Outdoor Teak Furniture Care

The natural beauty of teak has made it a popular option for furniture. Apart from its beauty and aesthetic appeal, teak is chosen for various other benefits. It contains natural oils that make it naturally resistant to outdoor elements, insects and rot. Teak furniture is usually made up of a very dense, tropical hardwood, found in Indonesia, which has a rich, honey hue when it is new. However, original honey brown color of the teak furniture changes to a silver-grey patina with age or when left outdoors. You can start noticing the graying of the furniture after 3 months or so, depending upon the amount of sun and rain the furniture is subject to. The total weathering of the furniture takes about 9 months. However, one should not get deceived by the changed color, as it has little to do with the durability and strength of the furniture. Read on to know the various tips for caring for your outdoor teak furniture.

Tips For Caring For Outdoor Teak Furniture

When the teak has weathered out, scrub the furniture with soapy water to remove the accumulated dirt. This should be done once at least every year. Using very fine grit sandpaper, gently sand the trouble spots.
To clean up the dirt, you can also use a pressure hose with a fan or multi-nozzle jet, with fitted gauze. Set a pressure of 900-1200 psi and target the surface from a distance of 6 to 8 inches. Apply a constant, gentle jet pressure, until you have achieved the desired result.
Ensure that you avoid marks from spills on a tabletop as far as possible, especially those that contain fat. Though these marks will be washed out and bleached by the elements, you can apply an absorbent material over the stain area for some time. Thereafter, rub the stain area with sandpaper.
At the time of using new teak furniture, ensure that the furniture is completely dry before placing any cushions or other fabric covers on it. In case the furniture is still damp, the natural oils will soak into the fabric and leave behind a stain.
To maintain the original golden color of the outdoor teak furniture, apply a teak protector. The teak protector works well to protect the natural color of the furniture. However, it lasts only for one season and has to be reapplied thereafter to retain the original color.
Most people prefer keeping their teak furniture indoors during inclement weather conditions. However, there are some who leave the furniture outside all round year. In case you are one of those who keep your furniture outdoors, make sure that it has not been kept on a wet ground. Also, make sure that water does not collect on the furniture.
If the teak furniture has naturally aged out, simple washing and sanding is enough to bring back its original color. However, if you wish to apply teak oil, wash the furniture and leave it overnight for drying. Sand it with a fine grain sandpaper to reveal its natural color. Wipe away the dust with a soft, clean, dry cloth. Apply the teak oil using a brush with light strokes, at least three times.
Staining is yet another method to clean your teak furniture and reveal a new one. However, it should be noted that once stained, the furniture will never return to its natural color or the naturally aged silver-grey color. For staining, wash the teak with mild nontoxic soap and water it with your hands. Let it dry overnight and sand it with fine grain sandpaper. Thereafter, apply the stain and leave it for complete drying.

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