducts heat at 0.16 W/m·K (0.0924 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 64% of natural material grades. Thermal expansion is 4.5 µm/m·K (2.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Teak is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 2.5 kV/mm (63.5 V/mil) and a resistivity of 3×10⁹ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental1
Corrosion resistance is very good (82/100), better than 87% of natural material grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of Teak takes about 12 MJ of energy and emits 0.65 kg of CO₂ — more than 69% of natural material grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability2
Teak's machinability is good (65/100, worse than 81% of natural material grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Working with Teak
Is Teak easy to machine?
Cuts and turns cleanly with moderate power, but silica content dulls edges fast — use carbide tooling and good dust extraction (dust is a sensitiser).
Can Teak be welded?
Not weldable; join by mechanical fastening (pre-drill; stainless or bronze fasteners) or structural adhesive.
Can Teak be formed, bent or molded?
Fair steam-bending at best; usually laminated or CNC-shaped rather than bent, with 12 % MC stock for stable dimensions.
Teak chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| cellulosestructural microfibrils | 38 – 46 | 42 |
| hemicellulose | 18 – 26 | 22 |
| lignin | 27 – 33 | 30 |
| extractives (tectoquinone, caoutchouc oisource of natural decay/termite resistance; higher in old-growth heartwood | 3 – 10 | 5 |
| ash incl. silicasilica dulls cutting edges | 0.4 – 1.4 | 0.9 |
What surface finishes work on Teak?
Wipe with acetone/alcohol immediately before gluing or coating to remove surface oils; epoxies and PU adhesives work well, and untreated exterior surfaces weather to a stable silver-grey.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Teak in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- Tectona grandis
How much does Teak cost?
Teak is a premium-cost natural material ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Teak — frequently asked
What is Teak used for?
Teak is typically used for boat decking, outdoor furniture, flooring, window/door frames and veneer. In short: highest natural decay resistance; marine-grade exterior hardwood; abrasive silica dulls tooling.
What is the tensile strength of Teak?
Teak has a typical tensile strength of 100 MPa (14.5 ksi) — stronger than 85% of natural material grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is Teak easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (65/100, worse than 81% of natural material grades). Cuts and turns cleanly with moderate power, but silica content dulls edges fast — use carbide tooling and good dust extraction (dust is a sensitiser).
Can Teak be welded?
Not weldable; join by mechanical fastening (pre-drill; stainless or bronze fasteners) or structural adhesive.
What surface finishes work on Teak?
Wipe with acetone/alcohol immediately before gluing or coating to remove surface oils; epoxies and PU adhesives work well, and untreated exterior surfaces weather to a stable silver-grey.
Can Teak be formed, bent or molded?
Fair steam-bending at best; usually laminated or CNC-shaped rather than bent, with 12 % MC stock for stable dimensions.
What is the maximum service temperature of Teak?
Teak is rated for continuous use to about 90°C (194 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Teak cost?
Teak is a premium-cost natural material ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Wood Handbook — Wood as an Engineering Material (FPL-GTR-190), tropical species tables — USDA Forest Products Laboratory (2021)
- EN 13556 — Nomenclature of timbers used in Europe (code TECT) — CEN (2003)
- EN 350 — Durability of wood and wood-based products — CEN (2016)
- Tropical timber species properties (Tectona grandis) — TRADA / PROTA wood database (2019)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.