Introduction

In recent years, wooden material has become a popular choice for outdoor furniture, with materials like traditional wood, plastic lumber, WPCs, and teak wood standing out for their natural beauty and compatibility with outdoor environments.

Among these materials, teak wood is particularly famous for its exceptional qualities, such as high durability, strength, and resistance to weather, rot, and pests. Its natural oils within the material provide water resistance, making it an ideal choice for both indoor and outdoor furniture.

With a sense of elegance, durability, and sophistication, teak wood can easily elevate any outdoor space with a touch of luxury and style. Whether you are looking to enhance your garden, patio, or balcony, teak wood offers a timeless aesthetic that blends seamlessly with nature. In this blog, we will briefly introduce teak wood to you, including its various types and different maintenance methods. If you are thinking about buying teak wood for your outdoor furniture manufacturing, this article will help you gain more useful knowledge!

A Brief Introduction to Elegant Teak Wood

Teak wood is a premium hardwood that is native to Southeast Asia, known for its exceptional durability, natural beauty and rich colour. It is highly valued for its resistance to water, rot, and pests, making it an ideal choice for outdoor furniture. Its natural oils give it a unique, leather-like fragrance when freshly cut, which makes it more charming for most wood lovers. When teak is placed outside over time, it will develop a beautiful silver-grey patina, which will enhance its rustic elegance. The wood’s strength and ability to withstand harsh weather conditions without deteriorating make it a long-lasting and sustainable material for both outdoor and indoor use.

Why Does Teak Need Regular Cleaning and Maintenance?

Unlike other synthetic outdoor furniture materials like plastic lumber, teak requires regular care to preserve its natural beauty. While plastic wood, made from PE plastic, is resistant to colour fading, teak is a natural material that will undergo aging when it is exposed to outdoor conditions for extended periods. Elements such as strong sunlight and high humidity can alter its appearance over time. After the natural ageing, the brown and rich colour of the teak will fade and gently turn into a silver-grey tone. If you prefer to maintain its rich, golden-brown colour rather than the natural silver-grey patina, regular cleaning and maintenance are essential to protect its original look.

How to Clean and Maintain Your Outdoor Teak Furniture?

Next, I will briefly introduce 6 different methods to you regarding how to clean and maintain the teak wood furniture. You can choose the maintenance method that is suitable for you!

Oiling the surface: If you want to avoid the natural weathering of teak, you can apply some teak maintenance oils to protect the surface. In this case, finishing agents such as linseed oil or tung oil are recommended. Since these oils are natural, they can penetrate the wood’s surface and form a protective layer for the teak. Therefore, they can help prevent moisture from entering the material and help block UV rays. Furthermore, these oils can also nourish the teak wood to enhance its natural colour and grain.

Sealing the teak furniture: Teak sealer is different from teak oil. To seal teak wood furniture, you should use a penetrating sealer rather than an oil since it seals existing oils in the wood. This prevents contaminants and moisture from entering, maintaining the furniture’s appearance and health. Most teak sealers require just one application per year for effective protection. When selecting a suitable sealer, you should choose the one that can fully penetrate the teak without forming a coating, ensuring the teak’s colour and shine are preserved.

Sandpaper: Before using sandpaper to clean teak furniture, ensure your furniture is completely dry, as teak wood has a dense grain and takes longer to dry. To remove the weathering grey surface colour, you should use 120-grit sandpaper to sand the surface along the wood grain direction. Be sure to protect yourself since teak dust can cause skin irritation. Once you have sanded the entire teak piece, you should switch to 220-grit sandpaper to smooth out the rough textures, ensuring the teak is in perfect condition.

Properly store the teak furniture: Properly storing teak furniture is a simple yet effective way to protect it. When you anticipate harsh weather for the upcoming future or you do not plan to use your teak furniture for an extended period, you can move or store it in a suitable space. The storage area should be dry, cool, and away from extreme temperatures. Additionally, ensure the furniture is stored properly to prevent warping or cracking. Since teak furniture is valuable and expensive, taking these precautions can effectively help maintain its beauty and longevity.

Protective cover: Using a protective cover for your teak wood furniture is a convenient and cost-effective way to keep it beautiful. With this method, you can simply purchase a high-quality cover and drape it over your teak products whenever needed. This method saves you from having to find a storage space. And you do not need to move the furniture around. Protective covers are readily available online, with many high-quality options to choose from. They provide an easy solution to shield your teak furniture from weather damage, ensuring it stays in excellent condition.

Regular inspection and repair: Despite there are several effective methods provided to protect your teak wood furniture, I still recommend conducting regular inspections of your furniture. Since the above protection measures may not always be 100% effective, periodic checks can help you discover any damage or natural ageing early, allowing for timely maintenance or repairs. If you notice some significant damage that you cannot handle, it is better to contact a professional to help you.

Different Types of Teak Wood

Teak wood normally comes in a variety of types, and here I will briefly introduce some of the most common types to you. Teak wood is classified based on its quality grade and origin. When it comes to the quality grade, there are three main types of teak: Grade A, Grade B, and Grade C.

Based on Grade:

Grade A teak is of the highest quality and is sourced from the heartwood of fully matured and ancient teak trees. This type of teak is extremely durable, with high natural oil content and a golden-brown colour. It is the most expensive variety and is typically used for high-end furniture making.

Grade B teak is usually harvested from the outer wood or the area close to the heartwood. It has a lighter colour and lower natural oil content, making it slightly less durable than Grade A teak. However, it is a more budget-friendly option for furniture projects and is a cost-effective choice.

Grade C teak is of the lowest quality, with no natural oils and poor durability. It is sourced from the outer layers of the teak tree and is very brittle, and prone to damage. This is the cheapest teak type and is normally used for low-budget furniture projects.

Based on Origins:

If teak is classified based on the origin, teak wood comes in various types, with the most famous being Burmese and Indian teak.

Burmese teak is known as the most expensive and popular teak in the world. It is sourced from Myanmar and is typically from trees that are around 50 years old. This type of teak contains a high amount of natural oils. It is in golden-brown colour with straight grains and an even texture.

Indian teak, on the other hand, is grown in India and is renowned for its long lifespan, high quality, strength, and durability. It is also in a golden-brown colour and is expensive as well. If you would like to know more types of teak wood, click here to learn more.

FSC Certificate of Outdoor Teak Furniture

If you are a big fans of teak wood, you might be familiar with the FSC certificate.
Although teak wood is sourced from nature, it can still be sustainable if harvested responsibly. For this reason, many people seek teak materials or furniture that carry the FSC certification. FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council. Products with FSC certification ensure that the teak comes from responsibly managed forests that meet sustainability standards without harming the environment. Choosing FSC-certified teak guarantees that the wood has been sourced in a way that supports both ecological balance and long-term forest health.

Conclusion

After reading this article, I believe that you have already learned more knowledge about natural teak wood material. If you are looking for ways to protect and maintain your teak furniture, this blog will help a lot! As a leading outdoor furniture materials supplier with decades of experience, Leisure Touch Rattan’s professional and sophisticated knowledge will provide you with deeper insights into different outdoor materials such as plastic lumber, plastic rattan and so on. If you would like to know more about industrial trends, click our blog page or contact us for more information!