Teak Outdoor Furniture Is Not A New Idea
LeeAnna
Ever since ancient times, civilization has been aware of the
benefits of teak. The wood is easy to work with, and its
resistance to decay has made it not only a popular timber tree,
but also a valuable resource. The strong structural properties
of teak made it the favorite choice for shipbuilders since the
middle ages. The main advantage of teak is its unique ability
to prevent rust and corrosion when in contact with metal. This
makes it invaluable in the shipbuilding industry. It is said
that the first outdoor teak benches were actually made of
decking from old sailing ships. The decking on these ships was
in such good condition when the ships were about to be
scrapped, the wood was recycled and remade in teak outdoor
furniture.
In the late 1800s, teak began to be used seriously
for outdoor furniture. Heavily admired in its native India,
teak soon traveled to Victorian England. Teak benches and
chairs became the perfect compliment to an English garden.
Public parks all over England are furnished with teak outdoor
furniture, some of which are nearly a century old. An
outstanding material, teak continues to be a choice for boat
materials even in this day and age. Elephants are still used to
haul teak from inland jungles to the waterways. Transporting
teak has always been a difficult problem because of the heavy
weight of the wood. The logs are so heavy they will not float.
Instead the elephants drag the teak logs through the thick
undergrowth in the rain forests. These forests are usually a
great distance from the coast. They have even been trained to
stack the logs in even piles. And when a bell sounds to end the
day, the elephants know to stop their work, without any human
direction.
Today teak is used principally in shipbuilding and in the
construction of expensive boats and yachts. Teak outdoor
furniture is virtually impervious to all weather conditions,
partly due to its high oil content and is able to resist insect
attacks. Currently, teak can be found on modern cruise ship
decks, in parks, used as flooring, and as home outdoor
furniture. In the United States, teak benches can be found in
the tropical gardens of hotels in Hawaii, tables and chairs
made of teak provide maintenance-free outdoor dining for skiers
in Colorado resorts, and teak steamer chairs can be found from
the coast of Maine to the Arizona desert. This should give you
some idea about how versatile teak is. Today, teak continues to
be the most oft-used wood for shipbuilding. It is also used for
indoor wood flooring and other general construction. And, of
course, teak is used to create durable and beautiful outdoor
patio furniture. Its high oil content makes it ideal for
outdoor furniture. Teak outdoor furniture has been used in ski
resorts in Colorado and Utah , and it continues to be the
favored wood for all construction projects requiring unbeatable
durability and rustic elegance.
About The Author: LeeAnna is an expert author who writes for
Teak Outdoor Furniture
http://www.outdoorteakfurniture.org
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