Thursday 2 May 2013

Outdoor Teak Furniture Care


Outdoor teak furniture has become extremely popular these days because of the natural beauty from the wood. However, apart from its visual appeal, there are various other benefits of choosing this wood. Teak contains skin oils in order to survive in the rain forest where it grows, hence it's naturally resistant to outdoor elements, insects, and rot. Consequently, despite the fact that teak furniture is generally a bit more expensive compared to oak, redwood, or cedar, its natural durability and strength causes it to be well worth it.

Teak furniture is made from a tropical hardwood, which has a rich, honey hue, when it's new. But, as the teak ages, together with exposure to the elements, it begins obtaining a patina of silver gray. Ought to be fact, this is exactly how outdoor teak furniture which has aged finely can be distinguished. The one thing with teak is that if this silver gray patina remains on the furniture, without it being treated, it's not possible to get back the original honey color of the wood.

Even though the alternation in the color does not make a difference towards the durability and strength from the furniture, it does make a difference to the looks. Hence, if you are hoping to get yourself outdoor teak furniture, you have to decide whether you want it being silver gray as it weathers or maintain its original honey brown color.

Strategies for Caring For Outdoor Teak Furniture

  • Once the teak has weathered out, scrub the furnishings with soapy water to remove the accumulated dirt. Do this once at least every year. Using very fine grit sandpaper, gently sand the problem spots.
  • To clean up the dirt, you may also use a pressure hose having a fan or multi-nozzle jet, with fitted gauze. Set a pressure of 900-1200 psi and concentrate on the surface from a distance of Six to eight inches. Apply a constant, gentle jet pressure, til you have achieved the desired result.
  • Make sure that you avoid marks from spills on the tabletop as far as possible, particularly those that contain fat. Though these marks is going to be washed out and bleached through the elements, you can apply an absorbent material within the stain area for some time. Thereafter, rub the stain area with sandpaper.
  • During the time of using new teak furniture, be sure that the furniture is completely dry before placing any cushions or any other fabric covers on it. Should the furniture is still damp, natural oils will soak in to the fabric and leave behind a stain.
  • To keep the original golden color of the outdoor teak furniture, use a teak protector. The teak protector is effective to protect the natural color of the furnishings. However, it lasts just for one season and has to become reapplied thereafter to retain the original color.
  • Many people prefer keeping their teak furniture indoors during inclement climate conditions. However, there are some who leave the furnishings outside all round year. If you're one of those who keep your furniture outdoors, ensure that it has not been continued a wet ground. Also, ensure that water does not collect around the furniture.
  • Staining is yet another approach to clean for teak furniture and reveal a replacement. However, it should be noted that when stained, the furniture will never go back to its natural color or even the naturally aged silver-grey color.
  • If the teak products have naturally aged out, simple washing and sanding is sufficient to bring back its original color. However, in order to apply teak oil, wash the furnishings and leave it overnight for drying. Sand it having a fine grain sandpaper to show its natural color. Remove the dust with a soft, clean, dry cloth. Use the teak oil using a brush with light strokes, a minimum of three times. 

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