As all natural material, wood is a perfect choice for garden furniture. It blends perfectly with the natural surroundings and makes your outdoor living area appear as an extension rather than addition to your home. But there is one problem.
Most types of wood cannot withstand the exposure to the outdoor extremes ranging from rapid temperature changes, rain, heat, frost, snow, UV light, termites, etc.
Various protective coatings and additional protective measures such as garden furniture covers for instance help extend durability of wooden garden furniture.
But even then, durability of outdoor wooden furniture cannot compare to durability of that kept indoors with the exception of one – teak garden furniture.
Teak is a tropical hardwood species which, unlike other types of wood, is not vulnerable to the effects of the outdoor elements. It is high in natural oils which literally make it outdoor-proof.
It cannot be affected by the weather elements including high humidity levels and rain, does not crack or twist if exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time and cannot get infested by wood-eating insects as its natural oils also repel insects
Teak garden furniture can be left outdoors all year round without any protective treatments and it will not rot, get affected by mould or decay. This is the main reason teak is used for the majority of public park benches across England, Scotland and Wales.
While the traditional oak garden furniture lasts about two to three decades if cared for properly and above all, if it is properly protected against the weather elements, teak can easily last a lifetime. And all you need to do to keep it looking beautiful is to occasionally clean it with mild soapy water.
Outstanding properties and a unique golden brown colour which eventually turns into silvery grey (a completely harmless change which is a result of the so-called weathering) have made teak the most desirable type of wood for outdoor uses.
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Unfortunately, it is scarce due to the over-exploitation in the late 20th century and as a result, it is considerably more expensive than the traditional wooden garden furniture. But since it can easily last an entire lifetime, the investment in fine teak garden furniture pays off in the long term.
Please keep in mind that teak is available in three grades – A, B and C. Why is this important? Because only grade A teak has the above described qualities.
Garden furniture which is made from grade B or C teak is considerably cheaper, however, it is made from outer section of heartwood or sapwood which contain only traces of teak natural oils.
In contrary to grade A teak which does not need any protective treatments in the form of varnishing or oiling to withstand the outdoor elements, grade B or C teak do not last a single season without protective treatments.