Restoring Teak

How do I Clean and Restore my Teak Garden Furniture back to its original showroom condition?! This guide offers advice for Sanding Teak, Jet Washing Teak and Sealing Teak.

So you have left your furniture outside for a few seasons and it just doesn't look like it did when you bought it. The following information should help you.

Jet Washing

By far the simplest and quickest way of cleaning off general dirt, moss and algae is to use a Jet Washer. There are varying powers of Jet Washers so ensure you stand back and test a small area first. As you work your way over a piece of furniture you will see the dirt lift and what appears to be the silver lifting off too. Alas, the silver will return when the timber dries but a few shades paler. Due to the vigorous nature of the jet washer, the grain will lift slightly but over a period of time it will settle again. If this bothers you then you can apply a fine sand paper to even off the grain.

Chemical Cleaning

Using a chemical cleaner can give great results but requires greater physical input. There are many on the market to choose from and we recommend Teak Magic, a 2 part cleaner. Dilute the Cleaner with water 5:1 and apply generously with a brush or scouring pad. Allow the wood to turn dark brown and then hose off. Then dilute the Restorer with water 5:1 and apply with a brush or scouring pad. Wait until original colour has returned, and then hose off. If you are restoring weathered teak more that a few years old, and you wish to apply treatment, we advise lightly sanding the furniture afterwards.

Sanding

Good old fashioned sanding! Despite its name, sandpaper is not made of sand. Sandpaper is actually a sheet of abrasive material glued to a piece of paper. The grit of the sandpaper, the weight of its paper backing, and the type of abrasive material affects how sandpaper works. Sandpaper works by using abrasive particles to remove the surface of materials, usually wood. Applying pressure to a piece of sandpaper either directly with your hand or with a sanding block and moving it over a surface causes the particles to act like the teeth of a saw, cutting off bits of the material. The 'sharpness' of the sandpaper is determined by its grit. Grit is the number of abrasive particles on an inch of sandpaper. A piece of sandpaper with a high grit gives a smoother finish. A piece of sandpaper with a low grit gives a rougher finish.

Using a palm sander and a medium coarse paper(160), work your way around the furniture. You will find that the natural oils present in the Teak will clog up the paper so regular changes will be necessary. For a fine finish, sand over with a fine paper (240).

Teak Restorers

In a situation where you are unable to bring back the Teak to its bare timber or you are trying to restore very old Teak, you can use a Teak Restorer. It is an oil based mirco-porous system designed to allow timber to breathe and at the same time enhance its colour and protect against weathering.

In simple terms, you can Jet Wash your furniture clean and then apply a Teak Restorer over the pale white timber. The restorer has a permanent Teak colour agent that penetrates the timber leaving it slightly orange. This treatment will last approximately one year.

Teak Sealers

Once you have restored your Teak you will be able to apply Oils and Sealers.

Tip - Now you have restored your Teak Furniture, to prevent it from ageing we recommend that you buy a high quality Breathable Cover for your furniture and always cover your furniture when you are not using it.