Caring For Your Teak Furniture

How to Care for Your Teak Furniture

Teak is a natural product, and its colour can vary from light to honey brown. When left outdoors, these variations will gradually even out. Over time, teak furniture will develop a beautiful silver-grey patina that blends seamlessly into its surroundings.

One of the attractions of teak outdoor furniture is that it requires very little maintenance. We suggest doing annual teak furniture maintenance, preferably in the spring on a fair, breezy day, using soapy water to remove any build-up of dirt or bird-droppings. You can use a hose at normal water pressure, but we strongly advise against power or pressure washing, as this may open the grain and joints.

For teak furniture maintenance, we don't recommend the use of teak oil and other wood oils as these can be detrimental to the health, longevity and appearance of your teak. We offer a range of eco-friendly water-based Teak Care products that will keep your teak looking great for years to come.

honey

Protect & Preserve

If you would like to prolong the honey, golden colour of teak we suggest using our Teak Protector.

shield

Shield & Maintain

You can use our Teak Shield to create a protective barrier around your teak to slow the growth of fungi and algae. This dual-action solution will also maintain teak’s silvery-grey colour for a longer period of time.

restore

Clean & Restore

If you need to remove any mould, mildew, or stains, you can use our Teak Cleaner. This high-concentration, water-based formula also contains ingredients to help brighten the wood, bringing it back to its original honey-gold colour.

For light cleaning you can use a simple soapy solution (washing-up liquid works fine) and give a good scrub down.

View our range of Teak Care products

Conditions That Will Effect Your Teak

sun

Sunlight Exposure

If placed in direct sunlight, the UV rays will slowly weather teak into a light silvery grey patina. Changes in temperature can lead to increased end-grain checking, which is why teak weathers at a slower pace and can remain outside permanently in spring and summer.

moisture

Moisture & Humidity

Moisture and humidity can speed up the weathering process of teak wood, with condensation encouraging mildew and fungal blooms. This can in turn force the need for more frequent cleaning depending on how consistently wet the environment is.

Why Use Teak Care?

Teak furniture is the best choice for your garden and our Teak Care products for garden furniture are the #1 treatment solution to keep it looking its best.

• Non-toxic and eco-friendly

• Water-based

• Easy to apply

• Fast-acting & long-lasting

• Prolongs the life

Can I use teak oil to protect my furniture?
We strongly recommend against using teak oil, or any other oils for that matter, on your teak furniture. Teak wood possesses naturally occurring oils that protect it, which other oils such as danish and linseed work to destroy. These oils are designed to dry out the wood so that it becomes dependant on repeat applications of them, unlike our teak care products which are all water-based solutions.
How do I maintain the colour of my teak furniture?
This completely depends on what colour you would like your teak to be. If you would like to keep teak furniture golden, we recommend using teak protector. If you prefer the silvery-grey patina that weathered teak develops, use teak shield to keep it looking fresh and beautiful.
How do I clean my teak furniture?
We recommend you clean your teak furniture at least once a year, preferably in the spring so that it might dry faster. Using a soft cloth or scrub pad, clean your furniture with soapy water before rinsing/hosing it down to remove the soap and any built-up grime. If you are using a hose, make sure it is on a low pressure so as not to loosen the joints of your furniture or strip away any of the natural protective teak oils.
Removing stains from teak furniture
If after cleaning your teak there are still some stubborn stains that remain, use some very fine sandpaper to remove them by lightly sanding the wood down in the direction of the grain. If a lighter patch is left after sanding, do not worry as it will gradually even back out to the same colour as the rest of the teak on its own. To prevent further stains from occurring, we offer teak shield to give your teak more protection.
Can I prevent end-grain checking?
As teak is a natural wood, small splits or cracks can occur due to changes in temperature or humidity. These cracks (also known as end-grain checking) will not affect the structural integrity of your bench due to the robust nature of teak. However, we recommend against storing your teak furniture in any environment prone to dramatic humidity or temperature changes such as greenhouses to prevent any unnecessary end-grain checking.
How often do I need to take care of my furniture?
This depends on the look you desire. If you are happy to let your teak naturally weather into a darker colour there is no need to do anything to the wood besides a clean with soap and water or teak cleaner once or twice a year. If you would like to maintain the silvery grey look of weathered teak, use teak shield once the colour starts to change, and then once a year after that. For maintaining the natural golden colour of teak, apply teak protector to new furniture after 4-6 weeks followed by every 6 weeks, along with occasional cleaning.
How much wood does each teak care solution cover?
A 1 litre bottle of teak care, when applied correctly in a thin layer, can cover up to 7 square metres of wood. Be careful not to apply too much solution as if the layer is too thick it could begin to peel.
Protecting teak from weather damage
Teak wood is extremely durable and can remain outdoors in all weather. However, if you would like to slow down the weathering process of your furniture, you can cover your furniture or store it somewhere cool and dry like a garage during the winter months. If you are using a cover, please ensure it allows plenty of air to circulate underneath it to prevent any mildew or fungal growth on the furniture due to excess condensation.
Restoring weathered teak wood
To restore your old teak wood to its silvery grey patina, we recommend giving the furniture a good clean with water and soap or teak cleaner, followed by teak shield in order to create a protective layer around the wood and maintain and brighten the silvery grey shade of the teak.To return your teak to its original honey colour, give the wood a good clean before applying teak protector to the wood at regular 3-4 month intervals until it reaches your desired colour.
Can I remove small scratches as my teak ages?
Yes. Small cracks and scratches can naturally occur over time as your teak furniture weathers; simply give it a light sanding to bring your furniture back to the desired look.
Do I need UV protection for teak furniture?
Teak is a highly durable, natural wood that gradually weathers from a lovely honey colour to a stylish silvery grey. With this in mind, no, your furniture does not require UV protection, as sunlight is a natural part of using outdoor furniture.
How quickly does teak care take to dry?
All our products are water-based, so will usually take less than an hour to dry. We recommend leaving a couple of hours after application before using the furniture again.
Will the teak care solutions affect the fixtures?
Using any of our teak care products will not affect any brass fixtures in your furniture, however, these will naturally tarnish over time due to consistent exposure to the air. We also recommend checking for tightness in the fixtures on folding furniture regularly due to their potential to loosen when opening and closing the mechanism.
Do I need to protect my skin when using teak care products?
Our teak care products are non-toxic and water-based so are extremely safe to use. However, we recommend against using them in an enclosed space without circulating air as the trapped product can irritate the eyes and skin. We suggest always applying these products in an open space with lots of air, preferably a garden.
Can I remove Teak Protector if I don't like the look?
Whilst you should be satisfied with the look of your furniture after applying Teak Protector, if for any reason you are not you can remove it using some light sandpaper. We recommend applying a small amount of protector first, either to the back of a leg or underneath, to check that you will be happy with the final effect of Teak protector.
Will Teak Shield or Protector damage grass/paving?
They may or may not, depending on how much goes on them and the material. If you want to be extra cautious, we recommend laying down a suitable protective covering on the ground before applying these products to your furniture.

Teak Care Timeline

You may decide to leave your teak untreated so it weathers naturally.

Teak Care Untreated

To maintain the golden honey colour of the original teak.

Teak Care Protector

To establish and maintain a silver grey patina of weathered teak.

Teak Care Shield

To restore and maintain the silver grey patina of weathered teak.Teak Care Shield

To establish and maintain a silver grey patina of weathered teak.

Teak Care Shield

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