Journal · Care · 4 min read
How to Care for Teak Furniture Indoors
A soft cloth, a quick hand with spills and a spot away from the sun do most of it. The rest is written here.
A solid teak table asks for less than almost anything else in the house. Dust it, wipe a spill before it sits, keep it out of the afternoon sun, and once or twice a year give it a little oil. The wood does the rest. Teak is dense, straight-grained and rich in its own oils, which is why it shrugs off the humidity of a tropical home. A table bought this year will still be in the family decades from now.
The Weekly Routine
Dust with a soft, dry cloth, following the grain. A barely damp cloth lifts fingerprints and the film a kitchen leaves on a dining table; dry it straight after with another cloth. That is the whole weekly routine. No sprays, no polish, no abrasive pads: silicone sprays and wax polishes leave a build-up that dulls the surface and makes later oiling patchy. A scouring pad scratches a finish that was sanded smooth.
Spills, Heat and Scratches
Wipe spills at once. Teak resists water better than most woods, but a wet glass left overnight or a hot dish straight from the stove can still mark the finish. Use coasters under glasses and mats or trivets under anything hot or wet, especially on a dining table in daily use.
A small mark in solid teak is rarely the end of anything: the wood is solid all the way through, so a marked finish can usually be put right. Send customer care a photograph before trying anything on it yourself.
Sun, air and the colour of teak
Teak changes colour as it lives with light, slowly deepening and warming over the years. That is the wood, not wear, and you would not want to stop it. What you can do is keep the change even: a table half in strong sun for years will show the line.
Keep teak out of direct afternoon sun and away from the air-conditioning vent, where cold dry air meets warm wet air every day. Our teak is kiln dried to below 12% moisture before it is worked, so it stays stable in a tropical home, and even exposure keeps the tone consistent.
Oil, Once or Twice a Year
Indoors, teak does not need oiling to survive; it needs it to look its best. Once or twice a year, after dusting, work a clear furniture oil into the surface with a soft cloth, following the grain, and wipe off the excess after a few minutes. The grain comes up a shade deeper and the surface feels silky again. A dining table under a window, like the Dado Dining Table in a bright room, may ask for it twice; a sideboard in a shaded hall is happy with once.
Teak in the bathroom lives by a different rule. Our bath pieces are marine teak, solid teak with a protective coating for wet rooms. Rinse them with fresh water after use and let them dry in the air. Wash them now and then with mild soap and a soft brush, never bleach. Give them a light coat of teak oil once or twice a year.
What Is Not a Fault
Grain and tone differ from piece to piece, and from board to board within one tabletop; a top made from several boards shows each board's own figure. That variation is the signature of solid teak, and it is what the oil brings out. The colour deepening with the years is the same story. A cushion that settles and a top that darkens where the afternoon light falls are the materials living in the house, not faults in them.
Practical Questions
Can I use a household cleaner on teak?
No. Water on a barely damp cloth does almost everything; for a deeper clean use a product made for sealed wood, tested first on a hidden spot. No silicone sprays, wax polishes or abrasive pads.
How do I stop my teak table from changing colour?
You cannot stop it entirely, and the change is part of the wood. Keep it out of direct sun and let the whole surface see the same light, so the colour deepens evenly.
How often should teak be oiled indoors?
Once or twice a year with a clear furniture oil, after dusting. More often in a room with strong sun, less in a shaded one; the surface tells you when it looks dry.
Planning a Full Home?
We can help with layouts, materials and pieces that work together.
