Give Your Home and Garden a New Lease of Life

Hello, my name is Iggy and I live in Perth, Australia. Last month, I was out in my garden enjoying the sunshine when I noticed that there was something strange on my roof. I climbed up onto the roof of my home and discovered some damage. While I was up on the roof, I took a long look down at my garden. Seeing it from such a strange angle made me realise how overgrown it looked. The next day I called in some contractors to fix the problems. While they worked, they taught me plenty of cool tips and tricks.

What You Need to Consider When in the Market for Teak Outdoor Furniture

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Teak is very durable and very strong, which is why it's a favorite choice for outdoor furniture. It can withstand the elements without getting soft and chipping or cracking and needs very little maintenance. However, before you buy any teak furniture, you might note a few simple but important considerations. This will ensure you're happy with your purchase for years to come.

Teak does weather and change color

If you've ever noticed a big difference in the color of teak furniture pieces, it may not be that the pieces were painted, stained, or otherwise treated. Teak weathers to a silvery grey or whitish color, and usually this starts to happen within a few months of being outside. Be sure you understand this or have your pieces painted or stained to maintain their current color. If you do want to allow them to weather naturally, buy all your teak pieces at one time so they weather at the same rate, and this will keep you from having mismatched pieces on your patio.

Oiling teak furniture can encourage mold and mildew growth

While oiling your teak furniture can keep it in good condition and protect it from damage and from changing color due to weathering, this oil can also allow and encourage more mold and mildew on the pieces. If you do oil the teak, let it sit in the sun for a day or so, until the oil is fully absorbed and dried. This will reduce the risk of mold and mildew forming along the oiled surfaces and protect your wood from potential discoloration. Note, too, that oiling teak furniture doesn't automatically keep it clean, so you should still clean it with a wood soap or other detergent recommended by your furniture manufacturer as often as they recommend.

Look for sustainable and fair trade pieces

If you're worried about how your furniture choices affect the environment and if those growing and harvesting teak in certain countries are given a fair price for their work and materials, look for sustainable wood and fair trade pieces. Sustainable wood means that it has been grown in forests that are set aside for furniture manufacturing and other such processes and not taken from public forests, the rainforests, and the like. Fair trade means that buyers of the wood pieces belong to certain organizations that assure a fair price is given to local growers and that those growers adhere to certain labor standards for their workers. 

For more information, contact professionals like The Teak Place.

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5 July 2016