Teakwood is a very durable hardwood, and it has been a popular choice for outdoor use for years. It is hardy enough for boat decking, so it is certainly a great choice for your outdoor furniture. When your teakwood furniture is new it has a rich, honey color and it will turn to a silvery gray as it ages in the sun. While some people enjoy the sun bleached look of gray teakwood furniture, you can also bring it back to its honey luster by using a few easy techniques for restoration.
Begin By Cleaning
Before you begin restoring your teakwood furniture, make sure that you give it a good detailing. You can use water and any mild detergent and scrub with a soft brush. You will see the gray patina begin to slough off. If your furniture has only been exposed to the elements for several years, a simple scrubbing may be all of the restoring that you need to do. If you still have some of the gray patina left after washing, then you will want to let the furniture dry completely. After it is dry you can use fine grade sandpaper and begin lightly sanding just to remove a slightest top layer of the wood. You can also use a chemical stripper made for use with teakwood instead of sanding if you prefer.
Teak Oil Luster
After your furniture is completely clean and no gray patina remains, then you can complete the renewed look of your furniture by giving it a good rubbing with teak oil. While teak oil will make the wood look new again, it does not protect the wood from turning gray in the elements again. However, it does let the natural beauty of the wood radiate, so you will want to use it to restore your furniture s prior honey glow.
Teakwood Furniture Maintenance
After you have your furniture looking like new again, you may want to protect it from the elements so that it stays looking great. While teak oil is great for bringing back the luster of the wood, it really does nothing to offer it any protection, however there are other choices that are available for protecting your furniture. You can cover your furniture with waterproof/sunscreen covers when it is not in use. This way you are protecting the wood from moisture as well as the damaging effects of the sun. You can also pack up your patio for the winter and bring your furniture indoors, but this does not protect the wood from baking in the sun.
If you do plan to over winter your furniture indoors, then bring it in before the extreme cold temperatures begin to hit to help keep the abrupt temperature changes from splitting the wood. If you do wait too long and the weather is already cold, move the furniture into your garage and let it warm up slowly. By taking just these few extra steps with your teakwood furniture, you will guarantee that it remains beautiful and lustrous for you to enjoy over many years.
Author Resource:
Angela Glancy, is a popular contributing writer for http://www.americanartisanart.com/ , and she is a trailblazer in new design approaches for mixed media wall art and outdoor art sculptures.
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