Tips For Keeping Your Teak Furniture Looking Its Best

Outdoor furniture has to be tough to survive wind, rain and sun and no material is as desired for its rugged beauty and durability then teak. Teak wood patio furniture is known to last for decades with absolutely no maintenance. Upkeep is more a matter of personal preference than a requirement. While some people prefer the golden color of new teak, others prefer the distinguished silver-grey that teak becomes as it weathers.

Regardless of your preference, here are a few steps that will help you make sure your teak furniture stays in tip-top shape for decades.

1: The first and most important step is to make sure you have a top quality product to begin with. Pay attention to the wood quality and construction techniques used in the furniture, as this can affect furniture's longevity. The fittings are also important. They need to be solid brass fittings if you want them to hold up outdoors.

2: When you are looking for teak products, make sure they really are teak, not a "teak-like" or "as good as teak product." If you are buying over the internet this may be hard to figure out. Look at the content and see where it is from and/or where it is made. Finally only buy from reputable companies and companies that have stood the test of time.

3: The grade of teak is also very important. We see every day similar products at quite different prices and we wonder why. Well sometimes the reason is the quality of materials they are using. First European Quality (FEQ) is the top grade without knots, cracks or pits and certainly can be trusted.

4: If you prefer the silver-gray color, natural look of weathered teak, you can look forward to virtually no maintenance. If you leave your teak patio furniture outside though, you will want to clean it at least annually of any mildew, sap and pollen that has accumulated or stuck to it. One product that is really good for helping to do this is Olympic® Deck Wash. Just scrub them down with it and you’re all set for another year.

5: On the other hand if you prefer the original rich honey color of teak, there are several steps you can take to preserve its golden color. After you have thoroughly washed the teak you can treat it with specialized teak cleaners and restoration products. Using these products however can be very time-intensive. I usually suggest that people either allow the teak to age naturally clean it with a deck wash or hire a professional teak maintenance service to apply the more specialized products.

6: However if you are going to be using your patio furniture indoors, you may want to consider finishing it to protect it from stains with some sealer or varnish.

7: Finally, if you're going to be using it outside (which most of us will be doing) DON”T use teak oil, varnishes or sealers on your furniture, since this may cause it to turn black with mildew.

Keeping Your Teak Furniture Looking Its Best “by the yard”

Backyard Landscaping is Important

While the front yard is important because it’s more visible to neighbors and others who drive by, the backyard is no less important. For homeowners around the world, a big part of owning a home is getting the yard just the way they want it. The backyard is important because that is where family and friends gather for barbeques, birthday parties and a place for the family to have fun and play. Special consideration should be given to the placement of the flower beds and the different species of flowers that beautify a backyard as well as the position of the patio or deck and any decorative features in the yard.

The theme of your yard will depend on your hobbies, interests and goals. Flowers, stones and grass are just some of the ways to landscape a backyard. Large shade trees, waterfalls and herbal gardens are some other ways. Whatever your preference, you should make your backyard landscaping fun for the whole family. Actually working on your backyard landscape can be a lot of fun too, especially when you make it personal.

Your yard should reflect your personality and the personality of your home.
1: If you and your family like to entertain, add a bar to your back patio. Clean up the barbeque grill and don’t forget adding some way to keep the bugs away like citronella candles.
2: If you want more fun then maybe you want to build a croquet course, mini golf course, put in a sand lot for some sand volleyball or the favorite of a lot of people a pool.
3: If you are the type who would rather keep your backyard to yourself, then maybe you don’t need to worry about the huge, green lawn. Perhaps you’d rather have a quaint yard with basic backyard landscaping. You can put in some grass, strategically place some shade trees and plant some of your favorite flowers. You may want to include some bigger bushes, if space allows as they will add some gorgeous green to your colorful backyard.

When it comes time to maintain the backyard landscaping then taking care of the yard can be a nice family activity. Large yards will require a lot more maintenance and grooming. There is mowing the lawn, pulling weeds and the kids can help even if they are young. They love water so get them involved in watering the plants. If you have a fruit tree in your backyard, then they can spend some time picking up the fallen apples or cherries. You’ll also need to reserve some time to tend to your garden. It can be surprisingly rewarding growing your own vegetables and herbs and then using them in special recipes that you cook when you’re entertaining friends and neighbors. A smaller more intimate backyard may require as much maintenance as a large backyard, but because of scale not nearly the time commitment.

No matter what your personality says about your backyard landscaping. One thing’s for sure don’t let people tell you how to create your backyard, do it just the way you want to and have fun both creating it and enjoying it.

Backyard Landscaping “by the yard”