Can Teak Furniture Be Left Outside? 10 Important Tips
Teak is regarded as one of the hardest wood globally, with an approximate lifespan of about 75 to 100 years.
When used in furniture, teak can stay for up to 40 to 50 years if properly maintained.
Teak furniture does not require any special maintenance or handling. Naturally, it can withstand all weather conditions and seasons.
Teak furniture is one of the strongest woods that can withstand the elements. With the right care and maintenance habits, teak furniture can last up to five-decade outside. You just need to clean, treat, and oil it once a while to keep it fresh and vibrant
Below is the general overview of teak outdoor furniture and ten essential tips to note about leaving teak furniture outside.
Can Teak Be Left Outside?
Teak furniture can stay outdoors throughout the year.
Its natural properties allow it to withstand any weather condition all the months of the year.
In developing nations, teak is used in construction and electrical infrastructures.
Teak outdoor furniture does not require any special additional protection apart from the occasional cleaning. The only maintenance it needs is a thorough cleaning that can be done once or twice a year.
How Long Does Teak Furniture Last Outside?
Teak is a tropical hardwood, and it is widely used in outdoor furniture, high-end furniture, patio furniture, boat decks, building exterior, construction works, etc.
It is one of the most durable hardwoods with natural weather and rot resistance qualities. Manufacturers and contractors turn to teak when they need to work under various weather conditions.
When teak furniture stays outdoors for long, a soft, silver-grey layer forms on its surface; this pigment forms due to old grains and finishes fading away.
If you keep your teak outdoor furniture clean and treated, it will maintain that golden honey color for much longer. Some owners have affirmed their furniture lasting up to 15 years.
What Is The Best Finish For Teak Outdoor Furniture?
Teak is known for its rich golden honey color when new.
Several finishes work for teak outdoor furniture, depending on your interest and the functions. You can use layers of oil finishing to coat your teak furniture and allow it to dry off.
Teak is also receptive to vanishes, which gives it a shiny look and protects it from water. However, you can also leave your teak furniture uncoated.
It has natural properties that allow it to withstand whatever nature brings its way.
What Is The Best Oil For Teak Outdoor Furniture?
First, it is vital to mention that teak oil is not made from teak. It is produced from tung and linseed oil.
Teak outdoor furniture performs well with any wood oil you choose.
On several occasions, furniture Manufacturers have used teak oil, mineral oil, lemon oil, walnut oil, danish oil in their finish.
How To Weatherproof Teak Outdoor Furniture?
Using a wood sealant is the best way to waterproof your outdoor furniture.
A sealant would keep your teak furniture protected for an average of 365 days.
Although it does not absolutely keep moisture content away, it significantly reduces the impact of moisture on your furniture.
Can Teak Outdoor Furniture Get Wet?
The teak has a medium-sized pore with a straight grain. Moisture content can easily seep into the wood through the pores.
However, it dries up faster than average hardwood when exposed to sunlight.
You can coat your furniture with oil, polyurethane, or sealants if you want to keep it waterproof.
Can You Sand Teak Outdoor Furniture?
While refinishing teak outdoor furniture, you need to sand the wood surface before applying new furnish. Sanding helps you loosen up the furniture surface to allow it to hold the oil or finish you intend to apply on it.
Teak outdoor furniture responds well to all kinds of emery paper. It is best practice to sand teak furniture along the grains.
Teak outdoor furniture would benefit from an occasional light sanding to remove old pigment and raised grain from the surface. Sanding also helps restore the smoothness of the furniture.
Can You Use Aged Teak For Outdoor Furniture?
Teak trees have an average lifespan of 70-100 years. It is best to use teak of 20 to 50 years in a piece of outdoor furniture.
Using over-aged teak wood for outdoor furniture may result in low-quality furniture with little durability.
Besides, some of the properties of teak that make it work best for outdoor furniture are more expressed in the mid-age trees than the older trees.
Likewise, it is not advisable to use an old log for outdoor furniture construction. Doing so would reduce the lifespan of your furniture and affect the quality also.
How Can You Clean Teak Outdoor Furniture?
We all prefer our garden and outdoor furniture looking its best. One of the best ways to keep our pieces of furniture at their best is through consistent cleaning.
Clean off the furniture’s surface with a mild brush to remove all traces of dirt.
Soak the furniture with garden spray or any other water source you have. Mix your cleaner in water and clean the surface of the wood with a mild brush to remove hardened dirt and loosen up the grains of the wood.
When cleaning teak outdoor furniture, it is best to start with less aggressive solutions. If you still can’t get the dirt off the surface, go for bleach and other stronger solutions.
Under no circumstances should a power or pressure washer be used to clean teak furniture. The action of the pressure washer would dent the surface of the furniture.
Allow the furniture to dry up in the open air or the sun. Note that you may need to clean more than once to get a good result.
How Can You Oil Your Teak Outdoor Furniture?
Oiling teak furniture is similar to every other wood oiling procedure.
First, clean the wood and make it ready. Sand the surface with 220 emery paper to make it smoother and more receptive to oil.
Apply the oil on a cloth and rub the oil into the surface of the furniture along the grain of the wood. You may need to apply more than one layer of oil coat to get the luster you desire.
Leave about 6 hours between each oiling to allow the oil to seep into the wood before applying the next layer of oil.
Conclusion
Teak is one of the best woods for outdoor furniture. It has outstanding durability and a unique capacity to withstand any weather condition.
The only downside of teak outdoor furniture is the pigment that forms over it when left untreated over time. Treating a piece of teak furniture is easy and could be done at home.
Before you restore or treat your teak, the first step is to clean the furniture. Sometimes, cleaning alone can restore the furniture to its best condition.
Surprisingly, your teak outdoor furniture can live for as long as 30 to 50 years if you keep all the maintenance tips provided above.
References
3 things you need to know about teak furniture