Congratulations. By choosing teak you have selected the finest, most durable material available for outdoor furniture. SEMCO Teak Products will help protect your investment and enhance its natural beauty.
Teak with the beauty of its grain, rich color, and timeless durability is treasured as the best suited wood for use aboard boats, as decking on ships, and as the choice material for premier outdoor furniture. However, these uses present the harshest of environments. Over time the elements will cause surface erosion, discoloration, mildew, graying, roughness and checking. The desire to prevent this ravage of the elements without becoming a “teak slave” gave rise to SEMCO Teak Care Products.
Because of teak’s natural resistance to rotting and insects there are several options in caring for your furniture:
PRESERVE….
If you prefer to retain the natural, honey color of the new wood, then seal your furniture with SEMCO Teak Care Products.
WEATHER….
If you prefer a weathered gray look, then do nothing. Only under perfect circumstances will the teak weather to an even gray color. Over time the wood will become rough in texture and the natural oils will be depleted causing cracks along the grain.
RESTORE…
If the teak is weathered, stained or develops mildew it can always be restored using SEMCO Teak Cleaner.
Preserving the teak with SEMCO Teak Sealer
If you wish to preserve the natural honey color of the new teak then seal your teak furniture with SEMCO Honeytone Teak Sealer.
The Teak Sealer replaces teak oils that were used on teak. There is no such thing as “Teak Oil”. Products sold as teak oil are just linseed or tung oil mixed with solvents. Products such as varnish and polyurethane will peel and chip and are all but impossible to remove from intricate teak furniture.
To see a video of these instructions, check out our Teak Care & Use Guide
Teak Care & Use GuideWhy?
The teak is protected by its own natural oils that migrate to the surface of the wood. The elements oxidize this oil, turning the wood gray and promoting the growth of mildew. SEMCO Teak Sealer contains UV protection and a mildewcide to prevent this process.
When?
The furniture should be allowed to weather for a couple of weeks or washed with a strong detergent prior to sealing . It is okay for the wood to get wet and be outdoors during this period. This process will remove the waxy feeling of new furniture which occurs when the natural oils have been polished or burnished by the sanding and milling process during manufacture. Failure to remove this mill glaze will result in a blotchy appearance and early failure of the sealer protection.
How?
- Be sure the wood has weathered two weeks or has been washed and is completely dry before sealing. See the can label for complete directions.
- Apply the sealer using a plastic spray bottle, brush or rag. Apply liberally and wipe off the excess with a rag. SEMCO Teak Sealer is not a sticky finish and can be applied at almost any temperature. There is no need to be concerned about brush strokes or lap marks. The first coat will dry in under an hour.
- Apply a second coat when the first coat is complete. Be sure to apply both coats in the same day. The furniture will be dry to the touch in a few hours and can be placed in service the next day. Two coats are all that are recommended for new or restored furniture.
- Enjoy your furniture, knowing that is protected by the finest teak protection available.
Day to Day Care of Teak Furniture
After your furniture is finished with SEMCO Teak Sealer very little care is needed to preserve the finish. Occasional washing with soap and water will remove normal soil.
Oils from foods, wine, coffee and some condiments will penetrate the Sealer and may leave a stain. If you discover that this is a problem with your furniture, you may wish to add SEMCO Clear Coat to the table top to improve stain resistance.
General Soil…
- Use a mild detergent such as dish soap and a sponge or soft scrub brush to wash the furniture as needed.
- Never use bleach, a brass brush, a pressure washer or steel wool on teak furniture. These items will damage or discolor the surface of the wood.
- Food stains or other soil or stains that are not removed by this process can be removed by using SEMCO Teak Cleaner as described in the Restoring section.
Covering Teak…
Traditional vinyl, plastic and canvas covers create mildew problems on wood furniture by trapping moisture under them. These type of covers are hard to handle and do more harm than good. Use only covers made from Tyvek material.
SEMCO Clear Coat…In response to our customers requests, SEMCO is pleased to offer our Clear Coat for added stain resistance in food service. After applying the SEMCO Sealer, if added stain protection is desired, we recommend applying two coats of SEMCO Clear Coat to the table tops only. This makes the surface stain resistant and allows easy cleanup of food spills. We do not recommend putting this product on the rest of the furniture as it makes the renewal process more difficult. See complete directions.
Annual Maintenance & Resealing
Once your furniture is finished with SEMCO Teak Sealer and or Clear Coat the following maintenance procedure is recommended to maintain the furniture and finish. The finish can be maintained for many years with this procedure.
Why…
Previously sealed teak should be resealed on an occasional basis to compensate for traffic and environmental wear and tear.
When…
The length of time that the finish lasts is more a function of wear and tear than of time. Typically once a year is sufficient for residential applications away from salt air. Commercial and maritime applications may require twice a year recoating. When the color fades and water dashed on the surface soaks right in, it is time to recoat.
How…
- Clean the teak with mild detergent to remove the soil.
- Wet the wood with a hose.
- Use a Scotch Brite pad or a soft scrub brush to gently clean the surface of the wood with a mild detergent such as dish soap.
- Never use bleach, a brass brush, a pressure washer or steel wool on teak furniture. These items will damage or discolor the surface of the wood.
- If any stains or soil remain, sand lightly with fine sandpaper to remove the mark. If this method does not remove a stain you may have to use the Restoring directions.
- Ensure that the wood is completely dry before applying the Sealer.
- Apply a single coat of sealer using a plastic spray bottle, brush or rag. Apply liberally and wipe off the excess with a rag. One coat should be sufficient to recoat most applications.
Clear Coat…
To reapply Clear Coat, sand lightly and then apply a light coat with a brush or rag. Allow the first coat to dry completely before applying a second light coat. Allow to dry completely before placing back in service.
Restoring Teak
If your furniture has been allowed to weather or is stained by food or other marks or if you wish to remove the Teak Sealer and start again, SEMCO Teak Cleaner will restore the wood to like new condition.
To see a video of these instructions, check out our Teak Care & Use Guide
Teak Care & Use GuideWhy…
When teak is exposed to the elements without finish, has been oiled or is stained with food or other stains the surface becomes dirty gray and mildew often develops. SEMCO Two-Part Teak Cleaner removes the effects of mildew, weathering and food and water stains.
When…
Clean at any time during the life of the furniture when cleaning back to the original unfinished wood is desired. It is not recommended that this type of cleaning be employed on a regular basis as it may contribute to the wood becoming rougher over time.
How…
- Wet the wood with a hose and keep the wood wet during the entire process.
- Apply Part 1 Cleaner to a small area at a time.
- Use a Scotch Brite pad or soft scrub brush to scrub the area.
- Rinse if necessary to remove debris and keep wet.
- Apply the Part 2 Cleaner to the same area and scrub lightly with a soft brush or clean Scotch Brite pad.
- Repeat steps 2 through 5 on the next small area. Work on a small area at a time working from top to bottom. Larger areas can be worked by using a garden type sprayer to apply the cleaners.
- Rinse thoroughly with water. Repeat the process on any stubborn stains. The wood will lighten as it dries.
- Read and follow complete directions on the Cleaner bottles.
To preserve the natural honey color of the wood, and protect the teak from weathering and stains follow the steps outlined in the “Preserving the Teak” section.
Thank you for considering SEMCO Teak Products for the care of your teak furniture. With these simple procedures your furniture will provide many years of beautiful service.