I need a bit of Teak!

[cutting42]

Hi All

My best mate has a beautiful 1912 gaff rigged Ketch (sailing boat) which is in need of constant maintenance. We are currently repairing some of the windows and need a couple of pieces of Teak. The original Boat is built out of Burmese Teak but we are keen not to to support the current Burmese Junta and would like to get something close in look and performance to this.

We just need a couple of planks 2' x 6" and about 1.5" thick. Does anyone have any they would sell to us or can direct us to a suitable supplier.

Many thanks

 

[woodbloke]

I think that Brampton RA Ltd in Southampton (tel 023 80232377/3927) stock huge quantities of teak (for the boat building trade) but its hideously expensive (the most expensive commercial hardwood). The last time I enquired which was a couple of years ago I was quoted in excess of £165 per cu ' :shock: - Rob

 

[Colin C]

Some will also quote those prices if it is off cuts as I found out earlier this year :evil:

Make sure you are sitting down when you get your prices :roll:

 

[WoodStoat]

There is a way to get teak for next to nothing, if you are lucky. One of the local trawlermen was planning to burn his old boat on the sandspit opposite the harbour entrance - I realised that the decks were 2" teak boards, and asked if I could take 'a few'. He said sure, but it would cost me. A pint.

So he got his pint and I got about 500' of 6" x 2" teak. It was saturated with salt so I left it out in the rain for a couple of years, and it took a fair bit of planing and cutting, but I ended up wth 450' of 5" x 1" teak after it all. I sold it as a job lot to someone re-decking his yacht - wish I'd kept some back now. It's a bit hard on the old planer blades, and you have to check it for metal with one of those wizard things, but it's surprisingly little work for the money saved.

Another good source is if you can find a creek where people drag old boats to die.

 

[Matt_S]

Can I slightly hickjack this thread with something thats puzzled me before when I've heard people talk about teak being pricey.

How come so much furniture from 70s was teak (or at least veneered) if it is so expensive? I know very little about wood types, is a lot of it not actually teak but something very similar? Or is it do with sustainability and us now not just cutting down whole forests?

 

[Colin C]

Matt

You have it right in the second part of your last sentence as it is not being cut down as must and it has put the price through the roof :roll:

 

[Matt_S]

Thanks, nice to know these things

 

[aldel]

Gareth

Iroko, I believe is the wood you need to replace the teak.

Very similar in properties and with selection similar in grain and look.
Often used in boat building and very much cheaper in price.

Often see "teak" garden furniture which is actually made of Iroko.

aldel

 

[cutting42]

Hi All

Thanks for the replies so far. I knew it was going to be expensive but good to have a contact to get some and who might have offcuts. My local yard (Watford Timber) will get it in but not offcuts and too much for my needs or pocket.

Thanks to the PM's I got as well.

Iroko - we did know about and will be what we go for if the Teak route is ruled out.

The boat is moored in Marchwood nr Southampton and it is a boating paradise, any sign of old boats being broken up and 400 boat rebuilders descend like locusts picking off the chandlery and decent wood at a minutes notice. We have been looking for a breaking boat for over a year now with no luck.

Thanks so far for the help!

 

[Nigel]

Cutting 42 You have a pm

Nigel

 

[Slim]

http://www.hargreavesreclaimedflooring.co.uk/ These guys have just lifted the floor from Kelvin Art Gallery in Glasgow which is burmese teak. They have thousands of feet of the stuff. Needs preparing but otherwise its great stuff. I bought a few boards off them last time I was up there.

They deliver nationwide aswell.

 

[JFC]

These guys break ships and boats all the time http://www.trinitymarine.co.uk/ Last time i looked they had thousands of M of Burma Teak .

 

[mr]

Wow JFC I wasnt aware TrinityMarine dealt with anything other than the fixtures and fittings from the boats / ships ie the stuff they have in their showroom which is literally 5 minutes down the road from me, I'll have to investigate.
Cheers Mike

 

[cutting42]

My search is over!!!

Many thanks to Nigel for generously parting with some of his stash of Teak for my project. You are a gent sir, my friend and I are eternally grateful!

 

[JFC]

MR last time i spoke to them i was looking to replank and deck a 40ft boat and they said they had enough reclaimed teak to build a fleet . Let us know what they have in stock now if you get down there !

 

[engineer one]

as a lover of old railway coaches of teak, especially the ex-gnr one of
Gresley, i was always told that "proper" teak was an endangered species
even back in the 20's and 30's since it was not being re-planted properly and grew slowly.

the thing now of course is that the burmese generals use it like others use diamonds or wild animals to increase their personal wealth, but do nothing to replace it.

also i understand that a lot of teak is found in indonesia, but of course is being burnt in large quantities at this time and causing problems for the orang utan.

sad isn't it that the one product that can be re-grown is also one which causes problems when people want to move??

hope this is not too politico :roll:

paul :wink:

 

[mr]

Let us know what they have in stock now if you get down there !

Will do, though as far as I know they have nothing in their premisis (in terms of timber) other than a lump or Victory Oak, its on the website, yours for £4K.
Ill pop in and have a chat next time Im passing which is pretty much every other day as I say its more or less at the end of my road. I know they have a warehouse somewhere nearby so it may be theres a stack or two of wood in there.
Cheers Mike