Refinishing Teak Furniture

Spring is around the corner and it's time to start getting ready for the outdoor fun in the sun.  Take that old Teak furniture you've thought about trashing and let's again make it something beautiful that will have you the talk of the summer parties to come.  You can see in the slide show to the left some before and after pictures of some old Teak furniture I refinished a couple of years ago.  It all still looks today like it did when it was completed...and it's been outside in the North Carolina weather since.

Teak furniture...typically makes you think of patio furniture, or an Oriental style indoor furniture.  To prepare Teak for indoor use requires certain techniques to allow it to accept a fine finish coat.  Teak as outdoor furniture is already prepared for you by nature.  It is naturally very oily wood, which allows for a long life in it's natural state.  However, even though it's more durable than most woods in an outside setting, it still needs some preventative maintenance and has its limits as to what it can take with regards to exposure and abuse in severe weather.  Hot summers, cold winters, they each take their toll on even the  finest crafted Teak furniture.  Some people like the weathered look Teak acquires after being outside for a while.  The almost glistening gray it has.  But...if you're one of those that likes the natural, fresh cut, golden color it has when it's new...I have the solution for you.


Keep in mind, the procedures I'm going to discuss here are for old, to worn outdoor furniture.....Not Antiques.  Antiques are whole other ball game in how they should be handled...they should not be stripped or re-finished.