Teak Maintenance Tips for the New Year

Teak wood patio furniture are beautiful statement pieces to glamorize your backyard and make it the perfect oasis for you and your loved ones. However, teak wood can be quite an investment with its expensive price tag, which means you’ll want to take care of it the best you can to keep it looking as good as the day you got it.

Our Teak Master team wants to help ensure your teak patio furniture stays in top-notch condition in the new year, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you care for your investment pieces. It’s also helpful to pay attention to the care instructions that come with your furniture because it may have special ways you can care for it based on the manufacturer’s advice.

Regularly Clean Your Furniture

Teak garden furniture and wooden decking by crinklecankle.com is licensed with CC BY 2.0

One of the more efficient ways to keep your teak furniture looking great is by giving them regular cleanings about four times a month. Luckily, teak wood is tough. It can withstand some harsh weather conditions without warping or cracking, but it can gather mildew and mold. If you don’t clean the furniture, you’re letting the mildew grow, which can cause the teak wood to discolor with irregular dark splotches throughout the pieces. Always start with mild soap and warm water, using soft bristles and brushing against the wood’s grain.

Professionals strongly advise you not to pressure wash your teak furniture. The high pressure is too harsh on the wood and can damage it. Pressuring washing can also cause the water to get inside the wood and strip it of its oils and wood fibers.

Be Gentle When You’re Moving Furniture

Whether you’re moving your furniture around on the patio or unloading it to a place in your backyard, be gentle with it. To make it easier to move, look to see if there are parts of the furniture you can remove. This way, you can move it piece by piece rather than trying to lift and carry it to the new spot. If you have to lift and carry it across the floor, plan out your path so that you can avoid bumping into other objects around you.

Additionally, check for the stable points on the furniture and lift it from there. Then, pick it up when you go over bumps or curbs. Be sure to set it down gently each time. If you determine you can’t do this yourself, ask someone to help you to help minimize the chances of damaging the furniture.

Clean Up Spills When They Occur

Spills and accidents happen. If you’re enjoying a beverage or meal outside using your teak furniture and you spill something on it, clean it up immediately. Otherwise, the spill can leave a noticeable stain on your furniture, especially if it’s food, oils, or harsh acidic chemicals, like cleaners, landing on the wood. If you don’t notice you’ve spilled something, clean it up when you notice it for your best chances of minimizing the stain.

To do this, you’ll need a stiff bristle or plastic brush to remove the stain. Gently scrub the brush in the direction of the wood grain. When scrubbing doesn’t do the trick, try using a diluted warm water and wood cleaner mixture to wash it away. Finally, if that still isn’t getting out the stain, use fine-grit sandpaper and attempt to sand the stain out of the wood. Avoid using anything that might damage the wood further, like:

• Steel wool.
• Scrubbing pads.
• Metal brushes.

Apply Teak Sealers

Apply teak sealers to your furniture if you want to maintain the wood’s golden-brown color. The color can go away the longer you leave the wood outside. Typically, when you buy this type of wood, it doesn’t come with added oils or other finishes. This can cause the wood to weather, creating a more gray color. If you like the look of weathered furniture, you don’t have to apply the sealer. But if you prefer to maintain the brown color, sealers are the best option for you to use on the furniture. Here’s how you should apply the sealer:

1. To open up the grain of your furniture, leave it in the sun for two weeks to ensure the sealer adheres correctly.
2. Spray sealer over the area.
3. Using a lint-free cloth, evenly rub the sealer into the wood with a steady hand.

Professionals don’t recommend oiling your furniture once a year. Teak naturally produces oil, and the extra grease can cause mold and mildew, ruining the furniture. Usually, the sealer can protect your furniture for up to one year before you should reapply it.

Keep It Away From Puddles

On the rare occasion California gets rain, pay attention to your furniture. If you have plenty of warning that rain is coming, cover your furniture with a waterproof tarp or move it into a covered area. But if it rains spontaneously, after the rain has stopped, go outside to check the water around the wood. If a chair or table leg is sitting in water, move it immediately and put the furniture in a place where it can dry. Letting it sit in water can encourage mold and mildew growth.

Call the Professionals at Teak Master

Another great way to care for your investment pieces and keep them looking new is by having professionals come to your house and do it for you. When you call a company to come and help you, rest assured they’re trained professionals and have the right tools and equipment to help clean your furniture. Or if you don’t have the time to clean and provide regular upkeep on the wood, schedule a service, so it’s one more thing to remove from your to-do list.

If you have any questions about how to take care of teak wood, contact us. Our team at Teak Master can answer all your questions, provide helpful suggestions and resources, and help you schedule services. When you schedule a teak service with us, like cleaning or restoring, you can sit back and relax while we handle the rest.