Ideal for outdoor applications, Western Red Cedar is naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insect attacks, which means anything you build with it will last longer and require less maintenance.  In fact, Western Red Cedar does not require a finish to keep its structure over the years.

Many of our customers prefer to allow their cedar furniture to "naturally age" outdoors without a stain or finish. Over time the colorful tones of the wood slowly weather to a handsome silver-grey and the grain of the wood will become slightly raised. Left completely natural, this silver-grey color will eventually be highlighted by darker streaks formed from the reaction between the Cedar Resin and the zinc hardware.

If the dark streaks are not for you, we suggest using a simple wood sealer as described below.

A good wood sealer such as Thompsons Wood Sealer is useful by blocking the pores of the wood. This inhibits the grain from becoming raised yet allows the natural fading of the wood to a gentle silvery-gray color.

Preserving the colorful tones of freshly sanded cedar can be done using a number of finishes. We recommend a good quality penetrating sealer and a transparent or solid exterior stain. There is a wide variety of colors to choose from which makes it easy to match your existing decor. We recommend 2 coats of a semi-transparent stain with a UV inhibitor such as 'Sikkens Cetol 1' (natural) to preserve the look of your furniture. Every 2nd year you might re-apply a coat of stain to freshen the finish. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed when you use a stain.

New on the market are wood sealers that contain Ultraviolet inhibitors that can be used to preserve the fresh tones of the wood.

We do not recommend using oil finishes on your outdoor furniture as dust particles in the air will stick to the finish.

Paint works fine on cedar products. Over time, paint will begin to flake and will eventually need scraping and refinishing. Stain, however, is "breathable" and will not trap moisture, therefore - no blistering, no peeling.

Western Red Cedar should be preservative treated if intended for use in applications where it is dug into the ground. i.e. Fence Posts, Landscape Ties or Garden Arbor Posts.

A common fact about the characteristic of teak is its durability.

The high level of resinous oil present in the timber helps to act as a natural insect repellent making the wood highly resistant to rot caused by fungal decay or attack by termites and other wood boring insects.

This attribute allows the wood to last many years without any treatment or finishing.

Teak has withstood the test of time as demonstrated by the boat building industry. It is common knowledge that many municipal parks and conservatories use teak wood to make their outdoor furniture last.

Teak wood contains within its fibers natural oils which resist rot and decay due to insect attack. Therefore, teak furniture requires no treatment to be used indoors or outdoors. Applying oil or wax will not increase the life of the timber - These products only serve to maintain the fresh appearance already apparent when you purchase your new teak furniture from All Things Cedar.

When teak furniture is left outdoors, the effects of the suns UV rays will 'bleach out/fade the timbers natural colour.

Therefore, gradually over time, the teak wood will turn a soft silver-grey colour.

Many consider the distinctive fade to be naturally attractive and allows the furniture to blend in well with many outdoor environments.

Teak Patio furniture left in this state, is easily maintained and needs no further treatment.

As mentioned above the use of teak oil, wax sealers or other products won't increase the life of the timber - that is already accomplished by the inherent nature of the wood itself.

However, the application of a teak finishing product such as teak oil or tung oil, will keep your furniture looking new. It will prevent stains from seeping into the timber grain and will maintain the "baby-bottom smooth" factory finish found on all our products.

All our Teak products come factory finished with a special teak sealer that prevents the garden furniture from turning grey due to the effects of the sun.

It is suggested that a teak finishing product such as teak oil or tung oil is re-applied once or twice a year, or more in extreme exposure areas (hot sun) to maintain its fresh and new appearance.

To apply teak oil - simply add a small amount to a soft faced cloth and wipe your teak furniture down.

We discourage the use of varnish or any type of polyurethane finish or stains, or sealers as teak is an oily wood and the urethane sealers don’t adhere properly resulting in blotchy finish and the need for further care in the near future.

If your Teak furniture requires cleaning this can be done with a normal household bristle brush [not too hard] and some warm mildly soapy water.

Wash down afterwards with clean water. There are also proprietary cleaners on the market which can also be used to clean off various deposits and accumulated dirt and stains.

We do not recommend the use of high-pressure hoses, and steel wool or steel wire brushes. These items should not be used as any residue left in the grain will rust and discolor the wood.

Heavily ingrained stains can be removed by sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper. Be sure to work only with the direction of the timber grain.

After sanding, if the furniture was previously teak oiled you may wish to re-oil, or if it had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing silver-grey patina.

Naturally occurring oils that saturate Teakwood are its blessing and, improperly cared for, its curse. The reason teak is used for outdoor products is because of these oils, which give it a pleasing appearance, and more importantly, inhibit the tendency to rot.

The sun brings the natural oil to the surface, where they dry to a discolored gray, ultimately becoming black, due to the mold and mildew that tend to feed off the oil.

We do not recommend the use of high pressure hoses, and steel wool or steel wire brushes should not be used at all as any residue eft in the grain will rust and discolor the wood.

If the furniture has some stubborn and heavily ingrained stains these can be removed by sanding with a fine grade of sandpaper, being sure to work only with the direction of the timber grain.
After sanding stains away like this, if the furniture was previously teak oiled you may wish to re-oil, or if it had previously been left natural, the fresh teak color exposed by sanding will soon mellow in with the existing silver grey patina.

Naturally occurring oils that saturate Teakwood are its blessing and, improperly cared for, its curse. The reason teak is used for outdoor products is because of these oils, which give it a pleasing appearance, and more importantly, inhibit the tendency to rot.
The sun brings the natural oil to the surface, where they dry to a discolored gray, ultimately becoming black, due to the mold and mildew that tend to feed off the oil.

Warm and humid weather is ideal conditions for mold growth. Mold can present itself as a black or white spots or film on the surface. It’s because dirt is lodged in the pores of the grain and mold is growing as it feeds on the oils.

First, remove the growth (mold and mildew). There are numerous quality teak cleaners on the market. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on application and use something to protect any metal hardware.

Once the teak has been cleaned, personal preference takes over for choosing the sealing product. We recommend an oil finish. There are numerous teak oils on the market.

We discourage the use of varnish or any type of polyurethane finish/sealers as teak is an oily wood and the urethane sealers don’t stick well causing even more work for the future. Remember to mask off all surrounding areas not intended to be treated, as accidental contact with the paint or gelcoat could harm these surfaces.

An occasional surface cleaning and resealing with teak oil will reduce the need for future deep cleanings. As with all outdoor furniture maintenance, a little work now will save a lot of work in the future.

By sealing the wood, mold and bacteria can't penetrate and get a foot hold like they can with just an oiled surface. You'll use less teak oil for a small annual savings and the appearance of your sealed/oiled surface will be almost identical to a "just oiled" surface. You'll still have about the same periodic schedule for freshening up the teak oil, but as the oil washes away and burns off, raw wood is not exposed.

This technique will cut your deep cleaning cycle to near zero. When you think you can see the sealer getting thin, (places start looking lighter in color to surrounding areas), do a good wash down, lightly sand the surface, re-apply the sealer as before, and you're back to a new start. In the south you should have 6 months or so between sealer applications, in the north, up to a year.

This is how to do it:

After your next deep cleaning of the boards, first apply two to three coats of sealer. Wipe with clean rags between each coat, allowing the coats no more than 15-20 min. to soak in. Let the final coat cure for 48 hrs. When fully cured, go over the entire surface with 000 bronze wool, working with the grain of the wood. This will take whatever "shine" is left away. Now, oil as usual. After the oil has cured to the point that it is just sticky, wipe off the excess.