Teak Furniture Care
Teak is a naturally beautiful wood with
rich grain and color ranging from a honey gold to a chocolate brown. The grain
and color come from the growth rings, and no two pieces will be alike in grain
or color.
It is best to receive your teak furniture in its “natural†finish (not oiled
or waxed). This way you can tell the quality of the teak, and have a choice of
finishes. Some manufacturers oil or polyurethane their teak furniture. This may
be done to hide blemishes, and make the furniture look more attractive.
Natural Finish (Weathering)
If Teak is left unfinished, then it will weather to a handsome silvery gray.
This process is gradual and usually takes between three to twelve months,
depending on sunlight exposure. Rain or water will not affect the process.
However, you may get some water spots when the teak is first exposed to the
elements. You may choose to clean them out with mild soap and water, or leave
them be. Either way, in a few months time, the furniture will be uniformly gray.
If teak furniture is exposed to rain, its grain will lift slightly. This is a
natural process as wood slightly expands and contracts with the wet ad dry
cycles. It will not affect the strength or durability of the wood. Teak will
return to its smooth feel after the initial weathering process.
Teak Oil Finish
Teak Oil may be applied to Teak outdoor furniture to extend the aesthetic
appearance of the new teak furniture. Teak oil, or other finishes that protect
from Ultraviolet Light bleaching, delay the bleaching of the wood as long as
they are effective. These finishes in no way extend the life of the furniture.
Teak furniture requires no treatment to protect the wood.
Teak Oil eventually evaporates in six to twelve months (based on area conditions
and sun exposure). You will notice that the oil finish starts showing a few
streaks of unoiled wood. At this time, you must reapply teak oil to preserve the
color.
If teak oil treatment is not repeated, the furniture will eventually bleach to a
silvery gray.
Polyurethane Finish
Poly Urethane is used to finish teak wood panels on boats. This is only to
maintain its aesthetic color, and give it a smooth shine. Teak wood does not
require any finish to preserve its strength.
The Polyurethane will eventually flake and peel. Boatyards usually apply three
coats of polyurethane onto teak trim used in boats annually.
Using Outdoor Cushions on Teak
Before placing any cushions on furniture, remove any dust or dirt by wiping the
furniture with a damp cloth. Your premium teak furniture has been fine sanded
and there may be some fine residue even after cleaning during manufacture.
Your teak furniture naturally contains oil. Expect some of it to bleed out following
the first couple of rainfalls. In order to protect yoru cushions, bring them in when
you are expecting rain, or when the furniture is wet. Once the furniture has started
weathering (changing color) it is no longer necessary to remove the cushions.
If your cushion gets some marks or discoloring due to saw dust or teak's natural oil
as described above, the dirt and discoloration can be removed by light scrubbing with
a sponge with dishwashing liquid(like Dawn) and then hosing off the surface. If stronger
measures are needed, one may use a paste of dishwashing liquid and Oxyclean.