CEDAR FINISHING OPTIONS AND TREATMENTS

Natural Weathering
Because of the inherent nature of Western Red Cedar to withstand insect attack and the outdoor elements, cedar does not require a finish to keep its structure over the years. Many prefer to allow their cedar furniture to "naturally age" outdoors without a stain or finish. Over time, the colorful tones of the wood slowly weather to a handsome silver-gray and the grain of the wood becomes slightly raised. Left completely natural, this silver-gray color will eventually be highlighted by darker streaks formed from the reaction between the Cedar Resin and the zinc hardware. If the dark streaks are not for you we suggest using a simple wood sealer as described below.

Wood Sealer
A good wood sealer, such as Thompson's Wood Sealer, blocks the pores of the wood, inhibiting the grain from becoming raised, yet allowing the wood to fade naturally to a gentle silvery-gray color.

Staining
If you would like to preserve the colorful tones of the freshly sanded cedar, any number of finishes can be used on cedar furniture. The types we have tried and recommend are good quality penetrating sealers and transparent or solid exterior stains. There is a wide variety of colors to choose from which makes it easy to match your existing decor. We recommend two coats of a semi transparent stain with a UV inhibitor such as 'Sikkens Cetol 1' (natural) to preserve the handsome look of your cedar furniture. Every second year you might wish to reapply a coat of stain to freshen the finish. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed when you use a stain. New on the market are wood sealers that contain Ultra Violet inhibitors that can be used to preserve the fresh tones of the wood.

Paint
We do not recommend using paint on your outdoor furniture, as the passage of time will inevitably cause blistering and peeling, requiring periodic scrapings before reapplying. Also, the oils of the wood have a tendency to bleed through the paint.

CARING FOR YOUR TEAK FURNITURE

Fine Sanded
If you buy your furniture fine sanded, it will have only the natural color of the wood coupled with the raw natural texture of the teak grain. The untreated timber is a very pleasant brownish olive color when still fresh. If your furniture is to be used indoors, and away from a lot of natural sunlight, over a period of time -perhaps six months to a year - the wood will gradually become a darker shade of brown.
If, on the other hand, the furniture is left outdoors, the effects of the sun’s rays will 'bleach out' the timber’s natural color, gradually turning it a soft silvery gray color. This natural aging process gives teak Furniture a distinctive and attractive appearance, allowing the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments. Teak furniture left in this state is easily maintained, and needs no treatment whatsoever to give many years of service. This is about as easy as a maintenance schedule as its possible to get!

Teak Oiled
If you buy your furniture already oiled with teak oil, it will have a darker than normal mid brown color and a soft sheen. Teak wood is of itself naturally oily and requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors, and the use of teak oil won't increase the life of the timber. It does change the color somewhat and it can also help a little to prevent stains from seeping into the timber grain. It will also slow down the graying effect caused by ultra violet rays. To maintain its appearance, teak oiled furniture will need to be re-oiled periodically. A basic method for oiling is as follows:
The furniture will need to be cleaned first [see below] Afterwards ensure that it is nice and dry before starting to oil. Attend to any areas requiring sanding before starting work.

You will need some teak oil, a clean 1" or 2" paint brush, some clean cotton rags, good light and plenty of space to work in. It can be a little messy so be sure to dress accordingly and wear gloves to keep the oil off your hands.

Apply the oil with a clean brush, starting from the top and working downwards. The surface should be left wet by the brush, but try to avoid leaving too much surplus oil behind as you work. After a few minutes - maybe 5 - 15 depending on the ambient temperature- the oil will start to become 'tacky'. At this point, the surface of the furniture should be wiped down carefully with a clean cotton rag to remove all surplus oil.

One coat is usually sufficient, but you can apply a second coat after allowing one hour for the first coat to dry. Once the surface is dry to the touch, a second clean rag can be used to buff up the surface. Please be sure to dispose of any used rags and cleaning cloths carefully, and in accordance with the instructions from the oil manufacturer.

Cleaning Teak Furniture
If your Teak furniture requires cleaning this can be done with a normal household bristle brush [not too hard] and some warm mildly soapy water. Wash down afterwards with clean water. There are also proprietary cleaners on the market which can also be used to clean off various deposits and accumulated dirt and stains.
Steel wool or wire brushes should not be used at all, as any residue left in the grain will rust and discolor the wood, and the use of high pressure hoses is not recommended.
If the furniture has some stubborn and heavily ingrained stains these can be removed by sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper, being sure to work only with the direction of the timber grain. After sanding stains away like this, if the furniture was previously teak oiled you may wish to re-oil, or if it had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing silver gray patina.