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”