Brazilian Teak (Cumaru)

Despite the name, Brazilian Teak has no botanical relation to true teak (Tectona grandis) — it's the flooring-trade name for cumaru (Dipteryx odorata), a considerably harder, denser South American hardwood that just happens to land in a similar golden-brown color range.

Working Properties

Cumaru gives off a faint vanilla-or-cinnamon smell while you're working it, a genuinely useful tell if you're trying to confirm what's actually on your bench. Beyond the pleasant smell, it's a fight: dense, interlocked grain, and enough silica content to noticeably dull cutters. High oil content and density also gang up against gluing — pre-boring is mandatory before any screw or nail goes in. The payoff is a wood rated very durable against decay and resistant to termites and other dry-wood borers.

Typical Uses

Decking and flooring (its dominant uses), plus cabinetry, furniture, heavy construction, and railroad ties.