PRODUCT CARE TEAK
The durability of high quality teak, combined with its aesthetic properties, make it the ideal timber for outdoor use. Due to teak’s characteristics, particularly its high natural oil content, your furniture does not require any special treatment or oiling to protect it or extend its lifespan. Small surface cracks may appear which are due to the changes in seasons and the wood releasing or drawing in moisture from the atmosphere. They will not affect the strength or durability of the furniture. However, there are basic care guidelines you are advised to follow to ensure your teak furniture always looks its best.
Colouring & Weathering of Teak
As teak is a natural product, you will find variations in the colour and tone when your furniture is new.
On exposure to sunlight, colour variations steadily even out and your furniture will eventually weather to an elegant silvery grey. To maintain this colour we recommend that your furniture is hosed down or wiped with a damp cloth on a regular basis. This prevents dust and pollution from penetrating deep into the grain and over time turning the wood a duller, darker grey rather than the beautiful silver colour for which it is well-known.
Combining this regular maintenance with a thorough clean two to three times a year should keep your furniture looking its best.
Cleaning
A soft-bristled brush and a mild soap, such as shavings from a bar of green Sunlight soap, diluted in warm water, is recommended for cleaning your furniture. Do not use any harsh detergents such as dishwashing liquid.
The item of furniture should be wet first before cleaning. Give it a gentle scrub, with the grain. Be careful not to scrub too hard as this can remove soft grain from the timber. If your furniture is particularly dirty, clean it gently a number of times rather than scrubbing it vigorously. New or un-weathered teak is more susceptible to staining. Watermarks are easily dealt with: Simply wet the tables thoroughly, wipe off excess water and the marks should disappear when the table dries.
Stains caused by spills from wine, salad dressing, marinades, etc. should be removed with hot soapy water as soon as possible – always wet the whole table/item of furniture first. Once the item has dried, remaining marks can be lightly sanded with fine sandpaper (always sand with the grain). You will find that marks are eventually bleached out by the sun and the weathering process. Once weathered, your furniture will also become less susceptible to staining.
Position of Furniture
Despite its durability, full exposure to harsh sun, all day, will take its toll on your furniture. The ideal position for your teak furniture is in an area which is exposed to either morning or afternoon sun.
If your furniture is not directly exposed to sun (e.g. on a covered veranda) it will not weather. As a result of this, your furniture is more susceptible to staining. To protect your table, you can use a cloth and/or coasters and wipe down your table as marks occur. An alternative solution is to oil your furniture. Envirotouch oils will protect your furniture against stains and marks; however it will also darken the colour of the timber. See more information on oiling below.
Oiling
Teak is resistant to them. As the tannin in the product acts as a natural preservative it has minimal shrinkage and can withstand extreme climate conditions. Even rain and saltwater will not deteriorate the timber.
Weathered furniture cannot be oiled it must be sanded to remove rough surface and then re oiled as the above.
Once furniture has been oiled, it needs to be re-oiled regularly. This involves cleaning and preparing the timber prior to re-oiling. Please feel free to contact us if you need any further information with regards to oiling.