I know there is a craze building on, for antique decor. Teak gives a rich look when to your antique theme.
When you hear the word teak, two things flashes instantly in your mind. Expensive and Elegant.. Definitely many of us would have seen teak wood furniture mostly in palaces and imagined “What a lucky King he might have been”. So be that King in your own home. This post will guide you with all you need to know about teak and most importantly where you can get it.
Note: This is not a sponsored post. I am writing from my own experience.
Why should I go for Teak?
The lightweight MDF Furniture that we buy nowadays,can’t even withstand 10 years. But teak lives longer than you. It is a gift, a kind of legacy you can pass on to generations. The natural grains, the rustic brown color and the majestic look it has, transforms your space instantly into a royal palace. The beauty of nature is its imperfection. It might not be perfect like a machine made one. But I feel only that feature makes it stand unique. Teakwood furniture looks very natural. They go well with any vintage or antique decor. Last year, we bought a Teakwood Dining table and Cot.
OMG!!! It changed the way our home looked. This piece of furniture became the point of attraction for many visitors and nobody has left us without falling in love with its beauty.
So if you can allocate some budget, to bring home this beauty, then please please please go for teak.
Why is Teak so expensive
Teak wood takes 20-25 years to mature into a tree large enough to harvest. Because the heartwood is the highest quality of wood and the most desirable for furniture, it can take 40 years to get a large enough tree to produce the desired grade ‘A’ teakwood. Time costs money, which means that your teak wood furniture will be priced higher than a softer, less expensive wood.
Benefits of Teak
All woods have oils and rubber. Teak is the only wood that can retain it’s oils and rubber even after it is being felled. The tight grain of the wood makes it possible.
Teak is known for its astonishing longevity and it is incredibly attractive. In olden days it was a status symbol to own teak furniture.
It is said that Britain rose to powers, in 18th century because they used Teak for ship building. The rot resistance property made it an obvious choice for warships and it lasted over 100 years with a benefit of being maintenance free.
Literally every part of the teak tree acts as a medicine. The roots are used to treat urinary tract problems.
The flowers are used to treat nausea.
The bark is widely used for treatment of Diabetes. It also has termite resistant properties which keeps it away from insects. I have never seen a insect coming near our dining table.
Flower and seeds have diuretic properties while the oil from the fruit seeds promote hair growth.
In Indonesia the saw dust of teak is burnt as incense.
If you apply a paste of this powdered wood it cures any type of headaches instantly.
Ayurveda considers this as a good laxative, a sedative for uterus and cures piles.
In Asia, a decotion from the leaves of the teakwood were widely used in the treatment of menustral problems and haemorrhage and gargling with that decotion even cures sore throat.
The quinones in it’s sawdust are highly resistant to fungi making it ideal for the tropical conditions.
It’s weather resistant property makes it the best choice for outdoor furniture.
I have mentioned the benefits, only to get an idea about the value of Teak.
Most of all, when you bring this beauty home it always delights you with an earthy smell. This smell is due to the heavily embedded oils in it’s wood. Smelling it on a daily basis keep you away from lots of health issues.
The Heartwood of the teak has a special type of resin that makes it water resistant and prevents from decay.
Do not use chemical cleaners on Teak. It reduces it’s life. Use Salt water to clean it. That’s why it was the obvious choice for ship building.
The thick fibers can easily be cut and you can sculpt it into mind-blowing designs. This is never possible in other type of woods. When you have a piece of furniture that is unique and long lasting, owning it gives you a lot of pride.
Major teak producers
The major teak producers are Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Philippines and Malaysia.
Mayanmar’s teak has the largest teak forest in the world and there two long living teak trees.
Indonesia’s teak is considered to be of the highest quality.
Where can I get it?
Do you know you can get the highest quality teak from Indonesia at Chennai? Curious to know..Check this shop Timber Avenue Adyar. They import Teakwood furniture from Indonesia via ship and deliver at your place. Most of all, they give you a lifelong support.
It is Teakwood exclusive showroom and I bet you would fall in love instantly with their stunning designs. They are free to customize but you should be ready to accept the waiting time. We waited for nearly 8 months to bring our Cot home. Showroom pieces will be instantly delivered. They have wide range of furniture and home decor pieces all made from teak. If you are looking for antique decor, this shop is your one stop solution.
I can vouch for it’s quality and the intricate designs always are eye catching.
Own a furniture you will be proud of and pass on to your generations.
If you are going to buy in some other shop check for it’s authencity. You pay a bomb, and if you don’t get original teak then it’s going to disappoint you. Check with a carpenter and ensure if it is Teakwood or not as there are many frauds going around this. There many tests like grain test, checking the Heartwood color,etc..So if you have decided to buy teak,keep this point in mind.
Note:If you are someone who constantly gets bored in few years of using a furniture and want something new then don’t go for it. Teak will last a legacy and it comes with that price.
Conclusion
Kerala Palaces have always been an attraction. The richness,the elegance, the stunning designs are something that instantly makes you fall in love with it. Why not experience that richness at your own home..Give it a try.You will definitely love it❤️
Sources for benefits of teak
The Incredibly Long Life of Teak
https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-decor/decorating-styles-techniques/teak-wood-furniture1.htm
MommyReturns 