Teak furniture is sure to last a lifetime as long as it is properly cared for.
Teak furniture can be indoor or outdoor furniture, and it can be just about any type of furniture you want.
Teak is extremely durable, even after it fades to the grey color so many people are familiar with.
Teak can be untreated or treated, stained or unstained, and take almost any form imaginable.
Teak is a hardwood that comes from the rainforest, so it has a natural tendency to resist mold, mildew, and damage from insects.
It is one of the most durable woods you can buy, and this is one of the reasons so many people choose teak furniture.
Many people also enjoy the beautiful color of teak, which starts out as a golden brown and then turns to a silvery grey color over time.
Most people prefer to let teak weather and turn grey because of all the work that is involved in keeping it the same golden brown color.
However, no matter which color you want to keep your teak pieces, proper care is vital when dealing with teak furniture.
Here are some important reminders to care for teak furniture.
Staining Some people choose to stain teak because this locks in a chosen color for the long life of the wood.
However, remember that staining the teak will not allow it to return to its beautiful golden brown color.
Staining is a very final decision when dealing with teak, and it should be done while the wood is still brand new.
Those who wait to stain teak until it is aged and weathered will have to sand the wood down and then stain it, so it helps to decide up front whether you intend to stain the wood or allow it to keep its natural teak colors.
Sanding and Oiling Two very important things to remember when caring for teak furniture are sanding and oiling.
Teak oil will help prolong the original color of the teak wood, although it is not a permanent solution.
Those who want to keep the original color of the teak furniture will have to perform regular maintenance on it at least once per year.
Teak oil can be applied about once per year to prolong the color, but sanding will also be required in order to keep it from fading completely.
Just use your best judgment to decide when sanding is necessary.
Whenever the color of the teak furniture fades too much, then it is time to sand it and oil it.
Weathered Teak It is not always necessary to sand and oil teak furniture.
Some people prefer the look of weathered teak, which is grey rather than brown.
It takes about nine months for teak to fade to grey, and it offers a unique style all its own.
Caring for weathered teak is also much easier than caring for teak that you want to remain the original color.
All you need to do is let it change and don't worry about it.
Weathered teak is just as strong and durable as teak that is sanded, oiled, and cared for in this way, but it requires a lot less maintenance.
The only thing that will need to be done to weathered teak is cleaning it, which can easily be done with a solution of laundry detergent, water, and bleach.
The majority of the solution should be water, so do not make it very strong.
If the teak furniture is indoor furniture, then it will not need to be cleaned as often as it will if it is outdoor furniture.