If you like the look of Teak furniture you will need to clean and oil it you the furniture with an application of Teak Oil each year. Furniture in the weather outside will take more maintenance than if it is undercover. Over time all Teak furniture will turn to a silvery grey, we are asked what is the best way to clean it and keep it in its original condition.
The greying process is faster if the furniture is exposed to rain and sun, some people like the grey look, others wish to maintain the colour of the newly purchased look.
All Teak Furniture available for sale in a number of grades of hard wearing teak, some are oiled, others are sanded, all will naturally fade to that silvery grey outdoors over time.
It is possible to maintain them with a golden glow with very little work. It will differ according to the grade of teak and price differs significantly according to the grade of teak used.
Teak Facts
- Teak is a tropical hardwood native to southeast Asia. When used as furniture, it is durable and long lasting due to the density of the timber.
- The naturally high levels of resinous oil make teak resistant to moisture and drying and easy care.
- Teak furniture may be purchased either raw or already oiled for outdoor use, check with your supplier.
Teak Furniture Care Basics.
When new outdoor teak furniture will be a golden colour, this will fade to a silver grey if left untreated, this is due to surface oil evaporating, and the process is hastened if the furniture is outdoors. So what do we do to maintain teak furniture?
As the oil in the teak will last a very long time if the silver grey look is what you are after then you need to do very little. However if you wish to maintain the golden yellow look especially outdoors you will need to apply teak oil.
We recommend that you follow instructions supplied with the furniture you purchase for best results, however some rough guidelines are set out below.
How often do you need to apply the oil ?
- Exterior or Outdoor use, apply teak oil every 6 months.
- Interior use apply teak oil every 12 months.
How do you apply the Oil ?
- When applying oil, use a brush, clean lint free rag, or a spray gun, make sure that use a specialist teak oil.
- Leave until it becomes tacky to touch and then wipe down with a clean rag removing any excess oil.
- After about 1 hour use a clean rag to buff or polish the wood. This may be repeated 2-3 times.
We recommend that you follow instructions supplied by the manufacturer for best results.
How to Clean Teak Furniture.
You do need to clean before you apply the oil, start by giving the furniture a very light sand, then wash with soapy water. Allow to dry completely and then lightly sand again if needed.
- Do not use a wire brush to clean teak, it will scratch and may even leave particles behind that could cause rust marks.
- Do not use high pressure washers on teak unless you are very experienced, they can damage the surface of the teak and this is almost impossible to repair.
- Wash new furniture with warm soapy water and a soft cloth or brush to remove grit and dust, allow to dry thoroughly before oiling.
- Do Clean the runners at the same time if you have an extension table.