There seems to be a difference of opinion as to how best to finish off a new outdoor teak table.

Opinion 1: As per Wikipedia: Teak is sufficiently oily and weather resistant not to need oiling or varnish or any other finish.

Opinion 2: Also in Wikipedia: Use "teak oil" which is a mixture of "Tung Oil" (obtained by crushing Tung nuts) and Linseed oil.

Opinion 3: Avoid oiling the wood as that will seal cracks and defects in the timber allowing water in which could allow green stuff & other wildlife to take up residence &/or may lead to freezing damage.

What is best?

TIA

jim wrote:
There seems to be a difference of opinion as to how best to finish
off a new outdoor teak table.

Opinion 1: As per Wikipedia: Teak is sufficiently oily and weather
resistant not to need oiling or varnish or any other finish.

Opinion 2: Also in Wikipedia: Use "teak oil" which is a mixture of
"Tung Oil" (obtained by crushing Tung nuts) and Linseed oil.

Opinion 3: Avoid oiling the wood as that will seal cracks and defects
in the timber allowing water in which could allow green stuff & other
wildlife to take up residence &/or may lead to freezing damage.

I'm not sure what the difference between 1 and 3 is but I've had teak
tables and chairs out in an exposed garden in all weathers continuously
for about twenty years now. I pressure-wash the crud off it most years
in spring but that's the only care it gets - no oils, etc.

Structurally it's all perfectly sound. The surface is quite rough,
presumably due to the pressure washer, but I quite like the grain
effect. The colour is a very pale tan after washing but it quickly goes
grey.

So it's lasting well without oil, but a lot depends on what you want it
to look like and how much time you're prepared to spend on looking after
it. I prefer a rustic look and to spend more time sitting on it than
working on it, but others may view things differently.

--
Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

On Sunday, 17 April 2016 16:33:39 UTC+1, jim wrote:

What is best?

Red paint on holly seems to be poplar from a distance, GPagO.

On 17/04/2016 17:30, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 17 Apr 2016 08:33:37 -0700 (PDT), jim
wrote:

There seems to be a difference of opinion as to how best to finish off a new outdoor teak table.

Opinion 1: As per Wikipedia: Teak is sufficiently oily and weather resistant not to need oiling or varnish or any other finish.

Opinion 2: Also in Wikipedia: Use "teak oil" which is a mixture of "Tung Oil" (obtained by crushing Tung nuts) and Linseed oil.

Opinion 3: Avoid oiling the wood as that will seal cracks and defects in the timber allowing water in which could allow green stuff & other wildlife to take up residence &/or may lead to freezing damage.

What is best?

TIA

Go for option 1: do nothing!

We used to linseed-oil our teak bench regularly every year, until we
got bored with the whole process and found better things to do. Since
then, it's been pressure washed once which IIRC stripped off all the
old linseed oil treatment and more-or-less took the surface back to
the original wood, but apart from that nothing's been done to it
since. It sits outside in all weathers and not under cover, looks
nicely weathered with a pleasing silvery grey colour, and is well over
30 years old now.

One thing I would suggest: make sure the feet don't stand in water
after it's rained, otherwise they will rot, eventually.


Amen to all that. Each teak oil application creates a film, which you
end up having to remove because UV degrades it. Why bother? Go rustic

replying to Chris Hogg, N C wrote:
How do you keep feet from standing in water after rains/downpours since their
present place is under all weathers 24/7/365 on concrete patio? Water stands
for awhile but drains right away. I live where it rains alot & near 1/2 mile
from lake, extreme humidity. Thanks

--
posted from
http://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/...e-1123350-.htm

N C wrote

How do you keep feet from standing in water after rains/downpours
since their present place is under all weathers 24/7/365 on concrete
patio? Water stands for awhile but drains right away. I live where
it rains alot & near 1/2 mile from lake, extreme humidity.

One obvious approach is metal feet that keep the feet out of the water.

Also seen with wooden posts.