6 September 2016
 Categories: , Blog

Teak is one of the most highly durable types of hardwood that's preferred by many homeowners for their furniture. Teak furniture is usually expensive, so it is important to consider the maintenance factor when buying it. However, your teak furniture may not last as long as you thought it would if you make mistakes while caring for it. Therefore, to protect this significant investment, here are some things you should avoid when taking care of your outdoor teak furniture.

Using High Pressure Washers/Sprayers and Steel Wool/Wire When Cleaning

Regular cleaning of your outdoor teak furniture is necessary. However, scrubbing with steel wool and using high-pressure sprayers will damage the furniture. The wires or metal residues in steel wool can get stuck inside the wood. With time these wires will rust, causing discolouration of your furniture. On the other hand, high-pressure washers can weaken the furniture by blasting out wood grains from the surface. Therefore, if you have to clean your outdoor teak furniture, use bleach, rinse with some water, and leave it to dry.

Neglecting To Refinish After the Greying Process

Your outdoor teak furniture will develop a silver grey colour after some time. You can restore this colour to the original golden colour of teak by simply giving the furniture a thorough cleaning. Some homeowners prefer the weathered silver grey colour. However, continued greying means that your teak furniture is weathering and degrading. If you leave it unprotected for long, it may become susceptible to mould and bacteria. Refinishing will help keep your teak furniture protected.

Using Teak Oil

While applying teak oil may seem to work perfectly well in the initial stages, you may soon find it a bad idea. The teak oil sold in the markets doesn't actually contain the natural teak oil in teak wood, but usually linseed or tung oils blended with solvents, resins, and other additives to help protect your furniture against UV rays, mildew, and mould. The teak oil will soon evaporate and leave the surface of your teak furniture dry again. This will make the wood dependent on regular reapplications of the oil to prevent it from drying out. Teak oil can also affect the natural teak oils inside the wood. Besides, because of its sticky nature, teak oil can attract dirt that may create a perfect environment for the growth of fungus, bacteria, mould, and mildew.

For this reason, you can use teak oil only as a temporary measure to restore your teak furniture. Otherwise, use teak sealers that usually contain ingredients to protect against growth of mould and mildew. In addition, if you don't like the grey colour, sealers offer a better solution because they create a barrier that helps prevent oxidation on the surface of your teak wood.