I don't know how i got to this thread lol I was looking up how to set up grow lights. Anyway, mislabeling is a constant source of irritation to me so I will pick this subject up even if it is a tad late. For starters, if you bought your outdoor teak chair for less than, say, $800, that is more likely to be cedar with teak finish and not real teak. Real teak lumber costs about $40 per board foot. There is no way anyone can make a garden chair with real teak for less than $800-$1000 and that is probably conservative. Second, cans of wipe-on finish sold at big box stores are usually a mixture of varnish, colorants and various other things to speed up drying when applied. Most of these products are conveniently silent on what they actually contain. If your furniture is turning gray over time, it is most likely made of cedar as it is notorious for losing its nice golden color when exposed to the elements. It is in the nature of the tree itself---the same oils that make it impervious to various insects, fungi and what not make it vulnerable to the color alterations caused by exposure to UV light from the sun. Finally, for furniture finish, boiled linseed oil is normally used. It penetrates better and dries much faster. Raw linseed oil takes longer than forever to properly cure and in the meantime you have to protect the piece from various gnats and particles that could land on it and get embedded in the finish. Refined linseed oil, on the other hand, is significantly more expensive because there are extra steps required to make it. It's used mostly in oil painting, it makes pigment flow better and when it dries, the colors are nice and glossy. I think you can cook with linseed oil too. I just haven't done it.

HI Cateyanne, I don't know what your expectations are, but furniture left outdoors will change appearance dramatically. Generally the wood will turn gray and dry looking. There are ways to delay this, but unless you enjoy constant maintenance, you won't prevent it. To answer your question, you generally want a linseed oil that includes japan dryers, otherwise it will take days to dry. If you apply a surface sealing finish, like a varnish or urethane, the wood will look nice for a while, but eventually UV rays will cause the wood to degrade and the finish will fall off. This is the reason that wooden boats require constant refinishing. Do you really want to be refinishing your bench twice a year? If you leave the wood alone, it will turn gray but probably will not rot, unless it is sitting in mud. Teak is naturally impregnated with oils which make it very rot resistant - this is why it is favored for marine environments. Personally, I would do nothing to it, but enjoy the patination that nature intended, and use my time to sit on the bench and have a nice iced tea. Best of luck, Paul Downs

I have used the Krylon spray stain for many outdoor projects. It is so easy to use, one can goes a very long way and will last a couple of years in the elements. Have used it on teak outdoor furniture, small fencing areas, wood bench and swing, some smaller items. It is difficult to find in large HW stores, Ace seems to always have it in stock or order online. Redwood seems to be always there, this is definitely a red hued stain. The finish is very flat, if you want a satin or beyond finish, you will need an additional poly. I tend to like the Krylon stain as it is alone. Any sealant on wood will not take this spray. It likes pure wood (old or new) and will leave voids if any prior finish is left on. You can touch up later on if no poly finish is used.

Hi KSWL, Something about the design of Adirondacks, to me they are the only chair that is comfy w/o a cushion, and we won't want to have cushions oceanside/fireside. We have some we have had 15 years. But the weathered gray is not everyone's taste. I know what you mean about the steamer chairs. If the angle is not just right, your feet dangle. And if the quality is not there, they feel about to collapse on you! Zeitgast - Thanks for the tip! Jterrilynn, Ahh, having been to Bali, where we saw several places with signs "Antiques made to order" I can bet big money those are fake. But still so charming! I will have to see if I can find a distributor to take a look. Not for poolside, but maybe by the firepit. DH reminded me that one thing I do not like about teak is how heavy the dining chairs are. We have a lot of outdoor furniture here at our primary house because we have so much patio and terrace space. One of our dining sets is a teak set with armchairs, and the chairs are very hard to lift and move. I came across this which is unusual but I really like. We have had this type of synthetic wicker from Brown Jordan and if the quality is comparable (the price is) then it will be fine. I like the flexibility of the arrangement, and the fact that when its just the five of us, no one blocks the view. These chairs don't have arms, and this is shown sans bench