Oil for teak patio funiture?

[scottmandue]

Parents got us a teak bench for our porch (that's not a porch it's a Ferrari... now we got that over with)

Wife immediately says "lets varnish it"

My family has owned boats... I remember varnish.

Fortunately the Chinglish instructions say "the wood is sealed but you can wipe it down with oil or furniture polish.

Many moons ago when I worked construction I put tung oil on the wood that was the platform of the stake bed truck I drove.

However I have a unopened can of boiled linseed oil that has the advantage of already being paid for.

What say ye PPOT?

[masraum]

Boiled linseed is a drying oil, so it will polymerized and seal/protect the wood, but it will also darken over time. REAL tung oil is difficult to find. The stuff that you see at HD is actually another oil mixed with varnish, meant to simulate the results of tung oil. I've read about tung oil, and have some, but haven't used it yet.

[cbush]

we use teak oil we get from the boat dealer. Keeps it nice and protects/nurishes the wood. Not to sure how any kind of varnish or tung oil would really stand up to outdoor conditions.

[1990C4S]

What he said. (Masraum)

Go to a boat shop.

[look 171]

Use your tung oil but I would sand it into the wood. Use a 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper. Sand along the grain. Penofin is a great product. I use it on Ipe decks and they hold up really, really well.

[scottmandue]

Haven't work construction for over 20 years so no longer have tung oil.

Bench (a slider actually) is made in China and has a faux bronze powder coat on the metal, I live a block from the ocean so the metal frame will probably rot away before the teak.

Therefore I'm trying to do this on the cheap... as I said I already have the linseed oil and that costs me nothing.

I'll check west marine and see what they have.

Thanks for the replies.

[Evans, Marv]

I have two teak dining tables & chairs plus a teak patio bench (Costco). I put Watco teak oil on them. Usually buy it from H.D., so you can probably get it from any big box store. Don't know about it being sealed, but I have to apply the teak oil once in a while for the tables and when the bench looks like it's needs it. If it's out in the open, and you don't oil it, it will of course turn that grey color that teak does after a while. I find that when they are out in the air on the covered patio, the tend to dry out every few months. I use one of my tables out on the patio for outdoors dining.

[scottmandue]

Homo Depot is easy to get to...

West marine (looking online) has their own teak oil and, starbrite, interlux, Daly sea fin, Amazon.

Anyone use any of those?

There is a West marine right in San Pedro... and a Home Depot.

Thanks again.

[look 171]

Teak is naturally oily, so it really doesn't need oil and it should be ok. It just turns that gray color. I don't actually like that gray color. Are you sure it is Teak? It may be some other type of tropical hard wood. You will be fine with just about any type of oil. If you want UV protection and long lasting, try Penofin. Stock lumber has them, but they are not cheap.

[fritzgator]

Formbys tung oil finish. 3-4 coats hit w/0000 steel or brass wool in between, finish up with a coat of johnsons paste wax.that's what i just finished doing to my new cabinets.

[jyl]

If it is teak, you needn't put anything on it, it will turn soft gray over time.

If you start putting stuff on it, then as the finish fades unevenly you'll forever be re-finishing it.

My outdoor tables and chairs are teak, they have never been finished and are 10 years old, they are gray but not damaged, split, or anything like that. They sit outside in the sun and during some of the Portland rainy winter too, although I do go out and tarp them around December. Every couple years I clean them with the pressure washer.

If the piece is not actually teak, then I dunno.

[scottmandue]

Fade to soft gray is OK with me...

But not with the wife... think she would prefer the redish hue it is now.

[drcoastline]

Your best bet is a good quality Teak oil. West Marine, Starbrite, Amazon, Interlux are all good. The oil will protect and nourish the wood but will not prevent it from turning grey/silver. The grey/silver is mold growing in the pores of the wood. In order to keep it the rich wood colors it will need to be cleaned and brightened a few times per season. There are commercial grade cleaners and brighteners by all the manufacturers above but the are expensive and contain caustic materials that will damage the wood. We have found you get an equally clean and bright job by cleaning with with Ivory liquid dish soap and then wiping a 1/4 bleach to water will kill the mold and brighten the teak. Let dry for a day or so and re-oil. DO NOT use a stiff bristle brush with the grain you will create crevices in the wood and cause the mold to grow faster and damage the wood.

Also unless you are in the mood to constantly be maintaining the table and chairs do not use any type of sealer such as varnish, tung oil etc. The suns UV and the expansion contraction and the natural oily nature to the wood will cause the finish to crack and mold to grow in the cracks. A good varnished teak requires 1 to 3 reapplications of finish per season depending on climate. 1 up North 3 in the tropics to look good with a complete strip and refinish about every 5th year or so.

Varnished table 10 + coats. Natural deck oiled about two times per season.

[azasadny]

I've used tung oil with excellent results!