Why do shipbuilders use teak to deck their fancy yachts, while we use naughty pine for the backyard decks that we let our children walk barefoot on? Due to its natural beauty, along with its naturally high level of oily resins called tectoquinones, teak has been the wood of choice for shipbuilders, furniture makers and, yes, deck builders for centuries… and there’s no shortage of perfectly good reasons for it.

First of all (and perhaps most importantly) teak has a beautiful golden-brown color with a smooth, straight grain that’s smooth to the touch. In other words, it’s incredibly beautiful and elegant looking.

No offense to pine lovers, but the dark rich color of teak decking is going to get exponentially more compliments than the boring and rapidly-graying hue of a pine deck. It’s not just a modest upgrade – it’s enormous.

In addition to a teak deck’s aesthetic edge, it’s also got the edge when it comes to maintenance. Because of teak’s natural tectoquinones, it holds up extremely well against the elements. Not only do these oils give the boards a water-resistant quality, but they repel insects, funguses, acids, and alkalis, keeping your new deck looking great longer. What’s more, teak’s resins help it resist warping and cracking, because the last thing you want from your deck is a foot full of splinters.

If you need a few other good reasons to consider teak, consider these. Teak’s high silica content gives it a natural non-slip quality that, despite its smooth finish, provides your guests with a little more traction during rainy conditions.

Proteak’s plantation teak (grown in Latin America) offers you a guilt-free alternative to the old-growth teak sourced from nation’s with extremely poor human rights records (Burma).

Tags: hardwood decking, old-growth teak, plantation teak, teak deck, teak decking, tropical hardwoods

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