6 Reasons Why Teak Makes Great Garden Furniture

Have you ever taken a look at your old garden furniture and wondered what on earth has happened to it? After a year or two, it might begin to look shabby and discoloured. It might even be rotten and unsafe to use. This is a common complaint of people who buy garden furniture that is of a poor quality or made from unsuitable wood.

Teak is the perfect choice for producing outdoor furniture, as it holds a number of properties that make it a cut above many alternatives types of wood.

Here are some of the key reasons why teak garden furniture is an ideal option.

1) Weather resistant

Teak contains natural oils which make it able to withstand pretty much anything the weather can throw at it. In particular, these oils mean that teak is water repellent. While other woods would be damaged if exposed to rain and snow over prolonged periods of time, teak is resistant to these effects. As such, teak garden furniture can be left outside all year round without fear of it being damaged.

Hot summer temperatures and exposure to the sun won't damage teak either. Some kinds of wood can become warped when high temperatures are exerted upon them, but teak does not react in this way.

2) Immune from termites

As well as giving it weather resistant properties, the natural oils in teak also mean that it is resistant to damage from termites. These wood eating insects have often been the scourge of wooden garden furniture, but teak's natural resins mean that this problem is not affected by such a problem.

3) Strong and durable

Imposing figures in books, novels and films are often described as 'tough as teak'. This perhaps gives an indication as to just how strong a material teak is. It makes an ideal choice for garden furniture sets because it is able to withstand high pressure and take the weight of both children and adults when used for seating.

4) Easily worked

Despite its strength and toughness, it may be surprising to learn that teak is actually a wood that is easily worked. This means that it is a good material to use in garden furniture. It is close grained, and this means that it is easy to cut joints with teak, and it is also possible to carve intricate and detailed designs into it.

5) Rot resistance

Once again, the natural oils and resins within teak offer further protection. As well as the weather and termites, damage caused by rot, mildew and fungus is also prevented by the presence of the oils. Teak garden furniture is therefore likely to last much longer than sets that are made from other types of wood.

6) Low maintenance

Finally, whilst it is tough, durable and resistant to many damaging elements, teak is actually very low maintenance. Its properties mean that it requires very little care and attention, and this is very convenient in terms of caring for garden furniture. In the event that the furniture does need a little spruce up, a teak renovation system can be used to easily restore the wood to its former glory.