Garden furniture care thru winter
 

Hi

I've recently bought a garden table and chairs [wood variety] but have
limited space to store the table in my house. I've treated the items
with teak oil, but would the table survive the winter without any
damage if left covered outside?

Unfortunately, I cannot disassemble the table for storage. The table is
in a reasonably well protected courtyard shielded from the wind, but
obviously not rain/snow

nonymouse wrote:
Hi

I've recently bought a garden table and chairs [wood variety] but
have
limited space to store the table in my house. I've treated the
items
with teak oil, but would the table survive the winter without any
damage if left covered outside?

Unfortunately, I cannot disassemble the table for storage. The
table
is in a reasonably well protected courtyard shielded from the wind,
but obviously not rain/snow

Depends what wood it is (teak and oak are fine; and I have a bench of
some kind of mahogany which has lasted ten years or more so far), and
if there are any steel screws or nails. If it was sold as garden
furniture by a reputable firm, it should be all right with the oil
treatment. Covering may actually do more harm than good, though:
condensation not allowed to dry out may be worse than rain which is
allowed to dry naturally.

--
Mike.

"nonymouse" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi

I've recently bought a garden table and chairs [wood variety] but have
limited space to store the table in my house. I've treated the items
with teak oil, but would the table survive the winter without any
damage if left covered outside?

Unfortunately, I cannot disassemble the table for storage. The table is
in a reasonably well protected courtyard shielded from the wind, but
obviously not rain/snow


I've a picnic bench that has stayed outside for 15 years and is still in
good condition. Only the colour gives away it's age. Yes give it a good
going over with teak oil before winter and again in spring.

I bought the proper cover for another table and that became covered in black
fungus spots by spring. So I recon that leaving them uncovered is second
best to taking them in and covering them is worst.

Slatts

Hi,

You don't mention what type of wood your furniture is made from but as you have treated it with teak oil, we will assume it is teak. In which case, you do not need to worry about winter storage, you can leave teak outdoors uncovered all year round. Teak is a very hard wood with a high natural oil content that means it will last outdoors for 30 years +

Many teak manufacturers do not recommend treating teak with teak oil as the UK climate being what it is, it can mean you are sealing in moisture which can cause mould to form. Teak Oil treatment is more for cosmetic value than for protecting the timber. Teak naturally fades to a silver grey colour over time but if you want to maintain the 'new' look, treat it in summer when the timber has thoroughly dried out.

If you want to cover your teak, use a good quality breathable material but again, this isn't actually necessary. If the furniture gets dirty over winter, just give it a blast with the pressure washer in spring.

Garden Oasis
www.gardenoasis.co.uk

I use Danish Oil on my hardwood benches and chairs. They dont get done every year, usually every other year, after a scrub down with soap and water and a stiff brush to get the algae off. Makes 'em look wonderful and rich. A joy to sit on.