Caring for your teak

If you have been keeping up with our blogs, you would know that at Woodbury, we are a passionate believer in teak as the best material for outdoor furniture. Whether it’s a lounge suite, dining setting, or even a bench seat, teak has proven to be a superior material for any exterior – rain, hail, or shine.

The main benefit of teak is the fact that it requires little to no maintenance. Many customers are prepared to oil and regularly sand back their furniture, but this is simply not necessary with “A Grade” teak, and that is because it is so high in its own natural oils. In a way, teak self-maintains and looks great.

A Silver-Grey Hue

If your teak is kept undercover and is not exposed to a large amount of direct sun, it will keep its original colour.  However, if the wood is totally outside and receives a large amount of direct sun, it will weather to a beautiful silver grey hue. With high levels of regular exposure to the sun, the natural oils found within the teak wood will rise to the surface and oxidise over time, eventually resulting in this beautiful silver-grey colour. 

With higher levels of sun exposure, the timeframe in which greying can occur, varies depending on how much sun the timber is getting. In some cases, the silver-grey process takes more than a year to occur. In other instances, with 100% full sun it could begin after a few months.

Unlike other woods, when teak weathers, it gets a silver-grey colour that is quite beautiful and is highly desired by many people. Others may prefer the original honey brown natural timber colour. The greying is reversible of course, so in the end it's up to you. 

How to Reverse the Silver-Grey Colour

Some people love the silver grey look. But what if your teak is totally outside, goes silver grey and then you decide you don't love it? Don't worry, there is a simple and fast way to get the look you love back. This can be done very quickly with a high pressure hose. The hosing will strip away the oxidisation and will restore the furniture to the original honey brown colour. Depending on how quickly the greying is occurring, you may like to do this once a year.

Another way to reverse the greying is to sand back the teak. Of course, this can be a more time-consuming job and can also be difficult in dining chairs that may have little grooves and slats that could be difficult to get inside. Many customers find this process therapeutic and enjoy spending time outdoors on a job like this, so it is a matter of personal preference and how much time you are wanting to put into it.

Finally, the silver-grey can be reversed by utilising a Teak Cleaner which you may be able to source from a hardware store and that we also stock at Woodbury. Our preferred brand for this is called ‘Golden Care’ and they stock a range of teak products which we recommend and trust.

The Teak Cleaner process is quite easy. You simply wet the timber and apply the product with a sponge, you allow it to soak into the furniture for 3 minutes and then work the teak with a scrubbing pad in the direction of the grain and finish with another rinse.

Oiling the Teak Furniture 

Whilst it is not needed with teak wood as teak has its own natural oil, some people still like to apply an oil to their teak furniture. In this instance, we would advise the use of Golden Care Teak Protector. Again, this could be sourced at a hardware store or from Woodbury. It’s a product that we know and trust.

By applying this over-the-top layer of the teak, it will make sure you get to keep that original look you fell in love with. It can appear a bit dark when you first apply it, so we do like to recommend to customers that they test the oil somewhere discreetly perhaps under the table first to make sure they are happy with the finish before they go ahead and oil the entire item.  

If your item is in full sun you may need to reapply this every 6 to 12 months.  If it is undercover it could be every 2 to 3 years. It should be noticeable to tell when the time is right to reapply. Application is very easy and can be done with a microfibre cloth or a brand-new dish sponge.

Protection from Stains

Furniture is meant to be enjoyed and accidents are bound to happen – it is almost inevitable that someone will at some point spill something on your beautiful furniture that could be difficult to remove. ‘Golden Care’ has a product which is called Teak Shield, it works as an invisible shield that you can apply to your furniture which forms a barrier. Once applied, stains like sauce, coffee, wine, and oil cannot penetrate through to the timber. Even stubborn spills can then be wiped off!

The Teak Bakke Outdoor Stacking Dining Arm Chair 

Made to Last

There is no doubt about the fact that our teak outdoor furniture is built to last. It is immensely stable due to the natural oils found within it which makes it immune to rotting. Teak has proven its durability by remaining a popular choice in boats and buildings even now, after being used for many centuries. You will not regret furnishing your outdoor space with “A Grade” Teak.

With the tips we mentioned, and choosing the right lounge setting, dining setting or bench seat from Woodbury, you will be able to keep your teak looking amazing according to your style and taste.

If you have any questions relating to the care and maintenance of teak, please feel free to give us a call on 1300 887 289.