Let’s face it. The outdoors have taken on a new importance in American homes. It wasn’t so long ago that the indoors and outdoors existed separately and some homes didn’t even have an outdoor entertainment space, such as a patio or deck.
How times have changed. Today, few homes would even think of not having a deck, patio, balcony or porch where you can enjoy a warm summer day with friends and family.
In many ways, this area has simply become an extension of the inside of the home, particularly when it comes to enjoying a meal. In nearly every respect, outdoor teak dining sets are the equal of interior dining sets. Here, you and your friends can enjoy a sumptuous meal in the great outdoors nearly any time of the year.
In fact, even in colder climes, you can use your outdoor teak dining sets for much of the year, thanks to the addition of UV protected awnings and sails as well as propane heaters and outdoor fireplaces.
The year round popularity of these areas is due additionally to the growth in popularity in outdoor kitchens. These can range from simple barbecue areas to expansive cookeries with built-in ovens and gas ranges.
Outdoor teak dining sets are a natural part of an outdoor kitchen and homeowners have been quick to learn that teak is one of the best choices they could make for an outdoor table and chair set.
As we’ve said, teak is an extremely resilient wood. It can stand up to the harsh elements and it will continue to perform well even if left out in the extreme winter weather experienced by some parts of the country. Over time it will turn a silvery gray or you can choose to re-oil it every year or so, whenever it starts to turn color and restore it back to its original look.
That said, you can preserve the look of your outdoor teak dining sets further by keeping them covered during the winter months. There is a wide range of covers out there to provide protection. Before you get your outdoor teak dining sets ready for a long winter’s nap, you will want to clean the furniture thoroughly and let it dry completely. Remove all the cushions and put them in a dry place. Don’t cover your furniture too tightly. You want it to be able to breath. If you wish, you can set your table and chairs up on blocks to keep them out of standing water, but teak really isn’t that absorbent, thanks to the natural oils and tight grain.
If you have leaves in your table, you may want to leave them in rather than remove them for storage. While it would seem like a no-brainer to make the table as small as possible for off-season storage, you want all of the furniture to weather the same way. If you store the leave separately, you may find that they are a very different color than the rest of your outdoor teak dining sets.
The same can be true the rest of the year, too. As anyone who has an indoor dining set with leaves know, if can be quite a surprise when you pull out the leaves and find out that the sun has bleached the table ever so slightly. This effect is magnified even more in the outdoors, especially if you don’t have an awning, covered deck or patio or a sunshade to keep the sun off the furniture. Just remember that the color changes on your furniture is purely cosmetic, and a little re-oiling once a season will restore all the table, chairs and leaves back to their original condition.