Teak Patio Furniture Use And Care
by: Kathryn Whittaker
When the weather gets colder, many homeowners face a dilemma: to keep their patio furniture outside, with proper weatherproofing, or take it inside and try to accommodate in a basement or garage. But with teak patio furniture, you will no longer want to stash the patio set in the basement. Instead, you will want to flaunt it all year long.
Teak patio furniture is becoming more popular each day, with more designers exploring the timeless charm of teak wood. This wood, which grows in Burma, Indonesia and other exotic locations, is extremely durable, light and convenient, and it ages with a stunning grace.
According to historians, woven wicker furniture was first used in ancient Egypt. But since that time teak has become a favorite of garden furniture manufacturers only in the beginning of the 20th century, when white garden furniture has been labeled as boring and the prominent garden decorator Gertrude Jekyll claimed that gray- or green-toned garden furniture is more attractive. Since teak weathers to a beautiful silvery gray, it has soon become a popular wood of choice for many garden and patio furniture manufacturers.
Teak is one of the most valuable woods today. Teak wood grows in severe climatic conditions in Burma and Indonesia. Teak is a very hard wood resistant to wind, pests, sun, and humidity. In addition, teak does not splinter. For centuries, teak was used in marine building, which means that teak patio furniture can be easily left outside even in harsh climate conditions.
One of the most remarkable features of teak wood is its ability to change color with age. When new, its color varies from light to dark brown and over years becomes a light silver gray. The first ?gray hair? in teak furniture will be noticeable after three to four months of use, depending on how contrasting the climate conditions are in your area. For example, if you have cold nights and hot sunny days, teak patio furniture will turn to gray faster. Natural teak will become gray in about a year.
To preserve this beautiful taupe shade of gray, you can wash the teak patio furniture every spring with mild detergent and water. To prevent dust accumulation you may wash the furniture with your regular garden hose, keeping the water pressure at low.
Even though teak wood does not splinter, it may develop small cracks with time. Teak wood contains a high amount of natural wood oils, so it will not develop deep structural cracks. There is no need to treat teak wood with any kind of wood sprays or oils to protect it; however, the teak wood oil does create a pretty surface sheen. You may apply oil when you plan to leave the teak furniture outside for a long period of time, or when the wood starts to show gray.
Since in most cases teak wood is left untreated when used for teak patio furniture, you should avoid spilling food or drinks on the wood surface. If you do happen to ?leave your mark?, don?t use any harsh detergents to remove it. Any marks will eventually fade with time. When the stain is noticeable, you may scrub the area with mild sandpaper. Ultra-violet rays also damage the sheen of the teak furniture, and an annual treatment with properly labeled teak wood oil is recommended. Make sure that your teak wood furniture is clean and dry before treating, because you don?t want to trap any water under the coat of oil.
About The Author
Kathryn Whittaker writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Teak Patio Furniture please visit http://www.teak-wood-furniture.org/teak-garden-furniture.html/ and for additional Teak Wood articles please visit the following article page http://www.teak-wood-furniture.org/teakfurniture-articles/.
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Update your Furniture with new Fabrics
Update your Furniture with new Fabrics
by: Angela Oliver
If your furniture is starting to look old and dingy, perhaps it?s time to try giving it a makeover with some new upholstery fabric. Overtime, fabric can start to fade or get damaged. Instead of buying all new furniture, reupholstering furniture can save time and lots of money. Whether for indoor or outdoor patio furniture, there are many options to make your furniture new and beautiful again.
Outdoor patio furniture upholstery fabrics have come a long way. They are now made with UV blockers that help keep out the suns rays and greatly reduce fading. The materials used are also naturally stain resistant. Another great thing about patio fabrics is they do not promote the growth of mold and mildew, an often common problem with outdoor patio furniture fabrics. Simple cleaning with soap and water will keep outdoor patio furniture fabric clean.
Indoor furniture has a great range of fabrics...
Update your Furniture with new Fabrics
Bedroom furniture > Update your Furniture with new Fabrics
Decorating your Workplace with Tropical Office Furniture
Decorating your Workplace with Tropical Office Furniture
by: Lee Rubenstein
If you love the tang of salt in the air, the soft whisper of nearby waves, and the crunch of sand between your toes, what better way could there be to create a workspace that you truly enjoy using than by decorating with tropical office furniture.
Tropical surroundings inspire creativity and create a relaxed and productive atmosphere for your home office or place of business.
