How do you look after your teak garden furniture?

[bosscat]

Do you leave it uncovered in summer even if it rains? Have you put a stain on to protect the colour or an oil? I have just bought a set and am wary of leaving it out uncovered. Will it be okay in the rain?

I leave mine out, last year it was new and came oiled. This year I got it out early and sprayed it with teak oil (homebase £7.99) I wipe it down sometimes, but it will be out until October and then under a cover.

so is okay in the rain? it doesn't change colour or stain? I'm nervous because it was sooooo expensive!!

Did it not come with care instructions???

If not perhaps you could contact the company you bought it from - they should be able to tell you.

Oil it.

This year we sanded ours down with an electric sander and reoiled it and it looks fab. We'd neglected it over 7 years and it had gone silver but it now looks teak coloured again (with some wheathering which adds character). We'll probably put it away over winter this year.

Covering it can cause mould.

You're meant to oil it every 6 weeks or so. I went for the sand and stain option this year, but might try and find my oil again.

We bought a cover for about £100

but I ALWAYS cover it if there's any rain forecast. We oil it at the start of the summer, possibly once again later.

btw, make sure you put your parasols down at night....our was carried across two gardens on a reasonably windy sunday morning cos the wind got underneath it. It broke in two or three places and required extensive repair!

I'd never have thought the wind would have picked it up, it's so heavy, so beware

Thanks for all replies. QOQ - yes it did come with care instructions which basically said "teak is fab you can leave it out all year through" but it cost £1500 for the whole set and I have heard some horror stories about it discolouring and warping with the weather. Maybe its just me but I feel a bit uneasy about leaving £1500 worth of garden furniture out all year. I have a cover for it but at the moment its just permanently covered because we have nice days then terrible ones. I think I'll oil it and leave it out for the summer. Thanks all!