Info For You

Maintaining Your Purchase

Teak Things

Thanks again for your purchase! You probably made your purchase because you were attracted to the natural beauty and durability of teak. (Of course our low price also helped.)

This maintenance guide is divided into four sections, please scroll to the one that applies to you:

•  Your purchase was designed to be used outside…normally with slats.

•   Your purchase was designed to be used inside…normally with no slats.

•   Your purchase was a shower mat.

•   Your purchase was a cutting or charcuterie board

Teak is one of the best woods for outdoor furniture because it’s naturally resistant to water, pests, and rot. However, UV rays, rain, and dirt will eventually wear it down or change its appearance (like turning it gray). If you want to maintain or enhance the look of your teak furniture, here’s how to protect it properly:

✅ Best Ways to Protect Teak Outdoor Furniture

Your furniture has four coats of polyurethane with mold inhibitors on the topside and two coats of a waterproofing wood sealer with mold inhibitors applied to its underside. Over time the topside coating will wear away much faster than the underside coating.

1. Decide on the Look You Want

• Natural Gray Patina (low maintenance): Let it weather naturally.

• Golden Teak Look (high maintenance): Apply teak protectants and cleaners regularly.

2. If You Want the Gray Look (Low Maintenance)

Just let it age naturally:

• Clean it 1–2 times per year with mild soap and water or a teak cleaner.

• Use a soft brush to scrub gently.

• No need to oil or seal — teak will last for decades even if it turns gray.

💡 Don’t use teak oil if you’re going for the silver-gray look — it promotes mold and mildew.

3. If You Want to Maintain the Golden Color (High Maintenance)

Note: If the surface has turned totally gray, visit the page titled “Sealing Grayed Wood”

Here’s what to do:

🧼 Step 1: Clean It

• Use a marine grade teak cleaner or mix mild soap with water.

• Gently scrub with a soft brush to remove dirt, mildew, and stains.

🧴 Step 2: Apply a Teak Protector (NOT teak oil)

• Use a product labeled "teak protector" or "teak sealer" — not teak oil.

• Examples: Golden Care Teak Protector, Star Brite Teak Sealer.

• Apply with a cloth or sponge per instructions.

• Reapply every 6–12 months depending on weather exposure.

🛑 Avoid teak oil — it can make the wood sticky, attract dirt, and promote mildew.

4. Use Furniture Covers

• Use breathable, waterproof covers when not in use.

• Make sure they don’t trap moisture underneath (can cause mildew).

5. Store During Harsh Weather

• If possible, move the furniture to a covered area or indoors during winter or heavy rainy seasons.

Maintaining furniture with a tung oil finish requires periodic care to preserve its natural, hand-rubbed appearance and water resistance. Tung oil penetrates the wood and hardens over time, giving a low-sheen, matte or satin finish — but it does wear down gradually, especially on high-use surfaces.

✅ Best Ways to Protect Teak Indoor Furniture

Your furniture has had four coats of pure tung oil applied to all surface areas.

How to Maintain Tung Oil–Finished Furniture

✅ 1. Regular Cleaning

• Dusting: Use a soft, dry microfiber cloth regularly.

• Light Cleaning:

  • Use a damp cloth with mild soap (like dish soap) and water.

  • Avoid soaking the wood — wring out the cloth well.

  • Dry immediately with a clean towel.

🚫 Avoid: harsh cleaners, ammonia, bleach, or solvents — they can damage the finish.

✅ 2. Reapply Tung Oil Periodically

To keep the wood nourished and protected, you may need to reapply tung oil every 6–12 months, depending on usage and exposure.

🔁 How to Reapply:

1. Clean the surface well and let it dry completely.

2. Lightly sand the surface with very fine (320–400 grit) sandpaper or a synthetic sanding pad (optional but recommended).

3. Wipe off dust with a tack cloth or damp cloth.

4. Apply a thin coat of pure tung oil or a tung oil blend using a lint-free cloth.

5. Let it sit for 15–30 minutes, then wipe off excess oil completely — the surface should feel dry, not tacky.

6. Allow to cure for 24–48 hours before using. For high durability, multiple coats (3–5) can be built up, but with full drying time between each.

🔥 Caution: Oily rags can spontaneously combust. Always dispose of them safely — lay flat to dry or soak in water and store in a sealed metal container.

✅ 3. Prevent Damage

• Use coasters, placemats, and trivets to protect against moisture, heat, and spills.

• Wipe spills immediately to avoid water rings or stains.

