teak garden furniture, teak bathroom cabinets

Teak ( Tectona grandis ) grows in most areas between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Teak trees can grow up to 150 feet tall and have large, leathery, reddish green leaves that are shed
in the drier months of the year. Teak’s sap has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that make it resistant to parasites and disease. Teak also contains rubber and silica, which repel water. They also give the wood great pliability, making it better able to withstand high pressure without cracking. This, combined with the fact that it is an extremely heavy wood, with dense fibers that make it relatively easy to cut and graft, make it Teak has been highly valued worldwide throughout history. Teak use dates back as early as 7th Century Siam (now Thailand), where it was used to construct and decorate royal residences, religious buildings, and trade ships. Other cultures began using teak wood for shipbuilding in the Middle Ages, and its buoyancy, water resistance, durability and anti-fungal properties make it an ideal material for marine construction to this day, and one of the finest woods from which to construct outdoor furniture. Cultivation and conservation of the Teak tree in Indonesia is managed by the government of Indonesia, Perum Perhutani (Forestation Company of Government). The largest producer of teak in Indonesia is Java. Its geography and weather are highly suitable to Teak tree plantations

Mahogany ( Swietenia macrophylla ) is majestic tall tree that towers above the forest canopy. It bears large leaves, up to 45 centimetres long, which are composed of an even number of leaflets found on either side of the central midrib. The bark has a sweet odour and small white flowers are produced, in which the stamens are characteristically fused to form a tube. The fruits of the big-leaf mahogany are large, light grey to brown capsules that measure almost 40 centimetres in length. Each fruit contains up to 71 winged seeds, 7 to 12 centimetres long. The timber has a natural reddish tint and a grain that varies from straight to wavy. Durable yet easy to carve, ship builders and furniture makers have relied on this beautiful wood for centuries. Today, Indonesian plantation grown mahogany remains a top choice for cabinet makers.

Indonesian Rosewood ( Dalbergia latifolia ) is a medium weight hardwood that tends to be more stable than other rosewood species. It has a broad color range, often chocolate, sometimes with contrasting lighter colored stripes or deep purple tones. It has an excellent grain for carving. Its grain often appears two-toned with light and dark 'streaks' from rose to dark purple-black that are accentuated if oiled or finished. This is the only true Rosewood available in commercial quantities, and is the same species as Indian/Bombay Rosewood except that it is plantation grown in Indonesia. It kiln dries well but slowly and the colour improves during this process. There is small movement in service and it has remarkable dimensional stability. This very handsome timber is suitable for high-class furniture, cabinet making, shop, office and bank fitting, flooring, musical instruments, boat building, brake blocks, posts, rafters and exterior joinery. It is an excellent turnery wood. Selected logs are converted into valuable decorative veneers for panelling, doors, cabinets and luxury interiors. As this is plantation grown it tends to have a much more uniform straight grain compared to the Indian forest grown stock

Mango ( Magnifera indica ), although not native to Indonesia, have been cultivated there for many years. The trees that are too old to bear fruit are culled and the richly grained wood is used for furniture making. Mango wood has a beautiful rich grain, often highlighted with flashes of pattern akin to tiger maple.

Indonesian Oak ( Peronema canescens ), is one among the fancy woods of Indonesia. Indonesian Oak belongs to a small number of species recommended by The Ministry of Forestry for use in the development of industrial forest plantations (IFP). The IFPs are carried out in response to an increasing wood demand. Indonesian Oak is used in various ways from roof trusses in the village to more specific purposes (veneers). The attractive grain makes Sungkai suitable for veneer, furniture and cabinetwork Hence, Indonesian Oak has the potential to be planted by local people on their own land for their own use and as a cash crop, in addition to IFPs for industrial purposes. Usually, Indonesian Oak is regenerated by cuttings rather than by seeds, because this is easy and does not depend on the fruiting season.