Top 5 Advantages Of Teak Garden Furniture

As warm weather approaches, you may find yourself searching for garden furniture. What is a backyard barbecue without garden furniture – after all, where would your guests sit? Though there is a wide variety of patio furniture, none is as beautiful as garden furniture made with teak. Why is teak a great material for garden furniture? Well, there are some distinct advantages, such as these:

Advantage #1 – Durable and Strong

Teak has many advantages over other materials used to make patio furniture. The first and most significant advantage is that teak is a strong, durable and beautiful hardwood from India, Thailand or Malaysia. This exotic material was first used in the Middle Ages as a shipbuilding material, so it had to be strong to endure the long voyages at sea.

Advantage #2 – Waterproof

After the ships were decommissioned, the boats made with teak material were still salvageable, since teak did not rot or rust, even when joined with metal. This is one of the reasons that teak is such a great material used to make garden furniture. So, if teak could survive long trips on the harsh ocean, image how well it will stand up in your garden—without rusting or rotting! These waterproofing advantages are what make teak garden furniture an exceptional choice for your garden furniture.

Advantage #3 – Low Maintenance

Garden furniture can be extremely high maintenance. Some materials attract dirt and grime more than other materials however, not teak wood. Teak, on the other hand, is very low maintenance, making teak garden furniture a great buy. If you are looking for a low maintenance material for your garden furniture, teak wood is the way to go.

Advantage #4 – Long-lasting

Since most people can’t afford to buy new garden furniture each year, another distinct advantage of teak garden furniture over garden furniture made from other materials is that it is extremely long-lasting. Teak garden furniture is so strong that it can stand the test of time, making it extremely cost-effective.

Advantage #5 – Stylish

If you’re looking for sleek and stylish garden furniture, look no further than teak garden furniture. To keep teak’s original color, all you have to do is use teak oil annually. Or, if you prefer, allow the color to change naturally over time. With so many finish choices, there is sure to be at least one shade and style to suit your garden furniture needs.

If you’re anxiously awaiting the warm weather season and especially looking forward to purchasing teak garden furniture, don’t forget the advantages that teak has over any other material—you won’t be disappointed. Durable and strong, waterproof, low maintenance, long-lasting and stylish, teak garden furniture should be your first choice when you shop for garden furniture.

by Tom Houser

Why Should You Choose Teak Patio Furniture?

More and more people are beginning to appreciate the beauty of teak patio furniture. This is particularly true for those people who care more about the quality of their wooden patio furniture rather than the quantity of it. Teak is an elegant and long lasting wood which grows mostly in Burma, Indonesia and other exotic locations. Popular belief is that Egypt was one of the first countries to use wood patio furniture. However, over the years the whole world has recognized the beauty and grace of teak patio furniture. The popularity of Teak for wooden patio furniture is based on its resilience, unique grain, and its durability to resist insects and natural decay. Even in an untreated form, the longevity of unfinished teak is impressive, as it can last up to 75 years.

Wooden patio furniture comes in many styles and in various finishes. Nowadays the best outdoor wood patio furniture sets can rival the quality of indoor dining furniture. There are many different types of wood used. As well as Teak, these include Cypress with its unique grain; Cedar which transforms from a red or reddish-brown colour to a silvery-grey appearance; and Knotted Pine which has a natural resistance to the outdoor elements, pests, and decay.

So why are so many people interested in Teak patio furniture? Well, the answer lies in the wood itself. Teak is a very hard wood that has a strong resistance to winds, pests, humidity, and all manner of conditions that a normal wood faces in its lifetime. It is an extremely durable wood that is often used in construction around water, such as decking in marine locations. As a result teak patio furniture can withstand very harsh weather during the winter months and still look fantastic during summer. In fact some people prefer the look of this type of wooden furniture as it gets older, as the wood matures to a beautiful silver-grey colour.

It is important to have a word of caution here. Just because Teak is durable, it doesn't mean you shouldn't care for your wooden patio furniture. Teak does not splinter but it may develop small cracks with time; due to its high content of natural oils. It should be treated if you plan to leave it out in the winter or during bad weather, as its oils do not create a great surface sheen.

As with any form of wooden patio furniture it is a good idea to avoid spilling drinks or other foodstuffs on it. If an accident does happen do not try and clean it with common household detergents. Either just leave the stain to fade over time or sand the area down with high grade sand paper and re-polish it. Remember, you must make sure your Teak patio furniture is clean before re-polishing otherwise you will trap the dirt into the wood.

You will probably pay more for a Teak patio furniture set than for other types of wooden patio furniture and certainly more than for plastic furniture. However, you are buying quality. It is very satisfying to sit outside on a sunny winter's day enjoying your garden in the knowledge that your neighbours have had to pack their garden furniture away for the season.

The final point to note is that after making that investment in elegant Teak patio furniture you should not spoil the effect by finishing it off with cheap accessories. So do not buy cheap cushions or a flimsy umbrella. Cushions should be thick, about for to six inches, and be made from good quality material that enhances the wood. The umbrella should be made from teak and material that complements the cushions. Get these accessories right and your patio furniture will be aesthetically pleasing to both you and your visitors.

By Michael Saville

Teak Makes Patio Furniture Chic

Every year, teak garden benches, patio tables, chairs, dining sets, lounges, sun beds, and planters, are becoming more popular choices for furnishing porches, patios, decks, gazebos, gardens, and backyards. It’s easy to understand this trend, because teak makes the most gorgeous, exquisite outdoor furniture available. However, even though this may seem to be a recent development, our fondness of teak is nothing new.

For centuries, teakwood, which comes from the Tectona Grandis tree, has been prized for its radiant beauty, as well as its ability to endure climatic extremes. Indigenous to Asia, particularly Myanmar, Thailand, and India, it is also grown in Indonesia on plantations that were established by the Dutch in 1816, and are now managed by the government agency, Perum Perhutani. Its strict policies regarding the number and the size of trees that may be cut down, as well as its reforestation practices, help these plantations to produce some of the highest-quality teak in the world.

The rich soil in which it is grown infuses the teakwood with a high concentration of oils and minerals, including silica, that make it waxy and rubbery, thus rendering it naturally waterproof and invulnerable to insect invasion. They also make the straight-grained wood dense and thermally stable, which prevents warping. Usually golden to dark brown, but occasionally having a reddish hue, teak may be treated with an annual coating of oil to preserve its natural tones, or left unfinished, to weather to a silvery gray.

In the 18th century, teak was one of China’s major exports to Europe, where it was used for flooring, cabinets, closets, paneling, roofing, and more. It was also sculpted into art objects, although its abrasive properties could quickly dull a cutting edge, making intricate carving tedious. During the Victorian era, advances in technology made it easier to work with teak, and craftsmen began using it to manufacture ornamental furniture.

Teak has long been a favorite of the ship-building industry. Its natural resistance to salt water and spray keeps it from cracking and checking, while its peerless strength and durability enable it to withstand heavy cargo and foot traffic. While dismantling World War I warships, members of the British Navy noticed that the teak decks were still in pristine condition, and decided to save them. When some of the wood was used to construct garden benches, many of which are still in use, the tradition of making teak outdoor furniture began.

A similar example lies aboard the Charles W. Morgan, a historic wooden whaler that has been harbored at Mystic Seaport, in Connecticut, since 1941. Constructed in 1841, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, its 165-year-old deck, having survived over a dozen long voyages, countless crew members, and tons of whale blubber, bone, and oil, still looks like new.

Unrivaled in beauty, strength, and durability, teak has proven itself, time and again, to be the ultimate hardwood for making outdoor furniture.

By Kathy Moran