Caring For Your Teak
“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark and coat it with pitch inside and out.” Genesis 6:14 ESV
Teak is an incredibly old species of wood. In fact, the first mention of it is in the book of Genesis. Gopher wood and teak wood are the same species, just called by different names in different parts of the world.
Why was it the wood of choice? More than likely because it was the wood that could withstand the impending flood. And it still can. How many boats, ski decks, or deck chairs on a cruise line are made of teak? A lot!
It is very user and maintenance-friendly, and it can be placed both outside and inside.
As long as you follow these guidelines, your teak could last…well, forever!
The Basics of Caring for Your Teak
Direct Sunlight
IF teak is kept in direct sunlight, it WILL eventually get a silvery patina. How long this will take is based on how intense the sun is, and where the teak is placed. If it’s outside but under a cover, it will likely not get this patina.
How To Handle Teak Patina
So what do you do if your teak starts getting the patina? Since this patina is topical, it can be pressure-washed and it will come off. If the patina stays on for a long time, it may continue to get darker. If the pressure washing isn’t successful in removing all the patina, you can use sandpaper to take off the rest. At the point that the silvering has been removed, you can leave it alone OR you can put Teak oil on it. REMEMBER the silver patina isn’t changing the integrity of the teak. It’s simply changing the color. If you like it, leave it. If you don’t, then pressure-wash it and apply teak oil. DO NOT USE ANY OTHER OIL BUT TEAK OIL. We also don’t recommend putting polyurethane on teak that will be placed in the sun. It can yellow and peel.
Cleaning and Caring for Teak Indoors
If you keep your teak inside, you will have very little care. If there is teak oil on your piece, just use a damp cloth. Use NO FURNITURE POLISH! You can disinfect your dining table, bistro bar or anything involving eating/drinking by using a Clorox/Lysol wipe or Windex. If your piece is a bowl, platter, a bread tray, etc. and it is natural, just clean it with a warm, soapy cloth. Then dry it and if it will be used for serving food, then wipe in a little bit of food-grade oil, like olive oil or mineral oil.
Pests and Weather
Teak has no fiber in it, so bugs and termites aren’t attracted to it. It’s also water proof and weather proof. And it’s stunningly beautiful- we call it the Rolls Royce of wood!