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Care
& Maintenance
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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.
Generally, you can buy our Teak Garden Furniture
in one of two conditions:
Fine sanded
Oiled with Teak Oil.
Fine Sanded
If you buy your furniture fine sanded it will have
only the natural color of the wood coupled with
the raw natural texture of the teak grain. The
untreated timber is a very pleasant yellowy-brown
olive color when still fresh.
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 brown.
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 its
possible to get!
Teak Oiled
If you buy your furniture already oiled with teak
oil it will have a darker than normal mid brown
color and a soft sheen. Teak wood is of itself
naturally oily and requires no treatment to be
used indoors or outdoors, and the use of teak oil
won't 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 greying effect
caused by ultra violet rays.
To maintain its appearance teak oiled furniture
will need to be re-oiled periodically. If you
decide to re-oil your furniture you can contact us
for supplies of 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 ensure that it is nice and dry
before starting to oil. Have a good look around
the furniture first and attend to any areas
requiring sanding before starting work.
You will need some teak oil, a clean 1" or
2" paint brush, some clean cotton rags, good
light and plenty of space to work in. It can be a
little messy so be sure to wear some overalls, and
wearing household gloves to keep the oil off your
hands is a good idea as well.
The oil can be applied with a clean brush,
starting from the top and working downwards. The
surface should be left wet by the brush, but try
to avoid leaving too much surplus oil behind as
you work.
After a few minutes - maybe 5 - 15 depending on
the ambient temperature, 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 you can apply
a second coat if required, after a minimum of one
hour for the first coat to dry. 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 cloths carefully, and in accordance with
the instructions from the oil manufacturer.
Cleaning Teak Furniture
If your Teak furniture requires cleaning this can
be done with a normal household bristle brush [not
too hard] and some warm mildly soapy 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 should
not be used at all as any 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 fine 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. |
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Place your order with confidence. Your
satisfaction is guaranteed.
 
We honor major credit card
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