What is Teak Oil? | UK Guide | 2023

Although you’d be forgiven for assuming that all commercially available teak oil is more or less the same, this is not the case. If you’re looking to spruce up tired looking teak furniture, teak oil is the perfect choice of finish for the job. However, it can also be used effectively to revive other other hardwoods.

Picking the right teak oil product for a specific job can be difficult, with the exact composition varying wildly from product to product. Some products rely on a heavy concentration of mineral oil, while others instead opt for tung oil or linseed oil. Other manufacturers produce products that combine an oil ingredient with a varnish, providing you with an all-in-one in solution.

Teak Oil Specifics

Hardwoods such as teak are renowned for their resilience and are a popular choice for use outdoors. Teak in particular is resistant against water damage, fungal growth an other damage caused by constant exposure to outdoor environments. However, it will eventually succumb to constant UV exposure, resulting in the natural lustre of the wood turning grey and faded.

Teak oil can be a useful way of protecting external woods from the punishment of constant UV exposure, particularly if it contains some varnish solution. However, if you’re planning on coating a teak deck or outdoor furniture to protect against UV damage, you’ll need to ensure you’re applying a thick enough coat to do handle the job. If you apply a teak oil finish too thinly, it won’t be very effective at protecting your prized wood.

Teak Oil for Indoor Use

Many people also turn to teak oil to maintain indoor furniture. Teak was the material of choice for mid-century Danish furniture designers, with the twentieth century trend seeing a resurgence in recent years. As such, many people are finding themselves with tired looking teak pieces that have seen better days.

If you are searching or teak oil to revive the appearance of teak furniture, it’s worth remembering that the products you’ll need aren’t quite the same thing as the teak oils intended for use with external wood. Teak oils manufactured for use with indoor furniture tend to be closer to varnish solutions. This allows the product to be applied very thinly, with no visible films left behind after application.