Treatment for teak dining table

11 years ago

I recently purchased a mid century modern teak dining table with leaves. I want to protect the wood from the high traffic it will receive. My old dining room table, a golden oak table, I painted with a polyurethean satin finish. I thought I could do the same with this? Any reason why this would not work well? Any advice?

Featured Answer

yakker2

11 years ago

Sorry to join so late...hope you check back

Just a caution - be sure you oil the additional leaves of your table each time you care for the top to keep the colors even.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

User
11 years ago
Teak is naturally oily ... nothing sticks to it for long.

Get some "teak oil" meant for caring for teak furniture, and follow the directions for applying it.

Use place mats, don't use pointy pens and sharp knives on it, and don't let toddlers with magic markers near the table
bobismyuncle
11 years ago
"Teak Oil" can be any kind of product the manufacturer wants to put in a can and sell as Teak Oil. Much of it is simply a very thinned varnish, or a very thinned varnish-oil blend. The former, you can build up a film finish on, the latter will only get gummy if you try to build a finish with any degree of film. If you have some, you can tell what you have by putting a few drops, making a small puddle on a piece of glass, lay it flat, and let it cure for a day or two. If the puddle becomes hard and smooth, it's varnish. If it's wrinkled around the perimeter, it's got some oil in it -- the more wrinkles, the higher proportion of oil to varnish. The more oil, the less protection it will provide and the less film you will be able to build. Oil-varnish finishes are meant to be "in the wood" finishes, not film finishes.

Most teak is not factory oiled, it's lacquered with a very flat lacquer. It's a common misconception that this is actually "oiled."

Now as far as "slapping on some poly*" (my words, not yours, you said "painted"), it's not really a good idea. Yes, teak has oils that interfere with finishes and their adhesion. Veneers and plywood are less oily than solid woods (most table tops are made of veneer). Hopefully the existing finish has sealed in most of it. But poly already has a hard time sticking to something else, particularly, if the poly is applied too thickly*. And if anyone has ever used Pledge furniture polish on it (likely so over the last 50 years), the silicone oil will cause the poly to fish eye like crazy.

When I've refinished teak, I've stripped of what was there. Immediately before applying the first coat of finish, I wipe with a rag soaked in acetone to remove any wood oils. Then I apply a couple of coats of dewaxed shellac. This will seal in any silicone oil. Shellac works well on oily woods and also becomes a barrier coat for whatever finish I want to put on top of that. Shellac also brings out a lot of chatoyance in the wood.

I'd recommend loving it for what it is, treating it gently, and when that 50 year old finish is ready to go (which it may be already), stripping and finishing with a stronger film finish.
Related Discussions
refinishing teak dining chairs
Q
Comments (1)
You can apply a lacquer to your chairs....but be aware that lacquer is much more fragile than a teak oil finish. the reason why teak is so prized as a furniture wood is because of the natural oils in the wood, resistance to staining etc. However the lacquer finish you put on will show marks and rings. Chairs are not so likely to show rings and marks.....so If you like the table, go with the same on the chairs. formby's contains a stain I believe.....don't think you want that at all.
...See More
Scratch in teak dining table
Q
Comments (1)
I depends on the extent of the damage. See the article below. And please throw away the Pledge. It causes nightmares for refinishing and repairs. Here is a link that might be useful: Fixing color damage
...See More
Teak laminate dining table cleaning
Q
Comments (4)
I avoid orange oil like the plague...hd a cleaning lady that made a mess of many finishes with it. Is there a finish on the teak? Often there isn't...but if there is I suggest a good paste wax coating and then you don't need to clean with much but a very slightly damp cloth. of perhaps a tiny bit of pledge sprayed on the cloth to hold the dust. If you spill something icky a little water or mild soap and water will be ok but you will then likely have to re wax the spot. a good coating of a carnuaba based was should last 6 months. And the fact that the guy at the store even suggested orange oil makes me leery of anything he says.
...See More
Unfinished Indoor Teak Dining Table Care and Maintenance
Q
Comments (2)
I would probably wipe with a cloth dampened in acetone (outdoors). This will probably pull off most of the oils. You may need to clean then with a weak solution of dish detergent on and water on a damp rag if any water-soluble stains exist. Then a light sanding when dry. If you choose the "unfinished" look, you'll have to repeat once in a while. That is two of the three objectives of finishing -- beautify, protect, and provide a cleanable surface. Teak oil is not one thing, it's whatever the manufacturer wants to call it. It is not oil derived from teak wood, it's either a non-curing mineral oil, a curing common oil like linseed, a varnish, or a blend of both linseed oil and varnish. Just be sure to wipe off the excess after applying. https://www.popularwoodworking.com/feb15/teak-oil-oil-doesnt-exist/ https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/teak-oil-what-is-it/
...See More
joannbm
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you to both for your advise. This helps me a lot. WIthout your input, I'm sure I would have had a real mess on my hands and a ruined table.
potty
11 years ago
You could use pure Tung Oil, I use it on my teak floors and love it. Put it on raw wood, let it sit for 40 min then wipe off. Just mix 50/50 with mineral spirits. Let dry overnight and do it again until the wood stops soaking up the tung oil.
joseph004
11 years ago
I agree with lazygardens.Teak oils are specially designed products to keep the teak strong and beautiful. Use an oil such as Teak Guard to treat the teak with oil. Apply the oil to a clean and dry teak surface by wiping the wood with a rag soaked in the oil. Apply as many coats as the label of the product directs or until the teak has acquired the color you want.

This post was edited by joseph004 on Mon, Mar 25, 13 at 3:44
RobertCO
9 years ago
Another question on teak...my wife recently purchased a teak dining room table from Crate and Barrel. The model is called Terravida with Grey Wash. It's made of reclaimed teak and comes with what appears to be a water based stain. Several reviews on the Crate and Barrel website complain how easily the water based finish is damaged.

Any recommendations for sealant? I've done some online research and it looks like teak can be challenging to seal due to oils in the wood. The manufacturer's care says "Do not use waxes in the form of liquids, aerosols, or sprays." However, one reviewer says bees wax works well.