How to Protect and Care for Teak Furniture

At the end of July, our new outdoor dining table arrived and wow, it’s gorgeous! It’s really large – it can seat six people – and it’s made out of teak. I’m still waiting on the six teak chairs to arrive because delivery times are bonkers lately, but in the meantime, we are enjoying our new outdoor dining room table.

Here’s a link to the set we got from Yardbird.

When I showed our new teak table on Instagram stories, many of you asked how we were going to protect and care for the teak. To be honest, I hadn’t even thought about it!

With the chaos of the backyard renovation, doing something preventative, like learning how to protect teak furniture, wasn’t even on my mind. So, I immediately dove into research mode to figure out the best way to keep our new teak furniture safe!

Consult Your Manufacturer

Just like with any new furniture, I’d say the first thing you could do is consult your manufacturer. Most will give specific care instructions. I headed to the Yardbird website and found this page chock full of great information for new teak furniture.

Learning About Teak Wood

Learning about how to care for teak furniture

I wanted to go with a teak table because this type of wood is really strong and durable. That means that with the proper care, it should last a very long time. We’ve had trouble with outdoor furniture only lasting a season or two (I’m sure many of you can relate!), and I hope that we’ll have this table for years to come.

Some people have had their teak furniture for decades! Teak weathers well, it’s pest-resistant, and surprisingly thrives with minimal care! It also regulates its temperature; so even in the direct sunlight, the wood won’t get too hot.

Teak starts with a warm golden color, and eventually throughout the aging process, it changes to a silvery gray patina. But, if you use a teak sealer, as I am in today’s post, you can maintain that golden, natural finish. The only downside is that this type of wood comes with a higher price tag. But, we are all about quality over quantity over here, because I don’t want to have to buy a new table year after year! So, that made it well worth it to us.

One more thing to note is that teak oil is different than teak sealer. The teak oil is higher maintenance and requires more frequent applications, but it does bring back the rich colors. However, it does not provide UV protection and with multiple coats, it can lead to product build-up and staining on cushions.

Teak sealer was a better choice for us because we love the color of our table right now, and the sealant will preserve the natural surface oils. Also, we want to protect the wood surface from the direct sunlight and any crazy weather – this is something teak sealer helps with. Is this reminding anyone else of trying to figure out the perfect skincare routine?

How to Protect Teak Outdoor Furniture

Following the table manufacturer’s instructions, I bought this Golden Care Teak Protector. This offers UV protection and prevents the graying of the exterior wood for about one year.

Again, teak sealer will preserve the color of the wood’s surface at the time it’s applied. For our design back here, I prefer the teak’s brown color; so for the best results, I’ll be following these same steps every year!

If you do have teak furniture that has already aged to the gray color, you can use fine-grit sandpaper (320 grit) to lightly sand it and then apply the teak sealer. Then that honey-brown color should come back! Or, you can go ahead and keep that gorgeous gray patina, and just clean your wood with mild soap and water. The gray color doesn’t affect the integrity of the wood at all, and some people prefer it over the golden color. Either way, your table will be a timeless and natural beauty!

Applying the Sealer

Before anything else, it’s a good idea to wipe down and clean teak furniture (really, any new furniture!). You could use the Golden Care Teak Cleaner, or a cleaning solution of white vinegar and water.

After letting the furniture dry completely, I went ahead with the teak sealant and followed the directions on the back of the bottle.

The good news is this sealer is water-based and solvent-free, so it doesn’t come with any nasty fumes. I wore gloves to prevent my hands from getting stained. I went with the color “honey brown”, because it looked most similar to the color of our table, but they have more colors to choose from.

For my first application, I simply applied some of the sealer to a lint-free, dry rag and started applying in the direction of the grain of the wood. You may want to start by testing it on an inconspicuous area of the wood’s surface – I applied it on one of the legs – just to make sure you like the color before you commit!

It took me about twenty minutes to cover the entire table and by the end, my soft cloth was full of the sealer. Just keep applying it as you go!

I then waited thirty minutes and applied one more coat. That’s it!

I didn’t have to do anything else but apply the sealer twice. It was super easy to use, and a pretty straightforward, normal process. I could also tell where I had applied the teak sealant because the color was richer and darker in those areas (just like your trusty self-tanner!). There’s a lot to be said about the similarities between self-care and teak care!

I plan to reapply this sealer every spring when we get the patio furniture out.

Our Winter Gameplan

In order to keep all of our outdoor furniture looking good for years to come, we feel like it’s a good idea to store it all away during those really cold Chicago months – December, January, February. Ice and snow can be pretty harsh, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

The legs of the table can be removed, so we’ll plan to take the legs off and store the table upright in our garage. That way, it won’t take up much space at all! Yardbird also recommends cleaning the furniture with mild soap and water before storing it away for the season.

Table // Umbrella // Umbrella Stand // Planters // String Lights Installation

Overall, I’m thrilled with our new, teak patio furniture, and this table has already got me thinking about how we’re going to use our newly designed outdoor space. I feel like I’ve found the right products, and I’m glad we have a plan to keep up with the proper care (I’m so here for a low-maintenance routine).

Fingers crossed those chairs arrive soon, so I can protect them too. Maybe then we can stop sitting on folding chairs out here…

Casey