Teak and Ships

Since at least the Middle Ages in Europe and before that in China, teak has been used in ship building. Its durability and the natural oils distributed throughout its dense wood meant it would not rot or be bored by insects. The natural teak oil also creates a resistance to splitting and cracking caused by salt and wards off termites and other insects. The Chinese found that by burying teak in damp ground for several months, they could increase the wood's strength and resistance to weather conditions.

The main advantage of teak for marine environments is its ability to prevent rust and corrosion when in contact with metal and that's why teak is still used in the construction of ships and luxury yachts and boats.

From the Middle Ages onwards, ships that were no longer seaworthy were broken up and the teak wood was recycled into outdoor furniture. It is possible that the first outdoor teak benches were made of old ship decks. Teak wood is so durable that there are century-old teak park benches still in use today.

Teak boat photograph by jonrawlinson, used under a creative commons attribution licence

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