How to Restore Teak Garden Furniture

Restoring teak outdoor garden furniture can be done to retain and keep the furniture in great condition. There could be reasons why you need to restore your teak furniture, such as the furniture looking worse for wear, or it simply needs a bit of sparkle for it to brighten up your garden more. Whichever the case, this article will go through how to restore teak garden furniture, and why this type of furniture deserves the treatment that it needs.

Restoring teak furniture

When choosing garden furniture, teak is considered to be the go-to for patio furniture. Its qualities include its vast timelessness, and durability. Teak wood is also very strong, meaning that it can last throughout the year. Also, it is unlikely to split or crack like most other wooden furniture does after a certain length of time.

Over time, teak will naturally begin to turn a silvery-grey colour. Most people prefer their teak furniture to have the same colour and tone that it had when purchased. After all, the colour of teak is one of the many reasons why so many people fall in love with it. Below, we will discuss how to better treat and restore teak furniture for a longer-lasting purpose.

Why does Teak Furniture Need to Be Treated

The golden glow of teak furniture comes from the natural, preservative oil that is located within the wood itself. When this oil is exposed to the elements, it can naturally begin to deteriorate, hence why it will turn greyish.

The simplest option here would be to paint over the wood using a preferable outdoor wooden paint colour, such as dark brown. However, paint will not bring back the natural glow of the wood. Teak colour looks better naturally than when it is painted over.

Find out about the most restricted and endangered species of wood.

Cleaning and Restoring Teak Furniture

The best way to restore teak wood furniture is on an annual basis, preferably when the weather is suitable. We recommend doing this during the spring when there is a slight breeze. This will help to dry the teak off quicker.

Here is the process to follow towards cleaning and restoring teak furniture:

• Start by scrubbing down the teak furniture with pH-neutral soapy water with a touch of white vinegar or bleach.

• Leave it for the solution to sink in. Hose it off at a normal water pressure to remove the solution and prevent a build-up of dirt or other substances that might be found in your garden.

• Do not use a pressure/power washer as this can damage the furniture and cause the joints to loosen. It can also wash away the natural, protective oils of the teak. Alternatively, soak a microfiber cloth and wash over the solution this way.

• Let the furniture go into a dry-like condition. Then, use either sandpaper or a scrubbing pad to gently rub sand into the grain.

• Use a soft brush, vacuum, or a clean cloth to clean off the surface. Wait for the furniture to dry off completely before you begin adding teak protection or sealer using a microfiber cloth. Wipe away any excess to prevent smudges. It should take about an hour for the teak to dry off, although check this with your furniture’s instructions first.

• Add a second coat of the same sealant and repeat the scrubbing process. Leave again for another hour. By tomorrow, when the furniture is completely dry, it will be just as polished as it was when you bought it.

It is imperative that you do not use products to wash your teak furniture that contains linseed oil. This can damage the wood and will cause it to start peeling and will not look visually appealing. Instead, if you want to further protect your teak furniture from the elements in the winter, purchase garden bench covers.

Can you pressure wash teak wood furniture?

We advise against using a pressure washer to clean your teak wood furniture as this can damage the overall quality of the teak, as well as cause the teak protection to not work as effectively as it will wash away the natural teak oil. Another side effect is that pressure washing will cause the teak wood to age prematurely as well, juxtaposing the purpose of restoring your teak dining furniture in the first place.

How to clean spillages off teak furniture

Teak furniture will naturally absorb any elements that land on it, and as such, you should ensure that you clean the spillages off of your furniture as early as possible to prevent it from damaging the furniture. Using appropriate kitchen appliances such as a towel or absorbent cloth will easily do the job.

Removing oil and grease stains off teak furniture

1. Start by soaking up as much of the oil or grease stains off of the furniture using an absorbant material such as paper towels or scattering cat litter over it. Both are very effective towards removing the stains with ease.
2. Use a medium-stiff brush alongside a mild solution mix of water with washing up liquid to clean the teak. Adding teak cleaner after will help to brighten the colour of the wood.

• Spillages on your commercial outdoor chairs are likely to occur but once the teak has dried over, if any stains are still prominent, then using good quality sandpaper should help to remove them when rubbed in the direction of the grain.

Cleaning rough and weathered teak

Lastly, you may want to consider how to clean and restore teak furniture that has been affected by the weather. Fortunately, teak furniture contains enough teak oil to prevent it from rotting, meaning that cleaning it is more of a cosmetic issue than a question of maintenance.

For those who want their teak furniture to retain a smooth, wooden finish, simply sand the furniture manually using fine sandpaper. Try not to resort to using automatic sanders since these can leave black marks on the teak. After you have sanded it by hand, use a clean, dry sponge to remove any leftover sawdust.

Restore your Teak Furniture in No Time

As you can see, cleaning and restoring teak furniture requires a bit more time and precision to get right, and more care needs to be made to retain the qualities of the furniture that made you want to purchase it in the first place.

FAQs

Sources

Wood Database. (n.d.). Restricted and Endangered Wood Species. [Accessed 17/03/23] Retrieved from: https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/restricted-and-endangered-wood-species/

Callan Harvey