Because of its natural resistance to aggression (insects, humidity), teak is widely used outdoors, particularly for terraces. Its warm colour (honey brown) makes it a very popular wood. In this article we will focus on the maintenance of teak decking.
DO I NEED TO MAINTAIN MY TEAK TERRACE ?
Teak, like all exotic wood species, requires less maintenance than other wood species (autoclave treated wood, European wood). This is because exotic woods are naturally resistant to damage. There is no need for treatment to preserve the technical properties of the wood.
The main purpose of maintaining a teak deck is to preserve the natural colour of the wood. Without a protective product, your teak deck will turn grey under the effect of UV light. This is a normal evolution of the wood's colour. To combat this greying, we recommend that you apply a teak saturator. Within our range, you will find the Exotic Wood Saturator SBE600. A tinted version is preferable for better protection against UV rays and therefore against the greying of teak. On a new or ungreyed/unblackened terrace, the application of the saturator alone is sufficient.
We do not recommend teak oils as they tend to darken the wood.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR TEAK TERRACE HAS GRAYED ?
If your teak decking is already dull or grey, you will need to degrease it. For this we recommend Wood Degreaser DG105. This product removes the grey haze from the surface. It is applied to a dry surface and left to act for about twenty minutes, then rinsed off with plenty of water.
After degreasing the teak deck, the saturator will allow you to protect the wood from UV rays while restoring its beautiful colour. If your deck is greyed, it is important to use a de-greaser to obtain a satisfactory result, as the saturator is applied to non-greyed wood.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR TEAK DECKING HAS TURNED BLACK ?
If your deck has become blackened (black spots, black stains, mould that can be removed by scratching with a fingernail), you need to clean your deck. For this, we recommend Wood Cleaner N100 or the Concentrated Wood Cleaner N140. After application, if your terrace remains dull, you can apply Wood Degreaser DG105. The application of the degreaser is optional, but it will be useful for teak decks that are heavily soiled and in need of renovation.
If you clean your teak deck with a high-pressure cleaner, make sure to leave enough space between the jet and the wood fibres (about 50 cm) to avoid damaging the teak.
After application of the cleaner (and degraser if necessary), the Exotic Wood Saturator SBE600 will revive the colour of your teak deck while protecting it.
