Control of Teak Growth by Governing Bodies

Due to the huge demand for teakwood today, many of the countries that grow teak have government-controlled plantations.

These and many of these growers are considering increasing the rotation time from 50 years to 30 to 40 years. Rotation is the time that a teak tress is cut down. The teak tree grows to a rapid 150 feet tall, but will not mature for approximately 50 years. The concurrence about this rotation timetable is that the wood would still be a superior product. However, there are a few countries, which have experimented in rotating their crop only after 25 years. This has resulted in smaller diameter logs, lighter coloration, and a wider grain, to put it simpler, an inferior quality wood. Do not misunderstand me here, teakwood, no matter its maturity is still the most durable wood in existence. However, because it has not matured, the resistance to warping and splintering is greater if the lumber has not been cured properly.

Today 80% of all teakwood is grown on plantations, and the demand for teakwood is growing at an estimated rate of 10% per year. Due the strict regulations placed on teak, it is not easy purchased and is sold through auctions. Purchasing permits are also regulated and are expensive. In addition, once purchased, it is the buying companies' responsibility to transport the wood. Many countries that grow teak also have regulations placed on the number of logs that can be exported in a given time frame. Today, Java, Indonesia is the biggest exporter of Teakwood. Several companies located in Java, process, and fashion the teakwood into products such as furniture, planks for flooring or siding, and then export the finished items instead of the lumber to countries around the world.

If Teakwood plantations sound like a great investment opportunity, there are quite a few plantations that have started taking on investors. There are countless countries that depend on teakwood exports for their financial stability. An example of this would be if a country had two main exports such as rice and teak. Rice would be the primary export however; Teak would be the country’s primary export deriving most of their money.

Because of the characteristics of teakwood, teak furniture will last approximately 75 years; however there have been some teak furniture, which is more that 100 years old that is still in use. When purchasing teak, you should take this into consideration. The only regular maintenance that is required is periodically cleaning with soapy water.

When you weight the cost of teakwood against its durability, you’ll see that investing in teak for your patio, garden, or veranda, will be the wisest decision you could make.