Product Care & Maintenance
Teak – Anderson Teak
What type of wood is used in the Anderson Teak collection?
Premium Grade-A Teak wood is used under the Anderson Teak Collection arriving in an unfinished and finely sanded wood; for an authentic teak wood finish - the best way to showcase Grade-A Teak.
Is teak furniture suitable for outdoor use? Does it require a lot of maintenance?
Teak furniture, especially Grade-A unfinished teak is especially great for outdoor use and durable enough to handle the weathering from rain, hail, or shine that requires little to no maintenance. The durability and ease of use is a preferred choice amongst the decks of boats and yachts with teak products for showering and spa very prevalent. A tropical hardwood tree native to the humid and rainy weather of Southeast Asia, teak wood is extremely strong and durable that rarely bends or warps under extreme weather conditions. Due to teaks high natural oil content, these natural oils shield the wood against weather damage including water and moisture, termites, pests, mold and mildew – and requires little to no maintenance.
How does teak wood weather? Will there be any changes to appearance after years of use?
Teak wood furniture, when exposed to the outdoors will age gracefully to a form a handsome silver-grey patina. The oil in the very outer layer of teak wood will begin to evaporate and oxidize after being exposed to the air and sunlight for a few weeks. You will notice that the rich honey-like color of new teak will begin to fade and become more of a pale yellow. Eventually, if left alone, the color of teak furniture kept outdoors will fade away even more to leave a light, silvery grey. Leaving your teak furniture outside under direct sunlight and or rain will quicken the aging process.
How can I maintain the original color of the golden honey brown from aging to a silver-grey patina?
To preserve the original color from aging apply a teak sealer/protectant (not teak oil) onto your furniture. Teak Sealers are different than Teak Oil and works by sealing the existing oils present in the wood, preventing UV rays, water, contaminants and moisture from penetrating the wood. Teak Sealers provide longer lasting protection than Teak Oils – up to one year or more and should be reapplied annually as opposed to monthly application for teak oils, does not leave an oily substance on the surface of the wood that can accumulate mildew, mold or fungus growth and does not affect the teak wood’s natural oils present or it’s color when applying with a clear teak sealer/protectant.
Are there any preliminary steps before applying a Teak Sealer or Protectant?
If the furniture is not new and has been used outdoors we recommend first cleaning by scrubbing down the furniture with a stiff bristle brush and then washing the furniture using a soft-pressurized water hose. After washing down and still wet apply the Teak Cleaner onto your furniture using a sponge and let it sit for 4-5 minutes. After 4-5 minutes, scrub again to clean removing excess dirt and build up and finish by rinsing down with a water hose. Cleaning and scrubbing should be done with the grain of the wood. Teak Cleaners and Teak Sealers/Protectants can be found at your local hardware store or purchased online.
How do I restore my already weathered silver-grey patina teak to its original golden honey brown color?
To restore already weathered teak to its original honey brown color, we recommend the process of cleaning the teak furniture with a teak cleaner first, outlined in the process above. After drying and before applying a Teak Sealer or Protectant, sand the teak furniture lightly to expose the fresh new wood underneath the oxidized outer layers or apply a light amount of Teak Oil to restore the color. Once the furniture has dried, complete the process by applying a Teak Sealer and or Protectant to restore your grey patina teak looking new.
Do I need to wash or clean my teak furniture before using it for the first time?
Yes. Before leaving your teak furniture outside where rainfall may occur, we recommend to wipe down with a damp cloth to remove any leftover wood dust from the manufacturing process. Before placing cushions on your teak furniture, remove any leftover wood dust by wiping the furniture with a damp cloth, especially the seats of the furniture as teak wood produces natural oils that will secrete and may stain your cushions if not properly wiped down. Expect some of this natural oil to secrete out following the first few rainfalls, and if in contact with water, may leave oil stains on your patio or floor. After the first few wipe downs, furniture contact with water should not be an issue.
How should I clean my teak furniture?
