Teak patio furniture is the highest quality outdoor furniture you can find. It’s also very easy to care for. Teak wood has special qualities that make it ideal for outdoor use. It requires very little care or maintenance to last decades. Teak is also one of the most expensive woods because it is relatively rare. However, you should consider teak furniture a worthwhile investment because of its durability.
Teak is a very dense and oily wood. The natural oil present within teak wood offers it protection from pests such as termites. The oil also keeps water from seeping into the wood. This means teak furniture can be left outside and endure years of rain, wind, heat, and cold. If the furniture was skillfully crafted it will last for generations. Teak wood has a golden honey color when new, but after time it naturally fades into a light gray patina. This color change is only cosmetic and does not affect the strength of the wood. But if you prefer the golden color there are a couple things you can do to slow down the aging process.
Untreated teak will last for generations. It only needs some basic cleaning to remove dirt and to prevent external mold growth. You should choose a sunny day to clean your teak furniture so that it will dry faster. There are some teak cleaners commercially available, but you can also simply use soapy water. Mix a small amount of soap or mild detergent with warm water. Use a non-metallic brush to gently scrub the surface of the wood. You should not use much force. Afterwards, use a garden hose to rinse off the teak furniture with water. Then dry the surface with a towel.
Most stains will not be a problem if you clean up spills quickly and wash your teak furniture with soapy water. However, some stains such as coffee and red wine might get into the wood. For these stains you can first try washing with soapy water that has some bleach added. Another method to remove stains that are set in is to sand the surface of the wood. Light stains will only need a light sanding, while deeper stains might require you to start with a coarser sandpaper followed by a finer grain sandpaper to leave a smooth finish.
Teak furniture can be left outdoors all year round, even in extreme weather. However, if you live in an area with a seasonal climate you may wish to bring your teak patio furniture indoors or cover it over the winter to prevent it from getting dirty. Be sure to use a cover that does not trap moisture, because you don’t want to encourage mold growing on the wood’s exterior. If you leave your teak furniture outside over the winter, you may want to give it a good cleaning with soapy water and a hose in the spring before using it for the first time.As you can see, your teak patio furniture can last a lifetime with very little care on your part. Since it lasts such a long time, teak is preferred to other types of wood. You can enjoy knowing that the teak dining set you buy today will be enjoyed by your children and grandchildren.
If you have recently bought some new teak furniture for your patio or backyard (or if you’re thinking about buying teak furniture soon), you may be wondering which product you should use to preserve the look of your beautiful teak furniture. You might be considering treating the furniture with teak oil or teak sealer, but you’re not sure which would be the best way to go. In order to answer this question, first it is important to understand what makes teak wood special. Then you need to know exactly what teak oil and teak sealer are, along with the benefits and limitations of each. After this you’ll be able to make an informed decision on how to care for your new teak patio furniture so that it lasts for a lifetime.
Teak is a tropical hardwood that grows in countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and India. It has been a prized wood for centuries due to its special qualities. Grade A teak is a very dense wood that comes from the heartwood of mature teak trees. Mature teak wood is full of its own natural oil which protects the wood from damage by water, fungus, rot, insects, and changes in temperature. This oil gives new teak furniture a lovely, rich golden color.
The oil in the very outer layer of teak wood will begin to evaporate and oxidize after being exposed to the air and sunlight for a few weeks. You will notice that the rich honey-like color of new teak will begin to fade and become more a of a pale yellow. Eventually, if left alone, the color of teak furniture kept outdoors will fade away even more to leave a light, silvery gray. Many people like the soft classy look of weathered gray teak. If you are one of those people, then you don’t need to use any teak oil or sealer on your furniture. Simply clean your furniture from time to time with a little soapy water and a soft brush, and you’re set. The occasional cleaning will help prevent dirt from building up or moss from growing on the exterior of your furniture. It will also help to make sure the teak fades to gray more evenly.
If you’d prefer to try to hold on to the golden color of new teak, then you’ll want to use either teak oil or teak sealer. What is the difference between the two?
