Teak Facts and Finishing Tips

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What is Teak?

• Teak wood is an extremely dense course grained hardwood used for thousands of years for ship building and furniture making.

  Where Does Teak Come From?
  

• Natural Teak Wood is found primarily in India, Burma, Thailand, Indonesia and Java. Tectona grandis is the Latin name for Teak, and Jati is the Indonesian name for Teak.

• Our Teak outdoor furniture including the Teak Steamer Chair, Teak Folding Chair and Teak Patio Table are all made from environmentally friendly Plantation Teak in Jakarta, Indonesia.

  Responsible Forestry
  

• The plantation is regulated by a government agency called Perum Perhutani who set guidelines as to the number and size of trees which can be harvested, as well as the numbers of trees which are replanted to maintain the productivity of the teak forests for future generations.

  Teak Longevity
  

• A common fact about the characteristic of teak is its durability.
• The high level of resinous oil present in the timber helps to act as a natural insect repellent making the wood highly resistant to rot caused by fungal decay or attack by termites and other wood boring insects.
• This attribute allows the wood to last many years without any treatment or finishing.
• Teak has withstood the test of time as demonstrated by the boat building industry, and the common knowledge that many municipal parks and conservatories use teak wood to make their outdoor furniture last.

  Do I Need To Finish Teak Outdoor Furniture?
  

• Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors. Applying oil won't increase the life of the timber.
• When teak furniture is left outdoors, the effects of the suns rays will 'bleach out' the timbers natural color.
• Gradually over time the teak wood will turn a soft silvery grey colour.
• Many consider this distinctive 'bleached' color to be very attractive and allows the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments.
• Teak Patio furniture left in this state is easily maintained, and needs no treatment whatsoever to give many years of service. This is about as easy as a maintenance schedule as you can possibly get!

  Should I Apply Stain or Oil To My Teak Patio Furniture?

• Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors.

• The use of teak oil or other products won't increase the life of the timber.

• However the application of Teak Oil or Tung Oil will deepen the color somewhat and will prevent stains from seeping into the timber grain.

• The application of Teak Oil or Tung Oil will also slow down the graying effect caused by ultra violet rays.

• We found a fine scrub sponge used for cleaning dishes works well to apply a coat of oil to the timber. Simply wipe down with Teak Oil or Tung Oil.

• We discourage the use of varnish or any type of polyurethane finish or sealers as teak is an oily wood and the urethane sealers don’t stick well resulting in the need to refinish the wood in the future.