What Wood to Use?

Planter's Chair, traditionally made from dark heavy timber

While contemplating a project I often find myself asking what kind of wood I should use?

In the past I would lean towards Teak because of its reputation, ease of working, durability, termite resistance and so on. Every cabinet maker and wood shop would urge me to use Teak and only Teak. After a few years of woodworking, however, I am no longer so sure.

After all, deciding what wood to use for a project is a subjective decision and there are many alternatives to Teak that are worth exploring.

Last year, the addition of an off white built-in shelf and cupboard in my otherwise Teak filled study added a brightness that was earlier missing. I realised that my heavy, dark Teak furniture tended to make my study look somewhat gloomy.

Made me wonder why most Indian choose dark, heavy timber for their furniture. I guess it is the lingering effect of Victorian style furniture that the Sahib’s preferred.

I think I need to break out of that pattern and get something lighter and more interesting.

Now that I have decided to build a series of cabinets along one wall of my study, I thought I will make it with white Ash and perhaps some White Oak. After a Shellac finish, these cabinets will stand out light, warm and brighten my study.

Pine plank

White Ash

White Oak

Perhaps it is best to choose a wood that would go with the mood one wishes to establish.

Beware of Teak

As for Teak, there are many kinds and from experience I have learnt that the best are not sold through timber shops, they get sold directly to users and factories. We get the rejects or the second and third grade timber.

Moreover, broadly there are three types of Teak being sold in Indian markets: African Teak (Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana mainly), Burma Teak and India Teak (of which the two best are CP Teak and Malabar Teak).

African Teak in my opinion is poor because it is harvested early and is fast growth wood. Burma Teak is frightfully expensive and you need to know which pieces to select.

CP and Malabar Teaks are excellent for cabinetry but come in different grades, the best as I said are snapped up by rich users and interior decorators catering to the affluent. You would be very lucky to get A Grade Indian Teak. So unless you really know your wood forget Teak.

Other Options

Meranti, Malaysian Saal and similar hardwoods from Indonesia are a good alternatives and so are the so-called soft woods from North America and New Zealand (which I have discussed in other blog posts in the “Wood” section).

Ash is relatively cheap - between Rs 1200 and 1400 a cft

There is also a wealth of local species we tend to ignore. In the north, Sheesham and the cheap Babool (Rs 600-700 per cubic feet) are alternatives while in Calcutta I had found Toon or Bengal Mahogany to be widely available.

Some type of Orange-ish Wood I picked up for just 900 per cft

This is some kind of rosewood I found for about 1,100 a cft

I am sure there are dozens of pretty good types of timber in the South and the West. One needs to look around a bit and experiment.

Indicative Prices of common timbers
Wood	Source	Price in Rupees per cubic feet (cft)
CP Teak	India	4,000 plus
Burma Teak	Myanmar	5,000 plus
African Teak	Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast etc.	1,400 to 2,800
Sheesham	India	2,000
Babool	India	600-700
Bengal Mahogany	India	700
Pine	New Zealand and North America	600-800
White Ash	North America	1200-1400
White Oak	North America	1800
Meranti	South East Asia	900-1400
These prices are approximately what is charged by large timber merchants in New Delhi. Prices vary quite a bit even within a city and will vary in other cities.

Indranil Banerjie
19 March 2016