Teak Table and chairs have gone bad!


Papa K

Recommended Posts

High folks, I'm a new guy to this forum.  I am probably asking a question that has been asked and answered all ready, please bare with me.

I purchased teak furniture, a table and ten chairs, about 15 years ago.  The furniture is outside on my deck.  When the season is over I cover all the furniture.   I used teak oil every spring.  But the finish has become a dark brown and the table has "stains" on it.  What can I do to bring it back to its golden honey color?

 When it comes to working wood I am trying to work my way up to novice!  I will need step by step hand holding.  I am open to any advice, but I will need a lot of guidance.

 

Thanks

 Papa K

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the teak furniture I have seen requires a light sanding every year prior to oiling to keep the golden color. 

However, I just scanned an article in special edition fine woodworking for outdoor furniture. They weathered boards with different finishes, wood, and locations for one year.  I think they included teak.  At least one specialty finish kept the golden color. Might want to check out that issue 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You would either need to chemically strip or sand the furniture to restore the golden color. My teak grill table sits unprotected year round in the Atlanta sun. It has weathered to a nice silver gray and then not changed past that for 20 years. Restoring the color is only aesthetic otherwise nothing is wrong with the furniture. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can go to a good size boat dealer and pick up some teak wood cleaner to help with the removing the grey color. Also pick up some teak oil while you are there. I use both on the teak wood on my boat and it works great for my application. On my teak swim platform its not the nice original color anymore but it is real close.... If my boat was close I would take a picture but alas  it about 4 hours away from me..........

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Teak wood cleaner only works if there was no film forming finishes used. That's basically one of the chemical stripping possibilities I was referring to. If you follow the directions and scrub like hell with a stiff brush it does a pretty good job. Use gloves.

If Andy/Boatworks chimes in ignore all other advice ( including mine) and listen to him ! The man knows his boat and exterior woods better than anyone else on this forum !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pics would be helpful :D.  But presuming the only finish it has is oil, then most likely you can restore the color using a teak cleaner, followed by a light sanding (120 grit) and re-apply another oil finish.  The cleaner I suggest is this:  

http://www.teakdecking.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82:tds-tcl-200-teak-cleaner-liquid-msds&catid=12&Itemid=139

 

Scrub the surfaces AGAINST the grain, rinse well and it's impressive what this stuff can do!  On a side note, the color this cleaner brings to cherry is beautiful :wub::wub:...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I joined the right forum.  I have been using forums for years, usually computer related, and have never had so many people respond.

Thanks

When I can get somebody to show me how to use the camera I will send a picture.  It will take me awhile to read the responses, but when I do I'll be back with better questions.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! ! !

 

Papa K

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I get ambitious & decide to clean my Ipe deck I just use deck cleaner from HD (can't remember what brand). Spray it on, let it soak, give it a bit of a scrub & then pressure wash it off. That takes off the outer gray fibers & what remains of the oil finish & leaves a fresh Ipe surface.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not up on my teak wood but would be almost sure it cleans like other outdoor woods. Make a solution of TSP and household bleach and a good brush. 

I also think as drzaisu said above, deck cleaner would be my other choice. 

Make sure to test a small area on the bottom of the chair/table first to see results. 

 

-Ace-

  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I missed this earlier.  I don't know if this will do you any good, but here's what I do to clean such teak furniture, teak swim platforms on boats, as well as White Oak swings, White Oak siding on our house and barn, and other such outdoor wood.

I use my pressure washer.  Now, I don't know if any pressure washer will work the same.  My pressure washer is a 4.4 gpm 2500 psi commercial one.  Some places do rent them like this, and in fact, I bought this one from a rental place.  It has interchangeable tips.  The tips go from 40 degrees, down to 0 degrees.  0 degrees can't be used on wood.  The 40 degree tip won't damage any wood.

The 40 degree tip is also the only tip that will suck fluids up through the injection tube.  For this type of job on wood, I use Bleach-just regular Clorox from the grocery store. Other bleaches don't work, or smell, as good.  We also wash painted houses like this.

The wood needs to be dry to start with.  Start at the bottom and go up, flooding the surface with the bleach injected solution.  If you don't start at the bottom, you can get streaks running down that you can't get out later.  Keep going over it a bit with the bleach, and then let it sit for several minutes, but don't let it dry out.

Change to the 30 (or 35 degree tip-whichever it is) and go over the surface, the gray/green/black mildew should roll right off leaving the wood back to its natural color.  No scrubbing required.  On the chairs, lightly sand after it's good and dry, and apply whatever finish you like, or leave it for next time doing this.

If the surface regrows some green algae or black mildew within a year, a second helping of this procedure within the year has always killed it permanently for me.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   4 Members, 0 Anonymous, 50 Guests (See full list)

  • Forum Statistics

    31.2k
    Total Topics
    421.8k
    Total Posts
  • Member Statistics

    23,757
    Total Members
    3,644
    Most Online
    R Parekh
    Newest Member
    R Parekh
    Joined