Reds Patio Furniture

Let's make one thing clear. NO other wood compares to Teak when it comes to elegance, durability and low maintenance. You might have seen companies offering furniture made of a variety of different wood sorts described as "Family of Teak", "Teak-like", "As good as Teak or even better than Teak". Let's nail it: IT JUST DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN TEAK!

Teak has been the mainstay of shipbuilding due to it's capability to survive in any climate for centuries, but also for the softness, almost silk-like feel, that makes contact with teak a joy, whether the Teak is newly installed or 150 years old. Not to forget the beauty of it.

Teak origins in the south-east Asia and especially Burma and Indonesia are well known for their supply of Teak. The Teak tree (Tectona Grandis) is a very slow growing tree which takes 45-50 years of growth to "mature". The tree will attain a height of up to 150ft. with a diameter of 4-5ft. and a leaf comparable to a tobacco leaf with sizes over 1 sq/ft.

Some people believe that Teak is taken from the rain forest and therefore environmentally damaging, but the fact is that teak trees cannot grow in tropical rain forests, and are mostly found in dry, hilly desert-like terrains like on the Island of Java, Indonesia. Especially Indonesia has been very successful in managing teak forestry. All the way back in the 1800's, the Dutch started farming teak in large plantations, and when the Indonesian government took over, they introduced the system - one tree down, two trees planted. This has resulted in Indonesia today is the biggest supplier of "A-Grade" Teak timber, which is controlled and managed by the government operated agency, Perum Perhutani.

Perum Perhutani operates under very strict rules in regards to provide only mature teak, and also how many trees can be felled and how many replanted in order to maintain the teak industry for future generations. The teak furniture and timber industry is by far dominating on the Island of Java, and provides employment to hundreds of thousands of people.

Mature Teak or A-Grade Teak is timber from trees that have grown for at least 45 years. In order for teak to obtain a very high concentrate of oil, the tree has to grow for at least 45 years before being harvested. In that period of time, the oil will spread to all parts of the wood, bonding the wood, making sure that nothing penetrates the wood. Oil content is why Teak is mostly quoted for its durability. However, teak is also extremely dense (40lbs. Pr. Cu. Ft. when dry) which, combined with oil, makes it very resistant to rot caused by fungal decay, but also acts as a natural repellant, giving the teak very high resistance towards termites and other insects.

Unfortunately, not everybody waits 45 years or more for the teak to mature. Especially Brazil and Costa Rica have large plantations of teak trees, and they often harvest the trees just after 7-15 years of growth. This results in a lack of oil in the wood, which will give the timber a much shorter lifetime in the outdoor elements. This is known as "B" or "C" grade teak. Because of the lack of oil, water will penetrate into the wood and it will simply fall apart in as little as 2 years. Most manufacturers of B or C grade furniture will not inform the consumers about this fact, which is pretty un-known. People believe if they buy Teak, they will be set for life. So be careful.

If left in the sun, the Teak will turn to a graceful silver appearance, which looks stunning. However, you can at any time bring it back to natural just by using a Teak cleanser or by power washing it. If you choose to power wash, please use less than 2000psi. Further, you also do have the option of "white-washing" it. Once it has turned to the silver appearance, simply mix a bucket of bleach and water, 50/50, and slash it on the furniture. After 30 mins, just hose off and you will have a sparkling silver/white-washed look. If you do not care for the aged look, you can opt to oil the Teak. However, this requires periodic application. This will give the teak the look known from boat decks and railings. Oil can be sprayed on (with an empty Windex bottle) and left to dry without wiping.