Many consumers take the “no” maintenance stance when purchasing teak patio furniture, and as described in previous articles, if teak is properly dried and constructed, the high levels of natural rubber and silica that found in grade A teak allow patio furniture to sit outdoors all year round without twisting or moving. Over time, your teak patio furniture will turn an elegant silver, with a bit of dirt from the environment, possibly also moss and lichen.
Why does untreated teak turn silver?
Your natural way of protecting yourself. When untreated teak garden furniture is exposed to the weather, it oxidizes and forms a layer to protect itself. This is purely cosmetic and has no long term structural damage, in fact boats and houses are still made in Indonesia from teak wood. This silver layer can be lightly sanded away to reveal the bare, unprotected teak wood beneath.
To prevent your furniture from turning silver, you can use furniture covers, cleaners, oils, and sealants.
Why has my furniture turned black?
The most likely cause of teak patio furniture turning black is applying teak oil to aged silver wood. Oils should only be applied to new or bare wood. If you have been treating your furniture, apply an additional coat directly to damp or dirty teak, it may turn black. In these cases you will need to restore the teak to bare wood before re-oiling or alternatively let your garden furniture weather naturally and over time it will turn silver.
Why has my furniture turned green?
When teak patio furniture is left in cool, damp conditions for an extended period of time, algae will naturally grow. Warm soapy water and a nylon scrub brush are the perfect antidote and will remove the vast majority of algae.
Why does my furniture have black spots?
Cheaper teak that has not been properly dried can suffer from sap wicking through the wood. This can rise to the surface creating small black dots. Another condition that can lead to black spots on tables is corrosion of the steel screws used in the construction process. Sometimes cheap quality screws will corrode when wet and lead to black spots. These, over time, will fade naturally.