Advice on maintaining your Garden Furniture

Posted by Patrick Rogers

Teak garden furniture can really enhance the features of your garden and provide a relaxing and comfortable location to pass the time. But because the wood from which this furniture is made comes from Southeast Asia if you want it to last you need to look after it properly.

Teak is a hardwood and this is what makes the furniture so it is very durable. Plus this type of furniture will last quite a considerable amount of time because it is a very dense timber and contains high levels of resinous oil within it. It is this oil which actually not only makes the wood resistant to drying out but also from absorbing too much moisture.

Today you can either purchase teak garden furniture in its raw state or when it has been oiled. Furniture, which is still in its raw state when it arrives, will have a golden color to it. However, as time passes and if the wood is left, untreated it will fade to a silver grey color instead.

If you are quite happy for the wood to turn silver grey then once it has there is very little you will need to do in order for it retain it. For those, who however would prefer their would to retain that golden hue then it is important that they apply a layer of teak oil.

Furniture that will be outside in the garden throughout the year should have a coating of teak oil applied to its surface every six months. Yet even before you can actually apply the specialist, teak oil, you will need to clean the furniture first.

In order to clean, the wood you need to take some warm water to which you have added a mild detergent. Into this mixture place, a clean cloth and wring out until it is only damp (not soaking wet) and then gently wipe this over the surface of the furniture. This will help to remove any dust or grit that has built up. After wiping the furniture down with the water you need to let it dry completely before you go ahead an apply the oil.

It is important that you only use a specialist teak oil on the furniture and apply this using a lint free cloth. You could use a spray gun that is filled with the oil but using a cloth will ensure that the oil is spread evenly over the surface of the furniture. Now you need to leave it for sometime until it feels tacky.

When the oil has got to this stage, you now need to take another lint free cloth (clean one) and use this for removing any oil that is left on the surface. Then about an hour after this, you need to take another clean cloth that you use to polish up the surface of your teak garden furniture.

Tags: Sport

Under Sport Tags: Sport