WaterFilter.com

Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It

Teak furniture is tropical hardwood that has a rich, golden honey color when new. However, as teak begins to age and is exposed to the elements, the natural, beautiful color changes to a silvery gray patina. In fact, this is how you can distinguish finely aged outdoor teak furniture! The key with teak is that if you were to leave this silvery gray color on the teak furniture without being treated, you would never be able to get the lustrous honey, caramel back.

Although the color change does not affect the strength and durability of the piece, it does give your teak furniture a whole new look. Therefore, if you are going to own outdoor (or indoor) teak furniture you first want to decide if you want to maintain the original golden brown color or let your teak furniture acquire a silver gray patina as it weathers.

To extend the beautification of the lustrous honey color, a leading teak manufacturer, Kingsley-Bate, recommends using a teak protector. Their teak protector is a "cosmetic application" and helps the furniture maintain its color for a season. Reapply as needed.

Kingsley-Bate does not recommend using a teak oil on outdoor furniture because of the high maintenance involved in this process. Every three months, teak oil will need to be reapplied to maintain the brown finish. Kingsley-Bate also states "oiling outdoor furniture may cause mildew or irregular coloring."

When left outdoors without a teak protector or teak oil, your furniture will turn silvery-gray. This process takes approximately 9 months and depends on the exposure to certain elements such as rain and sun. If this is look you wish to maintain, the only care needed for your teak furniture is a periodic cleaning.

The recommended cleaning solution is a 75/25 mixture of a mild laundry detergent with bleach in water. Only a soft bristle brush should be used. When your teak furniture is clean, rinse the entire piece well enough to remove any dirt or cleaning solution residue. This process is adequate for general cleaning of your furniture regardless if it is golden brown or has weathered.

Kingsley-Bate offers a product for those who allowed their teak furniture to weather to a silver gray and now want to return it to the original color. Regardless of how long your furniture is outside, Kingsley-Bate's teak cleaner will restore your furniture to the honey brown color. The process is simple and does not require heavy scrubbing.

Some people want to stain or paint their teak furniture. Manufacturers frown upon this as the natural oil occurring in the teak prevents the paint or stain to adhere to the wood. If you absolutely must have your teak furniture painted or stained, you should go to your local marina store and confirm what they recommend to use.

While some people will allow their teak furniture to remain outdoors all year long, there are those that recommend it be brought indoors. However, if you do keep it out, then make sure it does not sit on wet ground and that puddles of water are not allowed to pool on the furniture. But the great thing about teak is that since it is a dense hardwood, it naturally resists warping, shrinkage, swelling, and rot. In addition, it contains a high oil content the continually preserves the wood, which is why you can leave it outdoors without much problem. The smooth finish does not splinter and looks absolutely beautiful.

Teak furniture is luxury outdoor furniture. You want to make certain you take care of your investment properly as this is intended to last for years.

Jennifer Akre, owner of numerous furniture websites, makes it easy to find quality teak furniture by leading manufacturers such as Kingsley-Bate. Learn how to buy and care for your teak furniture by clicking the following link: http://www.MoreThanTeak.com.

MORE ARTICLES:

Former Coffee Shop Owner Seizes Day 25 of PokerListings.com's Live 2008 Series Coverage
He'd courted poker glory before, finding himself the chip leader on Day 4 of the 2006 WSOP* Main Event - the very same event that catapulted Jamie Gold to poker immortality - before a huge hand pushed fate in the other direction. But Day 25 of PokerListings.com's live 2008 World Series of Poker* coverage saw coffee-shop-owner-turned-poker-pro David Woo finally get over the poker hump with his first-ever gold bracelet and a $613,656 payday in Event 39, $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em.

Bemus Bay Condominium Project Gets Final Water Operating Permits
New York State approves final water operating permits for Bemus Bay Condominiums scheduled for occupancy by July 31.

Healthy Hiker Gear Opens New Site & Blog
www.HealthyHikerGear.com opens their new hiking gear web site and companion blog.

Fertilizing Your Water Lilies...
Unfortunately, sunlight is not enough.Your water lilies will grow, thrive, and bloom much better if you get in the habit of fertilizing them regularly.

How Healthy and Safe Is Your Dogs Food?
Content: This article seeks to give you a solid knowledge base regarding the healthiness and safety of yor dog's food, no matter what your previous experiences on the topic.

A Healthy Child And Irritable Bowel Syndrome Relief
There are many conditions and illnesses that can effect the wellbeing of your child and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a particularly difficult one for them to cope with.

Finding the Right Body Detox Product to Make You Clean Inside
Most people do not know that they are exposed to lots and lots of chemicals and deadly toxins everyday. Even if you think that you are observing a healthy lifestyle, you are still susceptible to the numerous toxins that are found everywhere. Toxins can be present in your drinking water, in your food or even in the air that you are breathing. The human body may be able to protect itself from toxins; however, it can not totally protect itself.

Tips for Guaranteed Healthy and Fast Weight Loss
Almost everybody, at some point in their of life, has experienced weight-related problems. Most of us, women and men alike, are not content with what we see. We feel that unless we are wafer thin like the models and celebrities we see on television and magazines, we will never be attractive and beautiful.

3D Modeling for Healthy Forests
Forest Vegetation Simulations for Fire Prevention, Healthy Forest and Saving Lives. Grid Response Research for those things, which affect the flow of life on the Surface of the Planet.

Vines Grille and Wine Bar Makes a Healthy Commitment to its Patrons
Restaurant goers often struggle to find a good balance between healthy and delicious food. Now Orlando area superior cuisine restaurant Vines Grille and Wine Bar is making that decision easier. Vines Grille has created a food menu that makes a commitment not only to the superiority of its food, but also the health of its patrons.

Mix It Up! A Salad Boost Can Keep You Healthy
All the health experts agree that you need to eat lots of vegetables to benefit from a variety of nutrients that your body needs to stay fit and strong. Many people often skip eating vegetables because maybe they don?t like the taste, or just don?t want to bother cooking them.

Customer Service in the Bottled Water Industry
Almost every company discusses, at length, the need for customer service and the significance of supplying true excellence to its customers. However, very few actually follow through with what it takes to attain this excellence. This is particularly true in the bottled water business since not all providers share the opinion that customer service is of the utmost importance in any business. The bottled water industry services a wide customer base with numerous companies and individual clients. The industry is characterized by a small number of very large firms and a substantial number of relatively small consumers with specific geographic niches.

Coffee Mugs For Every Personality
When you love coffee, why settle for a boring coffee cup when you can have it from your own personal mug?

Your Old Cooking Oil Replaces The Need For Gasoline
Imagine a world where your old cooking oil replaces the need for gasoline. Instead of pumping your car at a gas station for $3.30 a gallon, you drive to one of your local restaurants and fill up for pennies. The funny thing is, you don't need to imagine anymore. That's right!!!! No matter how many times you read this, the facts remain the same. Who ever thought cooking oil could be so multi-functional, the same stuff you use to fry your chicken and french fries can be now be used in your gas tank.