Learn Correct Preservation of Your Teak Furniture

By Frank Froggatt

Staining and Preservation

You really don't need to defend your teak furnishings. Teakwood is really unique in the fact that if you leave it in its inherent state, it genuinely doesn't require any maintenance. Teakwood is something that can be left outdoors all year lengthy without having to worry about it, even if the conditions of the weather are extreme. It is because of this that people really love outdoor teak furniture.

While it's true that teak will turn a gray color when left in the sun for prolonged periods of time, this is organic and it doesn't harm any of the integrity of the wood.

For people who want to preserve the biological color of the wood that it has when they buy their furnishings, it is a common practice to use a teak sealer. Many people who like a dark color will often use it to add that shade as well. Applying a teak sealant to your furnishings will do more than just help to darken it up, it will also provide a UV protection and an anti-fungicide which will keep mold from developing. It doesn't matter whether you're teak furniture is old or new, you can apply teak sealants to them after they have been cleaned. These sealers aren't the same thing as lacquer. It simply acts to preserve the wood while allowing it to breathe and release oils naturally. It will not bubble or peel up like lacquer will. These things work well as both protectant's and stains for your wood. When you're looking at colors, realize that the darker the stain you get, the better UV protection the furniture will have, which means you won't have to put it on as often. If any unfortunate circumstance you already have a piece of teak furnishings that has been varnished, you will need to sand all of that old glaze off and then either leave it inherent or put on a stain.

It is really a pretty straightforward process to apply preservative to your teak furnishings. You want to make sure that you don't put your first coat on unless the furnishings has been sitting in the sun for a few weeks before hand. This assures that all of the wood grains are open. You should apply the first coat by spraying it liberally and then rubbing it in with a rag. Try to make sure that you apply two coats in this fashion on all surfaces of the wood top, bottom, sides and between any slats. Before you start putting on the preservative, you need to make sure that you cover the ground where you are going to be working as it can stain concrete or other surfaces.You will need to apply a coat to your furniture each year, but after the first coat you will only need to apply it to surfaces that received the sun.

After doing this to your furnishings you really have to do very little else to defend it. It doesn't hurt to wash your furniture every once in a while with a mild soap and water to remove any normal soiling. It is important that you be careful and try not to spill things like coffee, wine or other staining foods, as these items can and will penetrate the sealant and leave a stain. They do make a teak clear coat that you can apply to services that might be in danger in order to improve the resistance to staining.

Because of the organic oils and teak, it is pretty much impervious to water. These inborn oils leach out of the wood, and because of this it isn't a good idea to put varnish or water sealers on any teak product. By putting polyurethane or lacquer products on it you can be assured that they will peel off and chip. Applying these to your teak furniture can turn out to be a real nightmare in the future.

Contrary to what you might think putting oil on the teak isn't going to keep it from turning gray, and more often than not it will end up in causing your furnishings to mold or mildew. For someone who has done this, and they have mold growing on the furnishings, you need to wash the furnishings with bleach and soap, and then sand the surface to remove the mold.

Buying a piece of teak wood furnishings is a worthwhile investment if you enjoy spending time outdoors. Teak furniture helps to accentuate any yard and make it look classy and nice. Understanding the proper care of teak furniture is a vital part of helping to maintain a lifetime investment. - 29857

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