How to treat teak garden furniture

One of teak's best features is its ease of maintenance, which makes it the perfect choice for patio furniture. Whether you've already purchased teak outdoor furniture or are looking to invest in your first garden set, we'll help you keep your wood looking its best. In this guide, our experts will show you how to take care of your teak, from how to treat the wood to whether you should stain or varnish your furniture.

Should I treat my teak furniture?

Because teak is naturally oily, it tolerates almost all outdoor weather conditions. One of the main reasons for treating teak garden furniture is to preserve the wood's rich brown color. Over time, teak will naturally age and take on a silvery-grey colour, which is also beautiful but not to everyone's liking.

We do not recommend using teak oil in any form on your outdoor furniture. Applying oil can destroy the naturally occurring protective oils in teak. If you choose to oil your teak, you must do this regularly to prevent the wood from drying out.

What treatments can be used on outdoor teak furniture?

Our experts recommend choosing a water-based treatment solution, e.g. B. a teak protection or a seal. This ensures that the natural oils of the teak are protected and the rich brown color is preserved.

Can I paint my teak furniture?

You can paint teak, but we don't recommend it. Teak's high oil content not only masks the wood's natural beauty, but also makes it difficult to apply paint or other decorative finishes. If you wish to paint your teak furniture, we recommend that you leave new teak garden furniture out to the elements for at least 6 weeks. After this period we recommend preparing the wood with an aluminum oxide primer.

Can I seal teak garden furniture?

It is possible to seal outdoor teak furniture as long as you use a water-based wood sealer. Sealing your teak is a great way to protect it from dirt or spills, especially food and drink! After sealing, you can simply wipe your teak furniture with a damp cloth to clean it.

Can I polish teak furniture?

We do not recommend using polishes, oils or varnishes on teak garden furniture. Not only do these products leave an unnatural layer on the wood, but the high oil content of teak makes it difficult for these products to adhere. Applying products such as polishes can cause chipping or peeling that must be removed by sanding.

At Luxus we want to make sure you get the support you need when choosing the right teak patio furniture for your home. Check out our in-depth teak buying guide for advice from our experts, or check out our teak cleaning guide for more care tips.