AlanS wrote:
Customer wants a teak desk, but does not want to pay for 'teak'. Are there any suitable 'lookalikes'? I suggested that he settle on cherry instead of trying to mimic another wood. Any thoughts?
I agree with everyone above... sometimes it's better to NOT get the job...
And, Cherry sounds nicer than Teak for a desk anyway. Unless he's gonna leave it out by the pool or something..
Teak is super strong once it's done, but Cherry is a lot easier to work with.
If he just wants the Teak color, maybe you could just stain some Ash to the right color.? The grain is kinda, almost, similar...
For building decks, Ipe is most common Teak substitute. But, even Ipe isn't cheap anymore.
There are some species of Eucalyptus that look similar to Teak also. Like that last link from DMoening...
~LYPTUS:
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/lyptus.htmIt's cheap, but if it's anything like the one I used, it's a nightmare to work with! It's like sanding a rock... The sawdust made my lips burn, and the inside of my forearms numb.. And I'm not usually sensitive to anything.. The wood is super strong, durable, etc, so it makes a kick butt product when it's done...but plan on spending more for extra blades, sandpaper, and time.