To clean your teak furniture, we recommend using a Teak Cleaner. Scrub down the furniture with a stiff bristle brush and hosing the furniture using soft-pressurized water. After dry scrubbing and hosing the furniture and still wet, apply a Teak Cleaner onto your furniture using a sponge and let it sit for 4-5 minutes. After 4-5 minutes, scrub again to clean and remove excess dirt and build up and finish by rinsing down with hose and water. Cleaning and scrubbing should be done with the grain of the wood. If desired, feel free to lightly sand the teak furniture after drying to remove the oxidized outer layers of the wood exposing the fresh new color and wood underneath. You can also just lightly apply teak oil without sanding. Feel free to also apply a Teak Sealer/Protectant after cleaning, oiling, or sanding. Commercial Teak Cleaners, Teak Oil, and Teak Sealers/Protectants can be purchased at your local hardware store or online.
What is teak oil used for and why should I apply teak oil to my products?
Teak oil is used to recover your furniture’s natural golden brown color but is only a temporary solution that must be applied monthly. Furthermore, Teak oil is not actually made from teak oil and does not protect the furniture from UV rays, water, contaminants and moisture from penetrating the wood, unlike a teak sealer which we recommend. Furthermore, when applying teak oil, it will leave an oily substance on the surface of the wood that can accumulate mildew, mold or fungus growth if applied unevenly. When using teak oil, we recommend lightly applying the teak oil to restore the color from a silver patina grey to the original golden brown only after cleaning and drying the furniture.
Splinters and cracks appear on my furniture, what do I do?
Splinters and cracks appear periodically and is a common occurrence in the weathering process that does not affect the structural integrity of the furniture. Splinters and hair cracks are perfectly natural as the wood breathes as it expands and contracts when left outdoors. Overtime, the cracks may appear only to recede and become unnoticeable as the wood adjusts to the changes in the weather and moisture content of the wood.
How can I prevent mold and or mildew from accumulating on my teak furniture?
We recommend periodically cleaning the surface of your teak to remove any environmental deposits, grime, dirt, or any left over water that can promote mildew growth. Premium Grade unfinished teak, however, should require little after care maintenance and should not actively produce mildew or mold.
Finished Teak – Chapman
What type of wood is used in the Chapman Collection?
The outer, lighter, and younger edges of the left over Grade-A Teak log is recycled and used to make furniture for the Chapman Collection, classified as Grade B/C Wood.
How are the Chapman products treated and or finished?
The Chapman products are then pre-coated with water based finish and sealed with a clear coat sealer. This finish leaves a darker hued color than the naturally unfinished Anderson Teak Collection.
What are the benefits of pre-coating the Chapman Collection in the water base finish and sealer?
The benefits of coating the Chapman Collection with water based finish and sealer is that it provides outdoor weather protections against UV Rays, water and moisture exposure, contaminants and other environmental deposits that may affect your furniture.
Does this coat affect the weathering process to a silver-grey Patina?
Yes. Sealing the furniture in a water base clear coat will delay the oxidization and aging process to a silver-grey patina for up to at least one year, with our Chapman products.
Are there any other differences besides the Grade, Finish, and Color between the Anderson and the Chapman Collection?
Yes. There are also differing designs and product models between the Anderson Teak and Chapman Collections. These design differences include the product categories of deep seating sets, armchairs, tables, sun loungers, benches, accessories, bar stools and tables, steamers, rocking chairs, bistro sets etc.
White Mahogany – Heritage Collection
What type of wood is used in the Heritage Collection?
The Heritage collection features solid Mahogany wood that’s finished with seven layers of polyurethane in white semi-gloss.
Can the Heritage Collection be used outdoors?
Yes. The Heritage Collection can be used for indoor as well as outdoor furniture. Seven layers of enduring polyurethane paint withstand sun, spring rains, summer squalls and snowstorms alike without yellowing or cracking.
Do the products arrive fully assembled or knock down?
Most of the products including 85-90% arrives knock down with easy assembly, with the rest such as the Marlborough 3-Seater Bench arriving fully assembled.
Aluminium Furniture – Montserrat Collection
What type of material is used for the Montserrat Collection?
