Outdoor wood furniture is not only comfortable, but it also adds a great punch to the entire décor on your deck or patio. Outdoor wood furniture is expensive enough so that it is better to maintain it in a good shape for a long time. More on, there is not difficult to take care of your outdoor wood furniture and taking into account the advantages you can consider that the project is quite motivating.
Materials and tools you need
• Scrub brush
• Water hose
• Bucket
• Wood cleaner
• Wood oil
• Clean rags
• Covers
Step 1 – Prepare the furniture
First of all, you have to remove all the cobweb, dried bugs, bird debris and other kind of debris from your furniture. For this use a scrub brush and pass it on all the surfaces of your furniture. Take care to clean the tabletop and the back of the seat, too. Because the dirtiest part of the outdoor furniture is the underneath and the bottom make sure that you will clean these parts properly.
Step 2 – Clean the outdoor furniture
When you buy the wood cleaner make sure that you purchase the right cleaner for your wood type. Fill a bucket with water and then pour some wood cleaner and mix it well. Spray down the furniture with this water to damp it well and start washing the wood using the scrub brush. Use a rag to clean the grooves from the wood, too. Clean every piece very well and pay attention especially to underneath and the top of the furniture. After you have finished washing the wood start to rinse it very well.
Step 3 – Dry the wood furniture
Now you have to dry the wood to dry thoroughly. If the furniture remains damp, there is the risk of damaging it badly because the damp seeps in the wood, and it might cause mold or rot. Use a clean rug to wipe the furniture and then place it in the sun. Let it dry at least 24 hours.
Step 4 – Apply the oil
If the furniture is completely dry you can start applying the wood oil. Rub the oil on the wood surfaces taking care to run it evenly. Let the oil soak in the wood and then wipe off the excess.
Step 5 – Check the wood and the hardware
It is a very good idea to inspect the hardware of your outdoor furniture regularly. Check all the brackets and screws. If you notice that some screws are loosened use a screwdriver and tighten them. If some of the brackets or screws are damaged replace them.
Step 6 – Cover and protect the outdoor furniture
The seat and table covers have an important part when it comes about outdoor wood furniture. It is true that this type of furniture is very expensive and the proper covers for it increase the costs, but they are really necessary if you want to maintain your outdoor furniture in a good shape longer time. These covers prevent the rain to seep in the wood and to cause mold and rot.