AN INTRODUCTION TO TEAK GARDEN FURNITURE.

Teak garden furniture is a popular choice for outdoor spaces. This classic wood has many benefits that make it excellent for outdoor pieces. Our introduction to teak garden furniture explains the benefits of teak wood, why it makes great outdoor furniture and how to care for it correctly.

If you’re new to teak, and wondering if it’s the right wood for your garden furniture, understanding these benefits could help make your mind up:

4 Benefits of Teak Garden Furniture;

1. Weather Resistant - this wood is naturally resistant to the weather, making it perfect for living outside!

2. Easy to Clean - due to its durability, teak garden furniture is also very easy to clean. We detail exactly how to clean your teak furniture later in this post.

3. Low Maintenance - whilst teak changes colour with sun exposure, it does not need extra treatments and can last a very long time with minimal care.

4. Sustainable - crafted from an eco-friendly material, teak garden furniture can be sustainable. With many forests planting a new tree each time one is taken for use.

What is Teak & Why is it Used in Garden Furniture?

Teak is a hardwood tree that originates from South East Asia. It is often turned into teak garden furniture like benches, tables, and chairs, due to its high oil content, which makes it resistant to rotting and warping – even when located outside. Its durability to the outdoor weather makes it perfect for garden furniture.

When first used, teak garden furniture begins as a golden brown colour, but due to UV rays from the sun it will fade over time to a natural grey. Depending on your preferences, you may wish to let it naturally turn to this silvery grey, or you may wish to use protectors to delay this process. Our how to clean teak garden furniture guide will tell you how you can do just this in addition to keeping your outdoor teak furniture in top condition.

How Often to Clean Outdoor Teak Furniture;

Depending on where you keep your teak garden furniture sets will affect how often you need to clean them. However, a general rule of thumb for cleaning teak is about twice in a year - once in the Spring and once in the Autumn.

Simple Steps for Cleaning Teak Garden Furniture

Once you know how to clean teak garden furniture, your patio will look incredible! Here are 6 simple steps to giving your teak furniture the clean it needs:

1. Start by brushing your bench, chairs, or table with a stiff brush to remove moss, lichen, and loose dirt.

2. Soak your furniture with a garden hose.

3. Apply teak cleaner to the garden furniture with a sponge. Wear rubber gloves & safety goggles for your own safety.

Leave the teak cleaner to soak for 4 or 5 minutes.

4. Use a scouring pad to remove dirt - keeping the sponge wet throughout.

5. Rinse off cleaner & leave to dry.

6.Once dry, enjoy your freshly cleaned teak garden furniture by having friends over for a BBQ!

A common misconception is that after cleaning teak garden furniture, it needs to be oiled. This however, is not the case for outdoor furniture. The teak wood has its own natural oils, and teak furniture oil could do more harm than good to your patio pieces.

Protecting & Restoring the Colour of Teak Garden Furniture;

Whilst many adore the silvery colours of older teak, many prefer the honey tones it carries when brand new. With the right protective steps, you can keep your teak garden furniture looking brand new!

Make sure your teak garden furniture is clean and dust free. To clean, simply use a brush and soapy water - leave to dry.

Protect your patio with a sheet.

Shake the teak colour guard for a minute.

Apply the colour guard to a cloth and massage into the surface of your teak furniture.

Leave to dry for 30-40 mins in warm weather.

Apply a thin second coat and leave to dry.

Your furniture should again be restored to its beautiful honey brown tones!

You’ll have to reapply every year or so depending on how it’s weathered - you should only need to do one coat in these instances.

Whilst teak is resistant to weathering, if you want to protect it further against tough winters or sunny days, you can use a garden furniture cover whilst not in use.

Note: New teak does not need a colour guard as this could lead to the furniture looking orange.

Cleaning Food & Drink Spillages from Teak Garden Furniture

Teak garden furniture is meant to be enjoyed, whether it’s a hot summer's day, or a winter’s eve warmed up with outdoor heating. Social occasions are prone to spillages however, whether it’s your kids’ brightly coloured squash, or a glass of red wine. You can easily clean teak garden furniture after these spillages.

Simply use kitchen paper or a cloth to dab the area, getting up as much of the liquid as possible. You can also clean with soapy water and a sponge. If a stain is still left after this however, you can lightly sand the area to remove it.

What Not to do When Cleaning Your Teak Outdoor Furniture

When cleaning teak garden furniture it’s essential that you do not use a jet wash or pressure washer. The force from these can cause damage to your garden bench, digging the grain from the timber, leaving a rough surface, and even driving the natural protective oils from the wood.