• Keep away from direct sunlight to prevent fading and drying out.

✅ 4. Dealing with Wear or Scratches

• Light scratches: Buff out with a soft cloth or reapply tung oil in that spot.

• Deeper marks: Light sanding and reapplication may be needed.

🧽 Summary Maintenance Schedule

Task

Frequency

Dusting / Light Cleaning

Weekly

Deep Cleaning

Monthly or as needed

Reapply Tung Oil

Every 6–12 months

Light Sanding (if needed)

Before re-oiling

❓ Tung Oil vs. Blends

• Preferred Product: Pure tung oil: 100% natural, longer to cure (a week or two), great durability.

• Tung oil blends (e.g., with varnish or mineral spirits): Easier to apply, quicker drying, slightly more sheen.

✅ Best Ways to Protect Teak Shower Mats

Mold, especially black mold, can be hazardous to your health.

Shower mats are particularly vulnerable to mold. Your mat was given five coats of polyurethane with mold inhibitors both on the top and bottom. Even so, over time you may well see signs of mold. It is important to deal with mold as soon as possible to minimize the effort needed to eliminate it. Follow the steps outlined in the section “Best Ways to Maintain Outdoor Furniture” to eliminate and stop the progression of mold on your purchase.

Your mat has rubber feet on it to elevate it from the surface it sits on and virtually eliminate movement. If you move your mat, make sure the feet remain in place when lowering mat to surface.

How to Handle Mold and Mildew

Teak Things

Mold and mildew are terms often used interchangeably, as they refer to similar fungal organisms. For simplicity, I’ll refer to them as mold. Mold includes various fungal species that thrive on surfaces like wood, requiring air, moisture, and organic material to grow. Mold typically appears white or black but can display a range of colors. Green growth is likely algae, not mold. The mold that concerns you grows on wood fibers or even finished surfaces and it thrives in our hot, humid Florida environment.

All surface areas of your purchase have been treated with mold inhibitors. If mold appears on your purchase, it must be removed before applying a new finish. While household bleach is sometimes used to eliminate mold, it should never be applied to your purchase, as it can damage the wood and permanently alter its color.

For ongoing maintenance, periodically wash your purchase with a mild detergent to keep the surface clean and mold-free. If needed, apply a maintenance coat of the original product to replenish water repellents, UV inhibitors, and mildewcides. Regular cleaning and maintenance will protect the wood, enhance your purchase’s appearance, and keep it free of mold.

In shaded, warm, and moist environments, mold can sometimes grow despite mildewcide additives. To address this, thoroughly clean the affected areas and apply a fresh topcoat to restore protection.

All of my exterior stains and topcoats contain mildewcides to prevent mold growth on the finish surface. However, these additives do not prevent mold from growing on the wood substrate beneath the finish. If your purchase’s finish appears dull, grayish, or no longer repels water, it’s time to reapply more of the original topcoat. You should have received a color photo of the product can, indicating the finish applied to your item. Before applying a new stain or primer, thoroughly clean the surface. Mold spots under the finish indicate improper cleaning during preparation. To remove them, strip the finish down to bare wood to access and eliminate the mold.

Your purchase will last many, many years. Teak is renowned for its longevity. Providing routine maintenance will insure it will also remain beautiful.  Some folks like the natural graying patina of teak as it ages.  If this includes you, please read our note on that subject.

Let Your Purchase Age Gracefully

(Sealing Grayed Wood)

Teak Things

Occasionally I get a call from someone whose purchase has developed a gray, aged patina that appeals to them. They typically want to apply some type of clear water repellent to seal and protect it, but they don't want to remove the grayed wood. The gray color is an indication that the surface wood has been oxidized by ultraviolet (UV) light and the wood fibers have lost their integrity. The application of any film-forming finish over grayed wood presents a problem since the finish will not adhere to the degraded wood fibers. It would be like trying to paint over a rusted steel surface. Within a few months the paint begins to peel off and the same thing can happen with a film-forming finish applied over grayed wood.

Therefore, I advise against using stains or topcoats on grey, oxidized wood.  Although there are solvent-based products that can be applied to grayed wood surfaces, they only last about six months or so. If you truly want to protect your purchase, you will have to remove the grayed wood and if you like the gray look use an oil based grey tinted polyurethane similar to the one pictured on the right.

If you are not willing to clean the surface down to bare wood, the best recommendation I can give you is to leave the surface alone but make sure that all joints and other places that may allow water entry are well sealed….use a transparent instant (cyanoacrylate) glue similar to the one pictured on the left.