Alternative to Teak?

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

Is there a good alternative to Teak for exterior marine woodwork? White oak will get black mold stains. Mahohany is not as strong as teak. What else is there? Teak is running close to $20/board foot (1 board foot = equivelent to 1 square foot at 1" thick or 144 cubic inches).

Tony B

 

[Ross]

Tony, I depends to some extent on the sizes you need

I am fond of black locust for exposed wood. Red Mulberry also is nice. Sassafras is durable but the grain is a bit course as is Kentucky coffee tree. If soft is ok then cypress is nice and alaska yellow cedar and port oxford cedar. These latter ones are durable but they weather to some promenent grain ridges. For small durable very strong pieces I like osage orange. Virginia Juniper is the standard red cedar of closet fame but very durable and hard.

 

[porsche]

red oak

I believe I have read some where that red oak is also good for exposed marine app. Alan

 

[Ross]

Porsche, Red oak is moderately durable but

very porous. Clear straght grain sections will let you blow bubbles through them. If it were kept varnished it would be handsome but after a few years it starts to look rather weather worn.

 

[Steve Dion]

Starboard/Kingboard etc.

Tony:

What about polyboard. It works and it is maintenance free. They also have it in a "teak" color.

 

[Dan H]

Ipe

You can look at Ipe (pronounced eee-pay but it is heavy, and hard.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

James Bond never drove a Vega!

Tony- Considering your good skills (and that your not building a house), you should use the best teak you can get your hands on.

 

[Manny]

Another Ipe recommendation

Really dense stuff, it is a rather nice wood used for high-end exterior decks. It is expensive but not as costly as teak, last time I bought some it was around $6 a linear foot for 6"x5/4".

Manny

 

[r.w.landau]

The new material, a Brazilian Hardwood is Cumaru.

Epi has become so much in demand that the price has doubled in a year. Cumaru, yes another funky name and another brazilian hardwood about 2/3's the price of Epi. They are both Brazilian hardwoods that resist weather well. Oil is the best protectant. I like Penofin products.
Red oak is not a water loving wood. White oak is what most wine barrels are made of for its long life.
I have about 40 board feet of extra cumaru on the picnic table in the back yard.
It cost me $300 for that over purchase. That is 7.50/sf or about 3.75/ lf of 1x6x1".
I would love to get rid of my excess if anyone is interested. Click the avatar and e-mail me. I am gone from my computer this weekend from tomorrow night until tuesday night.
I would cut it to spec, if you want it!
r.w.landau

 

[CalebD]

TonyB, I am surprised by this question from you!

Here I was thinking that you were a real woody guy, furniture maker, expert on finishes etc. And you are asking us for teak substitute? Next you'll be asking us where you can get a reasonable facsimile of 'Mom's Knishes'. What is the world coming to?
I have seen the stuff Steve Dion mentioned at a local HD store or something similar. I just don't know how it would hold up on a boat in Texas. It would be 'plastic' and thus not need refinishing like real wood. I have not used this stuff on a boat so I can't really recommend it from personal experience. I guess that others have and can comment as to its durability. There is a lot of sun (UV) and heat down there in Texas which makes me wonder how well it will hold up.
Ross always has a few helpful suggestions when it comes to different species of wood he has not disappointed with his last post. I did not know that they grew coffee in Kentucky? On trees no less! There sure is a lot I don't know.
I have worked with South American 'Ipe' or 'Ironwood' as it is sometimes called. It gets the name Ironwood for good reason. It is denser than water and amazingly difficult to work with because you can easily go through a few blades (and even saws) trying to cut this stuff. It is normally used as a decking material and is probably termite and rot resistant and nearly indestructible. This wood is so dense that it sinks!
My take is that it might matter most what application you are intending to use it for. Some wood species are better at certain applications than others - but you already knew that. I think that Ipe would be fine for straight decking pieces but not anything that has to be shaped or worked extensively. For those kind of things I would check Ross' list for a wood that is more workable than Ipe.
BTW, if you did not know Ipe from Teak you might not notice the difference as they have a similar look.
I know that you will sort this question out if anyone can. Please let us know how you decide as you are the 'decider' on this one.
Check the link on Ipe:

 

[John Howitt]

teak alternative

angelin pedra. 5/4 x5 1/2 it is from brazil and is used as an exterior decking.
It is twice as hard as red oak or maple.
When it is finished with varnish it looks like a cross between teak and mahogany.
I built a custom swim grid for a power boat, and it looks as good today as it did three years ago.(in salt water)
It was about $6.00 Lin ft.
I have also done several decks on houses with just an oil finish.
It is a really good product.

