How to transform your old garden furniture! Teak table and chairs

Upcycling garden furniture using wood stains and paints - teak

My teak garden furniture table and chairs set had never been treated with anything and after more than 10 years of exposure to rain, sun and general muck they were looking dirty, tired and old. Firstly we cleaned them using a power washer to strip off all of the dirt and algae then left to dry fully. ower washers are very effective at blasting off dirt and old coatings but they also create furring and splinters on the timber. When the timber is fully dry a light sand is required to remove splinters and create a good surface to paint on to. I couldn’t decide between colours so applied the two choices from sample tins to a strip underneath the chair s where it wouldn’t notice. This meant that if I had decided to go with the lighter Hazelnut shade the darker Walnut stain wouldn’t show through.

All 4 chairs, the table top and legs were given a light sand. It was a cold wet winter so all of it was brought inside a garage for treatment. Being teak (hardwood) I used Royal Exterior as it is designed for hardwood and is best suited for use on garden furniture. I chose the Walnut wood stain as felt it better suited the darker original hardwood and I loved the colour! After only 1 coat of Royal Exterior wood stain there is a gorgeous golden wood tone to the table top. You can just apply one coat of a coloured wood stain and use one to two coats of Royal Exterior Clear to protect the coloured coating and provide full water-repellency and protection against the elements. The chairs were turned upside down to ensure that the Royal treatment was applied to all parts of the timber sealing it against moisture penetration.

 

After 2 coats were applied you can still see the wood grain showing through. The Walnut colour looks rich and beautiful with a warm golden tone and my very old garden furniture is transformed in to a beautiful set that looks brand new again and will last for many more years! And now time to put it back in the garden to enjoy using it again and look forward to the warm summer months where the mug of tea and garden tools can be replaced by an evening meal and nice glass of wine!

Upcycling garden furniture using wood stains and paints - Before