Experience working with Teak?

[Daniel Bejarano]

I need to wrap a vanity with teak and would like to know how's been that experience for some of you here.

I guess it's the over-cautious that I am who wants to make sure I don't run into any snags. And the main reason for this is because I've heard teak can't be planed like other woods that are not as oily and water-resistant as this. I also know you have to use some polyurethane glue, gorilla, or something of that sort.

What about taping the edges of the carcass built out of prefinished ply with teak tape as well? the tape is veneered, not backing. I like to think I can use wood pva, anything else seems messy.

The boards I'm using are 3/4 dressed but i need to make panels @20" deep by 42" wide approx for the top, so three boards trimmed at about 6.75" would make up a panel. They hopefully don't need that much planing for they will be dressed and joined with bisquets and also come pretty much already at the final dimension.


Just wanted to hear thoughts.


Thank you

Daniel
danibejar.com

[Mark Hennebury]

Teak is oily and abrasive. Clean with acetone prior to gluing. The silica in teak will dull tool edges very fast.

[Cameron Wood]

I was fortunate to acquire a bunch of teak, so have made a lot with it.

No special measures except maybe glue surfaces should be freshly milled. Tightbond 2 or 3. Possibly slightly hard on cutting edges but not a big factor. Not all that hard of a wood about the same as walnut.

No experience with veneer tape.

[Andrew Hughes]

Some of the best teak I’ve worked with was from Burma and it was oily and nearly impossible to hand plane. Just like Mark mentions full of sand and oil.
Then I’ve used teak that wasn’t as oily or abrasive but they both shared the same characteristic smell. I don’t remember what glue I used probably titebond 3.
Good Luck

[Mel Fulks]

Like Mark , I’ve used acetone , and all was well. But some say acetone has a some oil in it ,and won’t use it. And some insist on MEK ,or something else.

[Jim Becker]

As noted, teak is workable, but with caveats. You "will" consume things like jointer and thicknesser knives because it has a lot of silica inside of the wood. And proper cleaning is absolutely necessary to use glue. Using good joinery techniques is essential...you'll notice that a lot of commercially made products that use teak employ mechanical fasteners to help get around the gluing challenges.

[Alan Lightstone]

I've built a large desk and hutch for it out of teak a number of years ago. All I remember doing was using acetone before gluing, and everything looks great now about 10 years later. Didn't replace jointer knives, but then again I sold that machine years ago, so who knows.

Really regret giving away to charity a number of Scandinavian Design teak pieces when we downsized. I really love that look. They were all joined mostly by mechanical fasteners, as Jim pointed out. Joining them with biscuits or dominos should work out fine.

[Mike Henderson]

I was fortunate to acquire a bunch of teak, so have made a lot with it.

No special measures except maybe glue surfaces should be freshly milled. Tightbond 2 or 3. Possibly slightly hard on cutting edges but not a big factor. Not all that hard of a wood about the same as walnut.

No experience with veneer tape.

My experience is the same as Cameron. I was given a bunch of teak that was quite old. No problems machining it or gluing it. I used Titebond III.

At a different time, I had some relativly fresh teak and didn't have any problems with it, either. Machines fine and glues okay with PVA.

Nice wood for certain things, but very expensive as raw wood.

Mike

[John Kananis]

Acetone is your friend - it can be done though. My buddy built this bench out of teak decades ago.

506447

[Richard Coers]

All teak is not the same. Plantation teak is much different that the old growth that used to be available, and maybe still is? You could feel the oil in the old growth, not so much in the plantation that I used. I suggest you do a couple of adhesive experiments with the teak you have.

[Allan Dozier]

About 15 years ago I built a boat from mostly teak. I luckily got Burmese teak from the importer. I didn't have any serious issues working with it. I used epoxy mostly but also some Titebond.

[andy bessette]

...I also know you have to use some polyurethane glue, gorilla, or something of that sort...

Noooo!

I have been a professional boat builder and woodworker (mostly teak) for nearly 50 years and would never even consider such glue, ever. The best I have used is WEST System epoxy. Not sure what you mean by "wrap a vanity".

[Cameron Wood]

Noooo!

I have been a professional boat builder and woodworker (mostly teak) for nearly 50 years and would never even consider such glue, ever. The best I have used is WEST System epoxy. Not sure what you mean by "wrap a vanity".



Do use acetone or other before gluing?

[andy bessette]

Do use acetone or other before gluing?

On critical glue-ups I wash the surfaces with acetone just prior to applying the epoxy. Strongly recommend reading: The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Building."

[Cameron Wood]

On critical glue-ups I wash the surfaces with acetone just prior to applying the epoxy. Strongly recommend reading: The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Building."


Thanks! .

[Floyd Mah]

Well, here's something that no one mentioned. Years ago, I was cutting some teak with handtools. It might have been a chisel or a saw. I abraded my finger with the tool, and the cut was contaminated by the teak oil. Now, years later, I remember that the wound, a minor wound by DIY standards, took more than a week to heal. Anyway, I would caution you to be careful with the teak oil. Maybe wear latex gloves if you have cuts on your hand.

[Daniel Bejarano]

506964506965

Thank you everyone for contributing with their experience and suggestions. Here's how the vanity turned out. I used titebond lll after cleaning with acetone. I only managed to put one coat of tung oil, however.

[Andrew Hughes]

That’s nice piece.
The teak looks great love the smell of teak.

[John Kananis]

Daniel, beautifully done - very "clean" design.

I'm curious how you approached the mitered corners?


506964506965

Thank you everyone for contributing with their experience and suggestions. Here's how the vanity turned out. I used titebond lll after cleaning with acetone. I only managed to put one coat of tung oil, however.

[andy bessette]

Very attractive design.

[Daniel Bejarano]

Thank you Andrew

[Daniel Bejarano]

When I had the sides and top all ready and sanded, I took them together with the whole carcass to the table saw. First I mitered the sides at the top where they would join the top. I then clamped them to the carcass' sides. Mind you that at this point the carcass is sitting on top of a wheeled cart in such a way that the sides can drop off the top of the cart. Awkward to do by yourself. I then mitered one edge of the top and snuck into my final bevel little by little (meaning several passes until you get the correct length)

I am not sure if that made sense.

I finally bisqueted the joints either #0 or #10 bisquets as closed to the undersides of each panel as possible. I made sure I had the straightest pieces of wood for the tops and sides. This helped getting a tight and crisp joints