Keeping your beautiful outdoor teak furniture in the best possible condition is something we all love to do, but there can be times when the teak may start to look dark or even black. In this latest blog from us here at Ottena, we will take a look at why this might occur and what can be done to help to prevent the onset of these unsightly black or dark markings on your teak garden furniture.
There are predominantly 3 different ways that black stains and marks can appear on your teak garden furniture. There are others, but we will concentrate on these 3 as they are the most common causes in our experience.
One of the main causes of black marks can be excessive moisture. Now I understand that your teak garden furniture is going to be outside and that the lovely UK climate will certainly dump its fair share of rain on to it, but there are things you can do to help limit the exposure to excessive moisture.
Using a furniture cover can be a great help, but always ensure the cover you obtain is of good quality and is, without doubt, breathable. A cover that is too tight around your furniture will just help to hold moisture close to the timber giving the mould/mildew the best chance to materialise and cause those unsightly black marks.
Outdoor furniture that is constantly left damp can also be another factor. I appreciate this is not easy to do but it is worth ensuring that moisture and water does not sit on your furniture for excessive amounts of time. Wiping any excess away and allowing to dry naturally will help to limit these black marks that can occur. You should also avoid your teak garden chair or teak dining table standing in puddles of water, as this can track up the legs. It is also worth bearing in mind that through the autumn and winter months, when all of the leaves are blowing off the trees, make sure they do not stack up around your furniture as this will act as a moisture trap.
Dirt build-up can also encourage these black marks to develop. As dirt, pollution and moisture mixes, it can start to make your teak patio furniture look dark. If you can, ensure you clean your teak patio set with a suitable teak cleaner or a mild soap solution before allowing it to dry naturally. This will help to limit the onset of any black or dark marks.
We all like to help protect our teak garden furniture, but applying products such as teak oil without taking a few steps before hand to prepare your furniture can increase the likelihood of black marks appearing. Applying teak oil too often, applying onto dirt/grime or not allowing for the teak to be thoroughly dry before application are all ways to trap in dirt and mildew and start to cause the black discolouration. If you get a sticky and uneven finish or dark blotchy areas appearing, this is usually a sign that of the above has occurred. You may need to lightly sand the surface of the wood back or apply a suitable teak cleaner before you can then go about applying your teak oil.
In its defence, teak is a quite fantastic timber. It already has its own inbuilt protection from a naturally high oil content. Many of our customers prefer to do nothing at all and simply allow their teak garden furniture to weather in to that classic silvery grey patina. Treatment is not essential. You can do plenty of things to help extend the life of your teak garden furniture, but you must ensure that a few simple steps are taken to ensure correct application.
If you have any questions or queries about this subject or any of our solid teak garden furniture, then please drop us an email to [email protected] and we will be more than happy to help.
