Bringing Teak Outdoor Furniture Back from the Brink Back in 2003 as first time homeowners, we were excited for spring as it meant we'd be able to use our very own backyard space. After extensive research and flexing our well honed bargain shopping muscles, we found a set of solid teak furniture for a steal at our local Crate & Barrel outlet. After deciding on the new purchase, we stuck the chairs in the small trunk of our Ford Mustang, drove them home, then walked the ten or so blocks back up to get the table. Too large to fit in our car, and without ZipCar or friends that had a truck or SUV, we carried the large and awkward table back to our house (after taking several rest breaks along the way). There's no way we were going to pay for shipping for such a short distance. Wendy excitedly assembled the table in our backyard, carefully making sure to use the right screws and parts. Wow, it's amazing how new everything looks. We had our yard set up in no time, and we've enjoyed this furniture for more than ten years since that day.
Over the years we've applied various oils to the surface, quenching the thirsty wood. At one point we switched over to a teak protector that Smith & Hawken offered. While it seemed to work well at first, I feel like it's slowly stripped some of that great teak character from the wood. Instead it created a bit of a barrier to the wood, which seemed to keep moisture out, but also let the wood slowly dry from within. Though we previously disassembled and stored the furniture each winter, the last two years we've been a bit more lax with the care of our teak furniture and failed to take it inside. This left it open to the elements, weathering and beginning to crack. We felt the table and chairs had a good run, and maybe it was time to retire it? Last weekend, with the looming baby shower, Wendy said, "That table is not acceptable. We've got to do something with it." Presented with the challenge, I decided another coat of the protector we had used in the past was not in order.
Instead, I felt we could restore the wood of the tabletop to something a whole lot nicer. Something a whole lot more natural. Something more fitting of the sophisticated event we planned to throw in under 24 hours when I began this undertaking. I ventured into our basement and discovered a bottle of teak cleaner that we purchased from Smith & Hawken as a companion to the protector we'd been using. I also found a partial can of teak oil, which is exactly what we'd ultimately need. Starting with our gray and cracking table I followed the instructions on the cleaner and soaked the table with the hose sprayer. Using a sock as a rag, I began applying the cleaner, which claimed to bring back the original luster of the teak. As you can see, the product sort of sudsed up and created a bit of a lather. The areas that were gray immediately turned the more typical rich teak color, while the areas that still had a layer of the substance we used got sort of orange and splotchy.
I can't say for certain how well the cleaner actually worked versus not using anything other than a lot of scrubbing. Ultimately I didn't try an area without the cleaner as a control, but it did seem to loosen up the flaking table top. At first it didn't seem to be doing anything, but one of the directions instructed me to use the included scrubbing pad (which I'm pretty sure I threw away years ago). I could see bits of the old wood beginning to peak through, so I grabbed a dish sponge with abrasive pad and gave that a shot. Though it worked a little bit, I knew I'd need something with a bit more bite to it. I ventured back into the basement and grabbed a few paint scrapers and a pack of #3 steel wool pads. The scraper worked really well, but I had to be extremely careful that I wasn't tearing up the surface of the wood. As you can see, when I started dragging the scraper and really scrubbing with the steel wool, especially after soaking the table a bit more, all of the previous goo started pulling free.
I could see the original gray wood made beautiful once again by the water that had been sprayed on the table. I kept working my way around the table until I was able to take a half and half look at a before and after. I hadn't even applied oil at this point, and this look was spectacular when it was simply wet. I kept working until I had removed all of the buildup from the top of the table. Once it was all removed, I had a difficult endeavor in patience while waiting for the water to dry. I ended up turning to the hammock while watching the Nationals play on the IPad. Rough wait, I tell ya! It was a cool day, and as the sun set and it turned to night, I continued my efforts. Finally the table was just about dry so I could proceed. Using some 220 grit sandpaper and "00" steel wool, I sanded the entire tabletop until it was smooth. This removed any of the fuzz or grain that had been left by the standing water, and it evened out any of the stains or areas that needed some extra attention.
Once fully sanded, I broke open the teak oil and grabbed *the napkin*. I'm talking about the good linen napkin of ours I had used as a paint rag some time ago. Wendy has never let me forget this action of mine, so I make a point to get quite a bit of good use out of my terrible mistake. I hadn't opened the teak oil in so long that I ultimately had to use a vise grip plier to convince the lid open. But as soon as I applied that first bit of oil to the gray and dry table, it drank it right up! After half of the first coat had been applied, the table once again started to show the previous luster we loved so much. It was deep and rich. The project had stretched well into the night, but I finally finished up the first coat of oil. However, it wasn't until the next morning (and day of the baby shower) that I had a chance to really look at how great the newly spruced up table looked. To say I was pleased is an understatement. We noticed the next day after the shower that the table had essentially absorbed the entire oil application, so I went ahead and quenched the wood with a second coat.