The first thing that you need to understand is that “teak oil” is not teak oil. What do we mean by that? The “teak oil” sold in stores does not contain any oil from the teak tree. Instead, teak oil is actually made from either linseed oil or tung oil with some solvents mixed in. It is only marketed as “teak oil” because it is supposed to be used on teak.
Teak oil will give your teak furniture a lovely golden glow and shine. it will probably look spectacular for a few weeks. However, after that the color will begin to fade again. Why is that? It is because the oil evaporates and leaves the wood dry again, sometimes even more dry than before. Teak oil does not help extend the lifetime of your furniture. The natural oil that is already found within the wood is good enough to protect it from pests and the weather. Teak oil is only a temporary fix to beautify the wood. If you really want to, you can go ahead and use teak oil, but you’ll find that you need to reapply it every few months. You may find this high maintenance routine getting old quickly.
Teak sealer, on the other hand, gives a layer of UV protection to teak wood furniture. It also contains ingredients to prevent mildew growth. It makes a barrier to prevent the oxidation of the outer layer of wood, so that your teak furniture won’t turn gray. Teak sealer only needs to be reapplied about once a year, so this is one large advantage it has over teak oil. Semco Teak Sealer is highly recommended, and it comes in both clear and tinted varieties.
Before applying teak sealer, you should thoroughly clean your teak furniture. Golden Care Teak Cleaner works really well at cleaning any residue from the wood and brightening it before applying a sealer. After cleaning, allow your furniture to dry completely, then a thin coat of sealer can be applied with a sponge or cloth. After waiting for an hour, you can apply a second thin coat. This will dry in a couple of hours, and you’ll be able to use your teak furniture the next day. You don’t want to use teak sealer on brand spanking new teak furniture. Instead, let it weather for at least two weeks. Some sealers contain a tint which will return your furniture to the honey color it had when you first bought it.
Out of your three main options for teak patio furniture care, by far the easiest route is to let your furniture go gray. Keep it clean and it will look lovely. For those who really want their teak furniture to have a golden color, teak sealer is probably the best option. It provides long lasting protection from UV damage and oxidation that affects the color of teak wood. Teak oil will look great at first, but you’ll soon find yourself regretting the decision to use it since you’ll have to continually reapply oil every few months.
After cleaning the teak furniture to your satisfaction, the next thing you should do is to use Teak Sealer ( thompson woode sealer) , or perhaps a Teak Oil ( Watco teak oil).
There is a large variety of specialty teak finishing products on the market, so you can certainly find the best solution for your wood. Make sure the teak furniture is completely dry before you attempt to apply teak sealant or oil on it. Failure to do so will cause an uneven blotchy appearance on your teak furniture after you apply the sealant. Also, if there is moisture the sealant won't hold well and won't last.
You can apply teak sealant using a plastic spray bottle, foam brush or a simple rag cloth.The choice is yours, and depends on the surroundings you are working with. If you are on a boat, you certainly will not want to use a spray bottle that will disperse sealant all over the hull.
Really, it doesn't make too much of a difference the kind of medium you use, as long as you follow a few guidelines in how you apply the sealant. You'll need to apply several coats of the teak sealant. For the first coat, apply liberally literally everywhere on your teak furniture. Most of the teak sealants out in the market today are not sticky at all, so, apply liberally and then wipe off any access with a dry rag cloth. With the first coat, you won't have to worry too much about how you applied the teak sealant; let the sealant set in and dry for about 1 to 3 hours.
The second coat of teak sealant has to be applied on the same day, so, after a couple of hours, apply the second coating. If you want it to look professional and good, apply with gentle, even strokes. And in another couple of hours, the teak sealant would have been completely dry to the touch and ready for use. 2 coats of sealant are all you need to keep your teak furniture in tip-top condition.
Some people prefer to apply varnish to their newly cleaned Teak. Varnish will provide great protection, and is certainly easy to maintain.
