Teak Outdoor Furniture
Good quality and ethical teak outdoor furniture is now manufactured from managed teak forests and plantations, to ensure the continued supply of the wood, and to help protect the environment. When you’re buying teak outdoor furniture always look for the manufacturer’s guarantee that the wood is from a managed and sustainable source.
Teak is an ideal wood for garden and outdoor furniture as it has a high oil content, which means it is very resistant to extremes of weather, and very stable too. Teak outdoor furniture is not the only use of this very versatile wood – for centuries teak has been the primary choice for marine construction like ship decking.
The main reason for teak being so stable and long lasting is the high levels of silica found naturally in the wood. This gives the teak a truly unique quality, but also means it’s very difficult to cut and shape, often requiring the use of carbide or even diamond tipped cuttings tools. This also means that teak outdoor furniture is considerably more expensive than other woods, but the natural beauty of teak certainly makes it well worth the money.
Once your teak outdoor furniture has been outside for a few months it will start to turn a silver grey color – this is simply due to the effect of the ultra violet rays from the sun and is perfectly natural. The durability of your furniture will not be affected.
You can of course also choose to maintain your teak outdoor furniture with special teak preservative oils that will enhance and protect the look of your furniture and prevent it from turning the silver grey color if you prefer the original look. This need not be a daunting task – all you need to do is buy a good quality teak wood preserver from your DIY store and apply it once or twice each year. It would also be a good idea to take your teak deck furniture inside during the colder and wetter months of the year, or at least cover it over with an all weather cover.
To keep your furniture it top condition, you could use a wood sealer, a preservative oil or even a wood stain to maintain the original color.
A beautiful set of teak outdoor patio furniture will add a touch of class to any garden, and will no doubt be something your neighbors will be very envious of. Whether you’re going for the more modern teak furniture look, or some traditional teak lawn furniture, you can rest assured that the beauty and longevity of teak will be well worth your investment.