Real Estate Innovation

Caring for your Teak Garden Furniture

Teak garden furniture can really enhance the features of your garden and provide a relaxing and comfortable location to pass the time. But because the wood from which this furniture is made comes from Southeast Asia if you want it to last you need to look after it properly.

Although it is a hardwood making it very strong, it is still very likely to suffer from what the elements can throw at it. The wood in teak is much denser than some others and contains a resinous oil that can extend the life of the furniture. Yes, this oil can help to prevent the wood not only drying out but makes it far more resistant to moisture as well.

Initially you have to make a choice between whether you want to purchase furniture, which comes in its raw state, or one that has been treated using a teak oil. When you first buy your teak garden furniture, you will find that it has a golden color to it. However, over time and when the elements get to work on it, the wood will turn a silver grey color instead.

If you are quite happy for the wood to turn silver grey then once it has there is very little you will need to do in order for it retain it. For those, who however would prefer their would to retain that golden hue then it is important that they apply a layer of teak oil.

In order for your teak garden furniture to retain its golden color, then one should be applying teak oil to its surface twice a year. The first that you will need to do is actually clean the wood.

To do this you take some warm water (with a mild detergent mixed into it) and then use a soft damp cloth to wipe off and remove any dust or grit. After you have done this, you now need to leave the wood to dry naturally before you actually apply the oil.

When it comes to you applying the oil to your garden furniture, you should only use a clean lint free cloth to do so. But if you prefer you could use a spray gun instead, but using a cloth will help to spread the oil more evenly over the surface of the wood. Then you need to leave the oil until when you touch it, it feels tacky.

Once you feel the oil is tacky you take yet another clean lint free cloth and this one you wipe across the surface of the teak garden furniture in order to remove any excess oil. After this cleaning stage, you leave the wood for a further hour before you then take another clean cloth that is free of lint and this will be used to polish up the surface of the wood and present that golden color you were after.