Innovative pieces of office furniture ?tropical? - such as lovely computer armoires and printer cabinets - give your workplace an elegant look with the practical benefit of helping you to keep organized.
Here is a guide to choosing Hawaiian computer armoires, Bali file cabinets, and other types of office furniture, tropical style.
Materials Used in Office Furniture - Tropical Vegetation and Construction Techniques
Three terms used to describe materials that are commonly...
Decorating your Workplace with Tropical Office Furniture
Bedroom furniture > Decorating your Workplace with Tropical Office Furniture
Should I Finish My Log Furniture?
Should I Finish My Log Furniture?
by: Mike Messer
The natural look of log furniture is one of the reasons it is becoming a more popular home d?cor not only for the log home market, but other home styles as well. We are frequently asked this question. I want to keep my log furniture looking as natural as possible, should I have it finished? The answer to this is in our opinion is yes. Finishing can change the appearance somewhat depending on the type of wood or finish, but the rewards are well worth it in the long run.
The oils in our hands are easily absorbed by unfinished wood. Of course our hands are never perfectly clean and the dirt is also absorbed right into the wood with the oil leaving soiled areas where your hands frequently touch the furniture. On a bed this is usually either the headboard or the footboard. On dressers, of course the drawer pulls and the edge around the top gets the most handling. If an item is finished, washing is easy....
Should I Finish My Log Furniture?
Bedroom furniture > Should I Finish My Log Furniture?
When Is It Time to Buy New Furniture
When Is It Time to Buy New Furniture
by: Bob Benson
When is it time to buy new furniture? Take a look around your house and ask yourself these questions:
1. Are your sofa or chair cushions showing signs of wear? If it?s leather, maybe the seat cushions are discolored, lighter in the seat area than the rest of the sofa or chair. If it?s fabric, see if the upholstery threads are pulling apart or discolored. If your furniture is showing signs of wearing, it?s time to consider new furniture or at least slip covering options.
2. Are there holes in your furniture? You might be able to stitch or patch the holes if the rest of the piece is structurally sound. Otherwise, start thinking about new furniture.
3. When you rise from the seat, does the cushion remain sunken? Check the springs to see if that?s the problem. If a broken or stretched spring is the culprit, the problem can probably be repaired, maybe even by yourself if you happen to...
When Is It Time to Buy New Furniture
Bedroom furniture > When Is It Time to Buy New Furniture
Mothers Share Buying Habits of Childrens Bedroom Furniture
Mothers Share Buying Habits of Childrens Bedroom Furniture
by: Teresa Schahczinski
Just two months ago, a group of mothers from three generations (Gen Y, Gen X and Baby Boomer demographics) shared their buying habits with retailers and manufacturers on purchasing childrens bedroom furniture and baby products. This occurred at the fifth annual Kids Today conference in Bonita Springs Florida.
Author and entrepreneur Maria Bailey, an executive in the fields of publishing, marketing, and business development, was the keynote speaker at the conference and a moderator for the panel. Maria Bailey has worked for numerous companies, including Automation USA, AutoNation, Discovery Zone, The Miami Herald, Broward Community College, and McDonald's. Her experience as an executive and the mother of four young children led her to specialize in assisting mothers in balancing their home and work lives. Bailey explained the importance of marketing to mothers...
Mothers Share Buying Habits of Childrens Bedroom Furniture
Bedroom furniture > Mothers Share Buying Habits of Childrens Bedroom Furniture
Restaurant Furniture In Your Home
Restaurant Furniture In Your Home
by: Bob Benson
There?s a certain degree of nostalgia associated with booths from old diners and tables from old soda shops. They just give the aura of ?good old days.? If you dare to be different, you can bring those good old days back and incorporate them into your home d?cor by using restaurant furniture in your home.
Think how much fun it would be to have breakfast at a diner every morning. It can happen if you put a booth in your breakfast nook or dining area. Every lunch or dinner would be like a blue plate special! Or, treat your kids and their friends to banana splits and milk shakes at tables reminiscent of an old soda shop.
So you?re willing ? but how do you go about finding such treasures? You could pay someone to custom design them for you. But where?s the fun in that? You could use an on line search in your quest by using key words like ?used restaurant furniture? or ?restaurant furniture....
Restaurant Furniture In Your Home
Bedroom furniture > Restaurant Furniture In Your Home