Thread: Teak Logs

Anyone know where to buy teak logs direct from a property ?

Also anyone know how much either type of sawmill saw costs ?? Believe they are bandsaws or the circular blade type.

Be careful of the age, young teak will be attacked by termites and powder post beetles.

even if its treated ??

I have seen a few small houses/bungalows now with young teak planks and logs and they seem fine.

Neighbour has just bought 800 logs and cut some up for their house, walls and floor......

Our teak is not very old - 10 years or so. In a deeply unscientific experiment, I've left some offcuts in the garden (and we've got termites abso-fucking-lutley everywhere) and so far, other than the bark, they've haven't really attracted much interest. Not sure about beetles though, as that's a bit harder to detect.

Originally Posted by Nawty

even if its treated ??

I have seen a few small houses/bungalows now with young teak planks and logs and they seem fine.

Neighbour has just bought 800 logs and cut some up for their house, walls and floor......

If treated properly any timber should be OK for termites, but I think vacuum treatment is normally what's used and a fairly complex process.

I'm mainly going by what I read, that the trees don't produce the right type of sap until a certain age. However there's a restaurant near me made from small teak posts, the owners told me that powder post beetles attack it and I've seen the dust from them.

Originally Posted by Smithson

Be careful of the age, young teak will be attacked by termites and powder post beetles.

I have never seen that except on the outer surface of the logs

I suppose that is the youngest part of the teak tree! cut into planks it does not get attacked

^ The place I'm talking about is made from young teak logs, rather than planks. Nonetheless, I've read several times about the teak needing to be old to guarantee no termites attack, hence the high price of 2nd hand stuff.

Apparently Mai Padoo and Mai Deang are also fairly insect proof.

try an army base for logs they seam to stockpile confiscated logs and then a strange fire destroys them easier that way no stocktaking required.
i hear they deliver

Originally Posted by Smithson

Nonetheless, I've read several times about the teak needing to be old to guarantee no termites attack

yes, I have just read it in your post!! but I don't think it is true

Teak contains natural oils that repel insects; I suppose these may not have developed fully in young teak, but how young is that?

Characteristics Of Teak Wood

The grain of teak wood is very straight and dense. Teak is extremely durable, particularly if it is not exposed to the elements but instead is used indoors or as an interior structural material. It has a long history of being used in ship building. The older trees are much more durable than the younger ones, which are prone to water damage and splitting. Kiln drying the younger teak can alleviate these problems. Its natural oil content is its own insect repellent, making it highly resistant to termite damage.

Originally Posted by corvettelover

try an army base for logs they seam to stockpile confiscated logs and then a strange fire destroys them easier that way no stocktaking required.
i hear they deliver

It is normal for them to deliver and essential --they can pass the various police checks on the way

The wonders of Google:

"Tree age is one of the most important factors to affect the natural durability of wood. The purpose of this study was to determine the natural termite resistance of heartwood and sapwood of teak (Tectona grandis Linn. fil.) for trees aged 8, 30 and 51 years. Reticulitermes speratus Kolbe was employed as a test termite using a no-choice feeding method. The heartwood and sapwood of all of the trees tested exhibited antitermitic activity. Based on the mean mass loss due to termite activity, the sapwood and heartwood regions of 8-year-old trees are the most susceptible to termites while the heartwood regions of the 30-year-old trees showed termite resistance similar to the termite resistance of 51-year-old trees. The mass loss is moderately correlated with n-hexane extractive content, total extractive content, brightness and redness of the wood."

Unfortunately this doesn't quantify the difference.

Originally Posted by Dan

The heartwood and sapwood of all of the trees tested exhibited antitermitic activity. Based on the mean mass loss due to termite activity, the sapwood and heartwood regions of 8-year-old trees are the most susceptible to termites

yep, not very clear

My logs show insect activity just on the surface of the sapwood beneath the bark. It is actually quite attractive when the wood is used as trunks!

Originally Posted by Nawty

Anyone know where to buy teak logs direct from a property ?

Regardless of what most posters say, the actual act of buying teak wood is rather difficult. My teak home was built at the very end of buying teak wood cheap here in Thailand. Yes, we were lucky.

Our other projects have skyrocketed in costs. Believe it or not.

Yes, I know places to buy teak wood; but it ain't cheap.

Have found someone with 800 logs for sale, not old though and size 8 apparently, going to look at them this week.

the sawmills are the rogues also, costs a fortune to get them cut.

Thinking to buy a saw and cut my own.

Originally Posted by Nawty

Have found someone with 800 logs for sale, not old though and size 8 apparently, going to look at them this week.

the sawmills are the rogues also, costs a fortune to get them cut.

Thinking to buy a saw and cut my own.

^ Interesting idea, but check on the legal side, apparently you need a permit, similar to chainsaws. I will also ask in my area, I've seen large hand held circular saws used for cutting plants.

Originally Posted by Nawty

Have found someone with 800 logs for sale, not old though and size 8 apparently, going to look at them this week.

the sawmills are the rogues also, costs a fortune to get them cut.

Thinking to buy a saw and cut my own.

How big is size 8 ?

Cheers johpam