It does shrink and swell with wetting and drying more than teak, however, so some checking and splitting can be expected. Common names for two species of lumber are karri and jarrah. Of our native species, we don't have one that stands out as being fully acceptable. Most softwoods are not suitable due to resin exudation or their low strength. Old growth cypress is one possibility.
Many hardwoods are prone to checking or are very low in strength.
Woods like black locust or Osage orange, which are good candidates, are hard to find, machine with some difficulty, and have high enough shrinkage to cause a little concern about splits. If you can do this, then several cedars look like good possibilities, and maybe even redwood. Professor Gene Wengert is Extension Specialist in Wood Processing at the Department of Forestry, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Click on Wood Doctor Archives to peruse past answers. E-mail us and let us know what you think.