Teak garden furniture treatment

arsenalboy

We have just invested in a relatively expensive Teak garden table and we do not want it to go grey as it will without treatment. Instead we want to keep its rich honeyed colour.

It is only a couple of weeks old but already the colour has dulled a bit.

I have done a lot of research and discover teak oil and teak sealer.

Teak oil is obviously oil based and using it will bring the colour back immediately but you have to keep applying every few months to maintain the colour.

Meanwhile, teak sealer is water based and it seals the colour at time of application and this will last for a year.

I want to use a sealer but before I do I want to bring the colour back as I don't want to seal the dulled colour in.

My question is do I treat with teak oil and leave for a couple of days to thoroughly dry and then use a teak sealer?

I have searched for hours to try and find reference to this but cannot.

I want to get this right and not compromise its looks. Anybody have any experience of this?

Nile

Hi arsenalboy.

If (as I assume) you're keeping the teak garden table outdoors in all weathers, the sun will bleach the colour. I can't comment on the oil and sealer.

Have you considered buying a waterproof table cloth? When you sit at the table, you can remove the cloth to reveal the beautiful wood beneath.............and at other times, keeping the table cloth in place will prevent the sun bleaching it.

Regards

Nile

arsenalboy

Nile wrote: »

Hi arsenalboy.

If (as I assume) you're keeping the teak garden table outdoors in all weathers, the sun will bleach the colour. I can't comment on the oil and sealer.

Have you considered buying a waterproof table cloth? When you sit at the table, you can remove the cloth to reveal the beautiful wood beneath.............and at other times, keeping the table cloth in place will prevent the sun bleaching it.

Regards

Nile

Thanks for the suggestion but not the route we want to take.

The table comes with a custom weatherproofed zipped cover for winter and inclement weather use.

The rest of the time we want to probably enjoy looking at it rather than sitting at it:)

It is just making sure it is invincibly protected!

bluewater

I too have just bought some teak garden furniture. I have a lot of experience with teak as a boat owner. Boats often have a lot of teak and it has long been a subject of much debate as to what to do, which products (and there are hundreds) to use IF ANY.

After many years I think leaving it alone is best. Any product will deteriorate over time, most will darken and some will need to be removed before reapplying.

What I do with the boat's teak, and plan to do with my furniture is clean it with one of the many teak cleaning products that you can buy in yacht chandlers. Some are in two parts - a cleaner and a brightener.

Using a brush and a hose it will be quite a quick job and you can do it as often as you think necessary.

Heedtheadvice

I use teak oil once a year after a dry period. It protects, does a certain amount of colour restoration and by adding oils helps lengthen life that should be many a year anyway.


Probably not the best on decking (boats or otherwise) as is slippy for a time owing to the oil.


Water based sealers do not then adhere well till the surface dries out again but sealers are not my choice anyway as when breached they tend to hold in moisture.


I use teak and similar oils (and a cheap mixture of budget oils -olive [as used in the med countries], sunflower,teak with white spirit !) on pine garden furniture that gives a deepish brown finish, is a bit sticky for a few days but they last for 10+ years (outdoors all the time). Varnished ones rotted after five years!


Cheap teak oil is often available in some supermarkets, Wilko and the Range at about £4 per half litre. You can pay a lot more!!!!! Light olive and Sunflower cooking oils are much cheaper.

TELLIT01

arsenalboy wrote: »

The table comes with a custom weatherproofed zipped cover for winter and inclement weather use.

We had one of those covers too. Stopped using it after gales moved table and chairs, which were also under the cover, from one side of the patio to the other and smashed every pot on the way. The cover, although pulled in as tightly as possible, effectively acted as a sail. We now have something similar to this https://www.homebase.co.uk/keter-store-it-out-woodland-midi-garden-storage-brown-845l_p105213 where we store table, chairs, cushions and umbrella over winter.

andygb

You could try using yacht varnish, it has oils and resins and is a high gloss finish.


https://www.paints4trade.com/flag-yacht-varnish-260930-p.asp?_=&variantid=260944&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr53cz4jh4wIVzLTtCh24RA_TEAQYBCABEgIomPD_BwE

jane305

I think you should use Teak cleaner to clean the surface. Cleaning the surface is important if you want to maximize the result of the restoration and make the teak wood looks good again. Then you can apply teak oil or teak sealer.

Anunnaki

jane305 said:

I think you should use Teak cleaner to clean the surface. Cleaning the surface is important if you want to maximize the result of the restoration and make the teak wood looks good again. Then you can apply teak oil or teak sealer.

The thread is 20 months old.  I am new here as well but why comment as first post on a really old thread?   

theonlywayisup

Semco is the best thing I have found and I've been using it for years now.  We use the Wessex two part cleaner once a year (holiday lets furniture) and then use the sealer.  I would not use covers as they make the furniture sweat on hot days and the result after a period covered over is disgusting.  Have experimented with teak oils I wouldn't use those either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQJI1NBmBLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k44QBkYGe6E
I really cannot recommend it enough.