Teak garden table rotted at edge?

usignuolo

I recently bought a sold wood teak garden table in a closing down sale at a garden centre. It is a reputable make (Indian Ocean) and came in its original packaging.

I had it propped up on its side in the garden outside, by the shed while some work was down on our patio and it was there during the recent rain. It got pretty wet but then I am expecting it to live outside all year round.

When we came to stand it up again, there is a small section on the outer rim of the table which has gone soggy and the wooden is flaked and peeling off.

Surely this should not be possible with teak?

Davesnave

No, a few weeks of that kind of treatment should not result in the wood going soggy. Teak has natural oils in it which should preclude serious absorption of water when it is young. i.e. as in a new table. As it ages, you are supposed to replace these with teak oil.

Primrose

Davesnave is right - genuine teak shouldn't react like that. They build boats with it, which stay almost permanently in water. All you can do is wait until the wood has dried out and perhaps sand down the damaged part and then coat with teak oil. And get back to the original manufactuers and complain. Actually it should be the garden centre who deals with your complaint but if they've closed down you don't have another option, unless you paid for it on a credit card, in which case your card provider might have some advice on how to get your issue resolved.