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Ventas en América Latina / Costa Rica

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose teak?

Teak (Tectona Grandis) is a tropical hardwood, native to Myanmar (Burma). It has a beautiful natural honey golden hue with a generally straight or slightly wavy grain. Teak is famous for being highly resistant to rot, pests (bugs, termites and worms), and fungi in both land and maritime environments. It is naturally water-resistant and physically very strong and durable. It is not prone to significant expansion nor contraction with humidity changes. This makes teak an ideal choice for all marine applications, high-end architectural design, floors, doors, tables and anywhere you need strength and beauty combined with stability over large surfaces.

Why choose Snohva teak?

We are focused on supplying the best plantation teak per grade level at the lowest prices currently available. How? We control the supply chain from planting the teak trees on old farmland, to selling the final product to the end-user. No unnecessary middlemen. 100% control of supply chain quality control. We are fully involved in quality control at every level of production. Since we only import what we directly produce, we only accept the best! We know how to plant, grow, cut, mill, dry and ship teak. Teak is all that we do. Our wood is FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. (C162353) No harm to the environment. Snohva only harvests from plantations, never the jungle.

What is teak used for?

Teak has a wide variety of uses including: Boatbuilding (interior and exterior) Cabinetry Exterior Millwork Furniture Interior Trim Veneer Cabinet Doors Docks Decking Flooring Interior Millwork Turned Objects Windows Any surface needing slip resistance (due to the silica)

Can I use teak for flooring?

Teak makes beautiful flooring. Snohva flooring currently is available in our ¾” thick tongue and groove 4” and 5” widths. It is far more stable than Cumaru or locally named Brazilian Teak – which is not TEAK at all. Teak flooring is resistant to stains, mildew, rot, buckling and gapping, and will not easily dent or mark with normal wear. Snohva flooring comes pre-sanded and ready to install and can be glued or nailed down. The product is not stained or oiled prior to delivery so you are free to choose any finish you like!

What kind of finishes can I use?

Teak, especially plantation teak readily accepts a variety of finishes. Some of the most popular are Teak, Tung, Danish and linseed oil. Another is any “rub-on” polyurethane. Application for these is easiest as “rub-on” – applying the oil to a rag (not the wood) and then rubbing it over the wood. Brushing on is totally acceptable as well. Teak oil will leave the wood looking warm and radiant. It will provide some UV protection. Difficult to glue after application. Tung Oil: when combined with linseed or mineral oil (most “ready purchase” cans are a mix) this will penetrate deep into the wood making it virtually impervious to water and staining. It is also non-toxic (depending on what it is mixed with) making it great for kitchen uses. Pure Tung oil will not penetrate teak. Varnishes: these can be applied to leave a shiny or a matt finish depending on preference. Some varnishes can dry to be very hard, increasing the natural strength of teak. UV radiation generally will break down any varnished surface over a few years. This will not damage the teak, but re-sanding and applying may be necessary. Stains: Teakwood accepts a wide variety of transparent or semi-transparent stains. Pigmented stains will change the colour of the teak, but the grain and texture will still shine through. Water-based stains: new technology in water-based stains provide greater UV protection than their oil-based counterparts. These stains sit on the surface of the teak thus restoration and re-application are much easier than with oil-based products. Natural: uncoated teak exposed to the sun/weather will age to a beautiful silvery colour. If you want an incredible, lustrous finish, oil-based products can give that. For less work in the long term, or areas of high UV potentially a quality water-based product is a good alternative.

What is plantation teak vs. Myanmar teak?

Teak from Myanmar (trade name Burmese) is now completely banned for import into Canada, the USA, and the EU / UK. Please note that both "Burmese" and Snohva's teak are exactly the same species (Tectona Grandis), however ours originates from Costa Rica and is plantation grown. This ban exists both for environmental reasons but more recently, due to Global Security issues posed by the purchase of any teak sold by the current Myanmar Government. 100% transparent Chain of Custody (CoC) is critically important when buying teak today. Physical differences: Strength, durability, density and stability are all virtually the same between old-growth and quality plantation teak. Depending on regional soil variations, the colour of plantation teak is often more variable than that of Myanmar grown teak. This can create stunningly beautiful patterns in the finished product. The ring structure of plantation teak is normally wider than that of naturally grown old-growth jungle teak. Chemical properties: Plantation teak generally contains a lower concentration of teak oils and silica. This may reduce the longevity of plantation teak in harsh marine environments in comparison to old growth. However, compared to virtually any other available wood in the marine industry (Brazilian teak, Ipe, Mahogany etc) plantation teak remains far more durable. Workability: Plantation teak is significantly easier to work with than Old Growth Myanmar (Burma) Teak. This is due to the lower levels of concentrated teak oils and silica present.

What do the different grades mean?

We do not want any “mystique” in the product you receive. We have created our grading structure based on common industry preferences while trying to offer the best monetary value for each product grade. FEQ/FSC: defined as 100% Tectona Grandis, 100% heartwood, minimal to no formed knots or pinholes present. Marine-grade plantation teak. FEQ/FSC G1S: one side FEQ standard, minimal to no formed knots or pinholes present. The reverse side may have knots. No significant imperfections. Great for applications where only one side needs to be perfect. 100% HEARTWOOD: the same as FEQ/FSC wood with the only exception that tight knots may exist. Otherwise, this wood is the same quality as FEQ/FSC. DESIGNER GRADE: This category is defined as 75% or better heartwood. Some tight knots, no bug holes. Excellent for interior or exterior furniture and interior boat work. CONSTRUCTION GRADE: this grade is 100% heartwood with knots and may contain periodic exposed pith on the reverse face.

What are the different specifications and what do they mean?

Scientific Name: Tectona Grandis. General Description: Straight-grained with a coarse, uneven texture, medium lustre and has an oily feel. Wood is yellow-brown to dark golden-brown heartwood with greyish-white sapwood. Teakwood contains silica and natural teak oils making the wood both dense and resistant to a wide range of harsh environments. Density: Plantation teak exhibits equal densities to old-growth forests. This data is based on the USDA and the Forest Research Institute at Dehra Dun, India. Specific Gravity: 0.66 at 12% Humidity Janka Hardness/resistance: 1,155 lbs. (for reference the famous English Oak is 1,120 lbs.) Stability: Radial Shrinkage: 2.6%, Tangential: 5.3%, Expansion Coefficient (important for flooring installation): 0.00185. For reference Red Oak is 0.00365 Both IPE and CUMARU (Tradename: Brazilian Teak) are far less stable choices for flooring. Rot Resistance: extremely resistant to decay, heartwood rated as very durable. Resistant to termites, resistant to marine borers. Workability: easy to work with in most regards. Due to up to 1.4% silica content, teak has a pronounced dulling effect on cutting edges. Despite high levels of natural oils, teak glues and finishes well. It is recommended to use glues like Tight bond 2 or 3 or Gorilla Glue. Grain: generally straight but can be somewhat wavy or interlocked End grain: ring or semi-ring porous with large solitary early wood pores and medium-small latewood pores. Ring Density: spacing in plantation teak tends to be wider apart than in old-growth. Initial rings near centre tend to be wider spaced than younger rings near the outer edge.