The Montserrat Collection features 2mm thick Aluminum frame with high quality powder coating finish in grit grey color. Some products also include premium grade solid teak wood mixed with Aluminum frame.
Are there any care or maintenance my customer needs to be aware with this type of material?
No. Aluminum Furniture and Aluminum with Teak mix requires little to no maintenance year round.
Do the products arrive fully assembled or knockdown?
Most of the products around 85-90% arrive fully assembled such as benches, deep seating, tables, loungers and stacking armchairs. The rest of the items require very easy assembly
Indoor mahogany – Versailles Collection
What type of material is used on the Versailles Collection?
The Versailles Collection features solid mahogany wood finished in a semi-stain gloss?
Can the Versailles Collection be used outdoors?
No. We recommend the Versailles Collections to only be used indoors.
What types of products are sold under the Versailles Collection?
There are a large assortment of Side Tables, Console and Entry Hallway Tables
Rock Limestone – Tuscany Collection
What type of material is used for the Tuscany Collection?
The Tuscany Collection are cast hand-crafted limestone from South East Asia – possessing the same original appearance, beauty, texture, elegance, and strength of natural limestone. The products have the strength, weight and stability of solid stone – worry free for any windy region.
What types of products are sold under the Tuscany Collection?
Under the Tuscany Collection Dining Tables and Entry Hallway Tables with glass top are sold as well as small to large Planters, Pedestals, Urns, and Gardening Pots. Great for outdoor commercial use.
Is there any maintenance I should be doing? Will there be any color changes?
Limestone Rock is perfect for outdoor use with little to no maintenance. With a base color of white, contact with dirt and general outdoor exposure can change the color when dirty. Just hose down with water and detergent.
Cushion – Sunbrella Fabrics
What type of fabric is used on your cushions?
Sunbrella Fabrics are used for the cushions. Sunbrella Fabrics are great for the outdoors providing color fade resistance, UV protection, stain & water resistance, easy to clean, resists mold & mildew and more.
Do cushions arrive included for some of your products?
For products that require cushions such as Deep Seating or Ottomans, cushions are included in the price.
Are the cushions made to custom order? What color options do you offer?
Our cushions are custom made in the United States with all cushion sales final and non-refundable. We have a select stock in our warehouse of many different colors that can be found on our website https://andersonteak.com/colorfabric/. For additional colors or fabrics, we can purchase online. An extra fee may be charged for certain fabrics above the standard included price range.
Are Sunbrella Fabrics waterproof?
For the most part yes, Sunbrella Fabrics are water repellant and are truly great against the wet and the outdoors but not entirely waterproof or water resistant as no woven fabric can be entirely waterproof. However, Sunbrella Fabrics will dry faster when wet and water truly glides off the cushions when in contact. But during prolonged wet periods or heavy downpours with direct contact, the rain and moisture can seep through the stitching seams. For the best water proof resistance, we recommend Water Repellant Sunbrella using Dry Fast Foam.
For better water resistance does Anderson Teak offer Dry Fast Foam and Water Repellant Sunbrella?
At an extra cost we offer Water Repellant Sunbrella and Dry Fast Foam.
How should I dry my cushions when wet?
Cushions may be dried by standing them on end and opening the zippers. If washed using a washing machine, we recommend to air dry rather than to put in dryer.
Are there any precautions I can take to ensure my cushions are clean and do not get dirty?
For cushions with teak furniture and using white or light colored fabrics, we recommend to first wipe down with damp cloth the teak furniture including the seating as teak wood inherently has oils that naturally secretes and may stain your light colored cushions. If staining occurs, simply wipe down with warm water and mild detergent. If you would like to remove the covers to clean in a washer that is fine, but air dry rather than putting them in the dryer.
What is the best way to clean my cushions?
If marks, stains, or dirt occurs, remove them by lightly scrubbing with sponge, warm water, and a dishwashing liquid. You can remove the stains while the covers are on the cushion. If you would like to remove the covers to clean in a washer that is fine, but air dry rather than putting them in the dryer.