What is Teak?
Teak is a hardwood timber, indigenous to Burma and Thailand, brought to Indonesia by Dutch colonists in 1816. The colonialists in Java, (the colonial power at the time) planted seedlings of Teak (Tectona Grandis), in the many teak plantations that are still in existence today, making them some of the oldest teak farms in the world.
Contrary to popular belief, Tectona Grandis is a deciduous hardwood tree. Teak is extremely dense-grained and has a high natural oil content that acts as a natural preservative to the wood so it can be left outdoors for decades. Teak also contains silica, which creates a density to the wood that allows it to be resistant to fungal decay, water, rotting, warping, shrinking and swelling.
These plantations are now owned by the Indonesian government, which is responsible for the control of these teak farms allowing the felling of a limited number of trees each year and the reforestation of these farms.
How durable is teak? The first outdoor teak benches were made of recycled decking from old sailing ships. Many public parks in England are furnished with such teak benches, some of which are nearly a century old.
What is Mango Wood?
Mango
wood products are made from the same trees that produce the popular tropical
mango fruit. When a mango tree reaches 20 to 30 years of age the
fruits usually are no longer suitable for commercial use.
These older trees are harvested and replaced with young trees in a process that sustains the mango forests and provides indefinite fruit and employment for the mango growers and a continual supply of the best timbers for the craftsmen that produce mango wood furniture.
Responsible management of this valuable resource is good for the environment, good for the economy and maintains valuable green space.
What is Mahogany?
Swietenia
or Mahogany is a genus of Meliaceae family. There are three species in this
genus:
- Swietenia Humilis (Central America to Mexico)
- Swietenia Macrophylla (The mainland species.)
- Swietenia Mahagani (Native to Florida and the Caribbean, all but extinct.)
The trees grow 20-45 meters tall (Up to almost 150 feet), with a maximum trunk diameter of 2 meters (approximately 7 feet!) The trees can live up to 350 years and are either deciduous or evergreen.
The young Mahogany wood is light but if it is stained and polished will become a beautiful reddish brown. The same occurs with age. The wood can be used for several applications because of its strength and density. It has a straight grain, and a fine, even texture which accepts many kinds of stains.
Swietenia is known as genuine mahogany because there are several other imitation mahoganies, some from Africa, others from the Philippines. Though they are often mistakenly called mahogany, only the Swietenia is truly mahogany. Swietenia Macrophylla is also known as Caoba, Mara, Mogno, big leaf mahogany, Grands Feuilles, Honduras mahogany, Brazilian mahogany, and Araputanga to name a few.
The mahogany furnishings you will be purchasing from impressions, is from the species Swietenia Macrophylla. It, like the teak (Tectona Grandis) is plantation grown in Indonesia.
The trees are planted, harvested and replanted to ensure the continuation of this sustainable resource.
Other Timbers
Albesia or Belalu [ Albizia falcata ]
...white, soft wood -- sometimes
brown at
the center, used for, painted wood carvings. including..
Wooden Flowers , Toys and other Handicrafts.
Crocodile or Satin Wood [ Zanthoxylum rhetsa ]
...white, relatively hard wood.
Carvings usually
have a very smooth finish -- making them look a little like ivory.
Suar or Rain Tree [Samanea saman]
...brown, hard wood -- favored wood
of importers
outside of the tropics because the crisscrossed,
interlocking grain keeps the wood from cracking
when moved to drier climates. It can be finished to a fairly high gloss.
Waru or Grey Hibiscus [ Hibiscus tiliaceus ]
...white blended with light gray --
the dark heartwood
often makes for distinctive two-tone carvings. As this
wood ages, the gray turns greenish -- a very beautiful
look. Grey hibiscus can be sanded to a very smooth finish.
Concern for the Environment
We
all have a stake in the survival of tropical forests. They store billions of
tonnes of carbon that would otherwise fuel global warming, and they support
unparallel biodiversity - over 50% of all terrestrial plant and animal species.
Many people depend directly on tropical forests for almost every aspect of their
survival and way of life.
With growing concern for our environment and the deforestation of the rain forests around the world, it is significant to Impressions, to inform our customers that none of the wood used in the crafting of our furniture stems from the Indonesian rain forest. Neither Mahogany nor Teak woods are native to Indonesia and have therefore no origin in the rain forest.
Over 400 years ago Dutch settlers brought along with some of their culture, traditions and wood seedlings from Honduras to Indonesia and grew Mahogany trees along road sides. The Dutch recognized Mahogany as an ideal hardwood for building furniture. Only later Indonesians started using the mahogany for wood carving, furniture and still remains a remarkable art form to present.
The Indonesian government controls and regulates all wood cutting. Each tree removed for the creation of hand-carved furniture is accounted for and cross-referenced against finished merchandise exported abroad.
Today Mahogany in Indonesia grows foremost on plantations, one of the largest is located in Madiun, East Java. That plantation covers over 227km of land. The Teak, like the Mahogany is grown on the island of Java on large plantations. The farmers carefully grow the trees in distinctive patterns, each field displaying trees in various stages of growth. Once the mature trees are harvested, the fields are re-seeded to maintain a healthy reforestation.
Stone Carving Frequently Asked Questions
Q : What kind of material do you use for the stone carving?
A : The material that we use is natural sedimentary stone called "Sandstone". There are various types and colours of sandstone in Indonesia, and we focus on white sandstone that originates in Central Java, with consideration being given to the fact that this sandstone is harder that other types of sandstone. The material is available in any size as is not the case with other types where it is difficult to find larger sizes.
Q : How porous is the sandstone ?
A : Sandstone is semi hard stone that is difficult to break under normal circumstances, obviously unless it is dropped.
Q : Can we put the sandstone stone carving outside as outdoor decoration ?
A :
Of course the sandstone
stone
carving / statue can
be used outdoors as it is well suited for garden decoration. For outdoor
application we suggest to cover the surfaces of the sandstone
stone
carving / statue with
a transparent waterproofing. This waterproofing will penetrate into dry porous
surfaces of the
stone
carving. It is
specially designed to enhance the surfaces natural resistant against water, as
well as protect it from dampness, fungus and algae.
After the application the waterproofing will lay under the surface to allow it
to breathe while protecting it from water penetration and damage. When dried the
waterproofing will be transparent so that the colour and texture of the applied
surfaces will not change.
Q : Can we waterproof Sandstone ?
A : Yes, waterproofing agent can be found in most hardware stores and tile shops.