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If you own a teak dining table consider yourself lucky. Teak is a hardwood prized for its durability even under severe climatic conditions. These qualities make a teak dining table ideal for use outdoors as part of a patio set. A teak dining table will last a long time under extreme natural conditions, and it will stand up well to extreme owner neglect, though we wouldn’t recommend it. This article will show you how to properly give your teak dining table, whether it is an indoor or outdoor table, the little bit of care it needs.
Unfinished teak is a deep gold color though finishes can render teak in colors ranging from blond to chocolate brown. If left outside, your unfinished teak dining table will begin to show a silver gray color after about three months, and it will continue to patina for about six to nine months. Like with leather furniture, this patina is considered attractive and need not be discouraged. Once it has a patina, your teak dining table is easily maintained and needs no particular treatment to maintain its durability and attractiveness. An outdoor teak dining table should be cleaned from time to time, just like an indoor teak dining table, but it also needs a regular deep cleaning. To deep clean the table, you may use either a commercial cleaner designed for cleaning teak or you may use a solution of ammonia and high phosphate detergent (laundry detergent). The commercial cleaners work by stripping off the top layer of the wood, so the home-made solution is gentler and will help preserve the life of your table. A teak dining table need not be oiled unless it has a finish that you wish to protect from weathering; i.e. you don’t want the table to patina. To preserve the table, you must oil it with teak oil. Use a clean, soft-bristled brush and make sure the table is completely dry, otherwise mildew will form under the coat of oil. An oiled teak dining table will attract dirt, so the coat of oil must be sanded off periodically and reapplied. After deep cleaning the teak dining table, apply a coat of sealer before oiling the table (if you will oil it). This will keep mold and bacteria from forming on the wood, which will greatly reduce your deep cleaning cycle. You’ll have to freshen the oil on the usual cycle, but you’ll be able to use less oil and raw wood will not be exposed when you strip off the old oil. If your teak dining table will be used indoors and away from sunlight, the wood will darken into a chocolate brown color over a period of six months to a year. A teak dining table used indoors requires the same care than any other indoor wood dining table does. It must be regularly dusted and should be polished with wax from time to time. Whether it is kept indoors or outdoors, a teak dining table will scratch easily. Though minor scratches on the table surface are easily removed with medium grade sandpaper, it is best to just protect the table to begin with. Be sure to use a table cloth. If kept outdoors, small cracks, known as “checking” may appear on the legs of your teak dining table. This is a natural result of the wood expanding and contracting, and is not considered a defect or a cause for concern. The grain will smooth itself out after initial weathering. A natural, unfinished teak dining table requires no maintenance at all. An indoor dining table requires no more maintenance than any other wood table. If the teak dining table is outdoors, and finished, it only requires periodic cleaning with ammonia and detergent; oiling is not necessary, but can help preserve the finish. Given how durable and maintenance free a teak dining table is, it surely is a piece of furniture that will serve you and your family well for generations.
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Tables