Teak Patio Furniture Maintenance Ideas

TEAK CARE

First of all there is not much chance of you seriously damaging your teak furniture by applying teak oil on the surfaces. We try to describe below your options and a general means to apply teak oil if desired, however it is certainly not required.

If your teak furniture requires cleaning this can be done with a normal household bristle brush [not too hard] and some warm mildly soapy (clear dish soap) water. Wash down afterwards with clean water. There are also proprietary cleaners on the market which can also be used to clean off various deposits and accumulated dirt and stains.

We do not recommend the use of high pressure hoses and steel wool or steel wire brushes. These methods should not be used at all as any metal residue left in the grain will rust and discolor the wood.

If the furniture has some stubborn and heavily ingrained stains these can be removed by sanding with a 120C grade of sandpaper, being sure to work only with the direction of the timber grain. After sanding stains away like this, if the furniture was previously teak oiled you may wish to re-oil. Or if it had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing silver grey patina.

We are often asked about the best ways to care for teak furniture. Because of the hard and yet forgiving nature of the timber it will withstand a great deal of abuse, but it will also repay a little tender loving care, so you may care to read through this page and pick up a few hints.

If your furniture is to be used indoors and away from a lot of natural sunlight, over a period of time perhaps six months to a year the wood will gradually become a darker shade of gold.

If on the other hand the furniture is left outdoors, the effects of the suns rays will 'bleach out' the timbers natural color, gradually turning it a soft silvery grey color. This silvery grey 'patina' which develops over time gives teak furniture a distinctive appearance. The silver grey color resulting from this natural ageing process is considered to be very attractive and allows the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments. Teak furniture left in this state is easily maintained and needs no treatment whatsoever to give many years of service and this is about as easy as a maintenance schedule as it’s possible to get!

Teak Finishing Treatment

Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors and the use of teak oil or sealers won't greatly increase the life of the timber. It does change the color somewhat and it can also help a little to prevent stains from seeping into the timber grain. It will slow down the graying effect caused by ultra violet rays.

Manufactured teak oil is actually either tung oil or linseed oil blended with resins and other proprietary additives to guard against UV mold and mildew.

To maintain its appearance teak oiled furniture will need to be re-oiled periodically. If you decide to oil your furniture you can contact us for supplies of WATCO teak oil, or buy from your local supplier. A basic method for oiling is as follows:

The furniture will need to be cleaned first [see below] afterwards allow to dry for at least 24 hours before starting to oil. Have a good look around the furniture first and attend to any areas requiring sanding before starting work. We recommend a light sanding over all viewable and touchable surfaces to give your furniture a smooth silky touch. You will find that sanding is very fast and easy, well worth your time.

You will need some teak oil, a clean 1" and 3" paint brush, some clean cotton rags, good light and plenty of space to work in. Be sure to wear some comfortable work clothes. Wearing household gloves to keep the oil off your hands is a good idea as well. We recommend spreading some plastic drop cloths outdoors for your work station.

The oil can be applied with a clean paint brush or cotton cloth, starting from the top and working downwards. The surface should be left wet but try to avoid leaving too much surplus oil behind as you work.

If you have a large quantity of teak and want to seriously reduce the time, we would suggest using a plastic spray bottle to apply the oil. With this method you should turn all of your teak upside down, then spray and wipe the bottom side first, then turn the teak upright and spray/wipe the oil on the top side. You will find the spraying method will oil between the slats very nicely.

After about 5 - 15 minutes the oil will start to become 'tacky'. At this point the surface of the furniture should be wiped down with a clean cotton rag, carefully removing all surplus oil.

One coat is usually sufficient but while you are already set up it's suggested to apply a second coat to the viewable surfaces after a minimum of one hour from the first coat application. Once you've completed the oiling and the surface is touch dry, a second clean rag can be used to buff up the surface.

Please be sure to dispose of any used rags and cleaning cloth carefully and in accordance with the instructions from the oil manufacturer.

Proprietary teak sealers such as Sikkens Cetol SRD 250 or SEMCO products can also be used especially in moist or marine climates. Apply these sealers as described from the manufacturer. Wood-Joy can also provide a complete maintenance service plan if you would prefer to spend your time playing tennis or golf, etc.

So turn on your favorite music and make this an enjoyable occasion. Many people find caring for their teak furniture a real feel good experience. Others simply hire a teak service person to handle the rejuvenation. Then again most just let their teak age gracefully with no maintenance whatsoever. Regardless, teak outdoor furniture requires less costly maintenance than most other high end types and offers a continuing rich natural look for many decades.

We are confident that you will love your furniture!
Compliments of Wood-Joy

Comments

[Doug]

Great information.

[Wicker patio furniture]

Thank you for the great post on caring for teak furniture. The teak looks great and is very long lasting. Following your advice will keep it looking great for years.