Teak outdoor furniture may initially resemble many of your favourite patio accessories. Teak, however, is anything but common, as you’ll discover throughout this course.
This tutorial is for you if you’ve been debating purchasing teak furniture.
We’ll cover everything you need to know, including why we like it so much, the various types you can choose from, and how simple it is to care for and maintain, so sit back, unwind, and read on.
But first, let’s agree on a definition of what teak is.
What is outdoor teak furniture?
Native to South and Southeast Asia, teak trees are most prevalent in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Burma.
The fact that teak trees may grow as tall as 200 feet is one of their amazing features. Thus, a single teak tree may yield a substantial amount of timber.
Teak wood was used by natives of South and Southeast Asia to construct their dwellings and even to make tools. People began utilising the wood mostly for ship construction as time went on, and it began to go around the globe since it is strong and resilient.
Teak wood is currently employed for a variety of tasks, including the construction of boats, outdoor and indoor furniture, frames, carvings, and much more.
The popularity of the subject may raise some concerns in your mind. Why does teak seem to be so popular compared to other types of wood? What makes it unique? Let’s look at it!
Why is teak furniture so popular?
Teak wood has always had a unique quality. Here’s why people find it so compelling:
1) It lasts a long time.
Most people seek high-quality furnishings that will last for many years when they make an investment in furniture. Considering that it is subjected to a variety of weather conditions throughout the year, outdoor furniture presents particular challenges.
Teak is one of the world’s most resilient hardwoods, so you won’t have to worry about that with it. In reality, it has been used for the interiors and decks of luxury boats for almost 2,000 years, and it is being used today.
Teak has exceptional weather resistance because of its tight grain, high oil content, and strong tensile strength. It is perfect for wherever you reside because it can survive any weather condition!
2) It is not necessary to treat it.
To keep the wood looking excellent for many years, you must treat and maintain most outdoor furniture extensively.
On the other hand, teak has a warm, honey-toned tone by nature. This progressively transforms into a silvery grey patina that is just as lovely as it is when it ages and is exposed to the light.
Use teak sealers to give your furniture a warm honey tone if you wish. They should last for around a year and will shield your furniture from the sun. You might not even need to treat it because a lot of owners end up falling in love with the silvery grey patina!
3) It Gives Your Home A Warm, Luxurious Feel
If you’ve been looking at teak outdoor furniture, you already know that it’s more expensive than many of its rivals. However, it continues to be incredibly well-liked and well-known among fans of outdoor furniture. How come?
To put it simply, teak wood is stunning. Some grades have a glossy surface, which may help you give your patio or porch a touch of elegance. And who wouldn’t want a lovely outside area?
Here are eight things you should know before choosing to buy teak wood, now that you know what it is and why people adore it.
Before purchasing teak outdoor furniture, consider these eight things:
1) Its Special Natural Oils
How the weather affects outdoor furniture is one of the most aggravating aspects of it. It may seem fantastic when it is brand new, but the longer it is exposed to the elements, the more quickly it ages.
That’s not the case with teak outdoor furniture, as we have explained. The wood is inherently weather-resistant, no matter if there is blazing sun, freezing rain, or snow.
Why? due to its organic oils.
Natural oils found in all woods aid in tree protection. With the exception of teak, most trees lose their oils after they are felled and the wood is processed. Teak is resistant to many weather conditions because it keeps its inherent oils and resins.
These oils and resins are excellent bug repellents in addition to providing weather protection, so you can spend time outside without being concerned about pesky insects.
2) Teak Wood Is Simple To Clean
You will appreciate how easy it is to keep teak furniture clean if you get it.
You may get rid of the dust, grime, or other stains on the wood with a straightforward, mild soap and water solution. Simply follow that with a clean-water rinse.
Use teak cleaning to gently lift difficult stains like grease if you’re having trouble getting rid of them, leaving your wood appearing clean and brand new.
3) Design and craftsmanship are important.
Teak furniture comes in a variety of styles. Understanding the various market grades of teak is crucial when making a purchase.
You have Grade A teak to start. This item is of the highest quality available, as its name implies. This wood contains a lot of natural oils, which give it a lovely, glossy look, and comes from the centre of a fully developed teak tree.
Then there is Grade B teak. The primary distinction between this and the Grade A alternative is that the latter is derived from the tree’s exterior heartwood regions. Additionally, Grade B is often less shiny and a touch lighter in appearance.
And lastly, Grade C teak is also available. In addition to being more reasonably priced than Grade A and Grade B, this wood comes from the outside sections of the teak tree. Additionally, it will often require more upkeep.
4) Teak patio furniture requires investment.
Teak is one of the most popular timbers for outdoor furniture for a variety of reasons. Teak furniture is a wise investment due to its high quality, opulent appearance, and ability to withstand various weather conditions.
Many of its competitors will initially give you a few nice years before the weather and other reasons cause the furniture to age. However, certain grades of teak might survive up to 30 years. You may thus pass it down to your children and perhaps even to your grandchildren!
5) Over time, the colour will change.
Your teak outdoor furniture will eventually turn from the warm honey tone of young wood to a silvery grey, as we discussed previously in this post.
There isn’t much you can do to totally stop this from happening, but you can keep the wood’s natural colour for a longer period of time by sometimes applying an oil or sealant to its surface.
6) A sealer or oil is used to preserve the colour.
You must use teak oil or teak sealer to maintain the natural colour of your teak outdoor furniture.
Linseed oil, mineral spirits, and varnish are typically used together to make teak oil. It will offer you results almost immediately and restore the beautiful, golden shine of worn-out wood.
Teak oil does have certain benefits, but these disappear after a month or two. In order to keep your furniture looking like new during the summer, you will need to apply teak oil rather often.
Additionally, the wood deteriorates faster as a result of the mineral spirits and solvents in the oil than it would otherwise.
Applying a teak sealer once a year, preferably after cleaning, is a preferable option for keeping your teak outdoor furniture looking brand new.
Teak sealer helps to keep the moisture and colour of the wood from fading and inhibits the formation of fungi, mould, and mildew on the surface.
7) It Is Possible To Overclean
It’s possible to overclean your teak outdoor furniture and harm the wood’s inherent beauty, despite popular belief.
We advise cleaning your furniture once a year, either towards the end of autumn or the start of spring, depending on the temperature where you reside.
To keep the exposed surfaces free of mildew, you could decide to clean your teak wood more frequently if you reside in an area that is highly dusty or humid.
8) Covering or Storing Teak Outdoor Furniture During the Winter
While keeping teak outdoor furniture outside through the winter months poses no harm to the wood itself, permitting snow to accumulate on the surface could promote mildew growth.
It is important to cover the furniture towards the end of autumn or store it inside until the weather changes if you live in a region with frequent, considerable snowfall.
You can forego the maintenance and leave your teak outdoor furniture in its current location if you live in an area where major snowfall doesn’t occur frequently and it stays warm enough to sit outside year-round.
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