Teak Furniture - How To Keep It Looking Good

By Josh Walker

Teak is a beautiful wood, but it will only looks its best if you take good care of it. If you have outdoor furniture or benches made from teak, then you need to make sure you maintain it properly, so that it will continue to look fabulous in your home garden for many years to come. Teak is durable, stable and beautiful, even under extreme climatic conditions. Over time, however, it will start to crack and become damaged unless it's maintained.

Teak benches are finished in a variety of ways, including natural, sealed, oiled and varnished. This is the case whether your teak bench if for indoor or outdoor use. Naturally an interior bench isn't subjected to the weather in the same as outdoor furniture, so will require a lot less maintenance. Even outdoor teak benches don't require a huge amount of effort to keep them in top condition.

If your exterior teak bench is oiled, then you should apply teak oil to it every six months. At the most, once a year. This will keep the wood supple and moist, and prevent it drying out and cracking. If your oiled teak bench is indoors, then keeping it dusted is basically all that's required, although you can apply a coat of oil at any time if you feel it's necessary.

When you oil your bench, make sure the wood is completely dry before you start. If there's moisture in the wood, it can get trapped underneath the oil and develop into mold. Allow plenty of time for you bench to dry - as long as forty-eight hours - if it's been raining. Make sure you get proper teak oil, too, not just a finish. Sometimes it's better to buy it from boat and marine suppliers, as teak is a very popular material on boats. Start at the top of your bench, using a clean cloth or brush, and gradually work your way from the top down. Try and avoid letting any excess oil drip. It takes a couple of minutes for the oil to get tacky, and once that happens, wipe it with a clean cotton cloth to remove any excess oil.

For sealed and varnished teak benches, furniture polish is the way to keep it looking good. If your teak bench is outside, then you may find you need to apply polish as often as once a week if the conditions are severe. Indoor teak furniture only requires dusting and the occasional polish to keep it in top condition.

Teak furniture and benches are a beautiful addition to your home and garden, so take the time to make sure you keep them looking good. It doesn't require much work, and you'll enjoy the results for years to come.

If you want to read more about teak benches, click over to Josh's site at http://www.infoaboutbenches.com/
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