 

[Ross]

CalebD Sorry the pictures didn't post.

> Species Info
Kentucky Coffee Tree

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TreeHelp Product Suggestions:
Custom Care Kits



Kentucky Coffee Tree
G. Lumis

Bark of Kentucky Coffee Tree
G. Lumis

Leaf of Kentucky Coffee Tree
G. Lumis



Scientific Name: Gymnocladus dioicus
Other Common Names: coffeetree

Summary
Foliage: Broadleaf deciduous
Height: 50-70 feet
Spread: 40-50 feet
Shape: Oval, irregular
Growth Characteristics: Fast-growing when young, moderate- to slow-growing as it ages

An unofficial state tree of Kentucky, the Kentucky Coffee Tree is closely related to the honeylocust. Known as a tough, messy tree, it is ideal as a shade tree on larger, ungroomed properties. It got its name because early North American colonists used the large seeds to make coffee. When eaten raw, the seeds are poisonous. The double compound leaves measure up to 3 feet in length and 2 feet wide. The bark is deeply furrowed and dark brown in colour. It adapts well to urban conditions.

Plant Needs
Zone: 3-8
Light: Full sun
Moisture: Tolerates drought and occasionally flooding
Soil Type: humus-rich, moist soil

Care
Fertilize with formulations that promote woody, strong growth rather than excessive foliar growth. Longer, weaker branches should be pruned when young to promote a stronger structure.

Problems
Relatively pest-free. Messy habit.

Back to Tree Species

http://www.treehelp.com/trees/coffee-tree/gymnocladus-dioicus.asp

 

[Breaking wind]

I have red oak exposed on a boat deck that has held

up fantastic for 4 years with constant sun,lots of water, standing snow in the winter and plenty of foot traffic and it still looks like the day it was installed, (6 coats of epoxy on it first) the only reason I used oak was because nothing else was immediately available @ the time.

but red oak is almost as expensive as teak, and heavier.

one good thing about teak, you can let it go for decades and always bring it back to near new.

 

[Ross]

B'windy, You are buying your oak in the wrong places!

Dressed 4 sides shouldn't cost much more that 4 dollars/ board foot. I can buy green from the saw mill for a dollar and air dry it for a year or two. Almost any wood with an epoxy sealer like you have will stand up to the weather.

 

[Bilbo]

Not sure how avaiable but....

since someone actually mentioned the Kentucky Coffee bean tree and how it's related to Honeylocust, how about black Locust.
Around here the farmers use Locust for fence posts because it generally doesn't rot in their lifetime.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Black_locust_uses.html

 

[EatDrinkHealthy]

Stainless Steel

I vote for Stainless Steel. The only exterior wood on my boat is the companionway boards which has a Sunbella curtain on it when I am not around.

They don't call woodwork for no reason. Wood = work. However, I have an all teak interior with teak/holly floor. which I can keep beautiful, admire and enjoy for many years. Exterior wood, no thank you.

 

[BobM]

Plasteak?

I know this is used extensively for decking ans swim platforms, but haven't used it myself so I don't know how expensive it (looks like $4-8/ft depending on what you need) is or how workable it is.

 

[Steve Dion]

What are you going to use it for?

Tony:

What are you going to use the wood for?

 

[Ross]

just because it is wood doesn't mean that it must

be varnished! paint has been protecting wood for several thousand years. The best varnish must be watched over like a new baby but paint can be neglected for several years with no harm.

 

[Capt Jim24025]

Spanish Cypress

Tony,
My wood man keeps telling me to slowly replace my teak with Spanish Cypress.

He claims it is strong, almost rot-proof and needs very little maintenance. He also says that you can oil it with teak-oil and it will look (grain and color) almost like teak. I think the price is about 1/3 to 1/2 of teak pbf.

I have a cedar & cypress strip kayak and it is a beautiful wood. However, on my big boat, I'm a traditionalist. If you come down to Corpus some time, I'll get a scrap piece for you to see.

Capt Cook