Types of Wood and Maintenance

Our BALCONY LIVING wooden furniture is of the highest quality wood. We especially focus on the wood types teak, eucalyptus and bamboo. Below you can read more about the types of wood and how you can look after your beautiful new furniture so they last even longer.

See teak right below here, or:
Go to eucalyptus
Go to bamboo

Teak Furniture from BALCONY LIVING

BALCONY LIVING teak furniture is as far as possible: FSC-CERTIFIED and we only use teak from teak plantations where the strict FSC guidelines are followed.This guarantees that the wood is sourced from responsibly and sustainably managed teak plantations. Teak wood is a limited natural ressource therefore the industry has moved on to using sustainable teak, grown on regulated plantations. Our teak comes from teak plantations in Vietnam. These trees are typically smaller than earlier and therefore the texture is also more varied in color and surface compared to previously. Furthermore, we only use Grade A and Grade AB teak in our production. 

Teak is a hardwood that is ideal for outdoor use due to its high oil content.
Our teak furniture is delivered untreated. If the furniture remains untreated, the teakwood will gain patina over time and adapt a pale grey colour. If you wish to retain the original golden colour, we recommend treating your teak furniture with a teak oil. Please note that teakwood is a natural product and thus it will continuously change. This means that small cracks can develop due to drying and that slats can warp slightly.

Regular maintenance and cleaning
If you wish to retain the golden colour, the furniture must be treated with a teak oil on a regular basis. The frequency of the treatments depends on the climate and whether the furniture is placed in a sheltered position, i.e. under a roof. As a general rule, teak table tops should be cleaned and treated at least a couple of times per year.
If your teak furniture becomes silvery-grey or black on the surface, it can be cleaned with a recommended wood cleaner. After cleaning and rinsing thoroughly with water, allow the furniture to dry. When the furniture is completely dry, it is ready to be treated with teak oil. If the furniture has been exposed to the natural elements over an extended period of time and has developed patina, it may be necessary to sand it down before cleaning and treating it. Alternatively, you can use a soap flake solution to saturate the wood so that the furniture does not stain as easily.

Storing
For maximum protection - and to make Spring cleaning easier - there are several ways to properly store your BALCONY LIVING furniture in Autumn and Winter months:
1. It is best to store your furniture indoor throughout the winter.
2. Alternatively, it can be left outside under a furniture cover. However, please note that condensation can form under the furniture cover which can cause mould and mildew. Therefore, make sure to lift the cover away from the furniture to ensure proper air circulation and minimise condensation.

Eucalyptus Furniture from BALCONY LIVING

BALCONY LIVING eucalyptus furniture is the environmental choice. Our furniture is FSC-CERTIFIED, which guarantees that the wood has been sourced with consideration for the nature, animal life and human rights.
Our eucalyptus furniture is delivered oil treated. We recommend treating eucalyptus furniture with a recommended teak tree oil on a regular basis. Please note that eucalyptus wood is a natural product and therefore continues to change. Small cracks can develop due to drying and slats can warp slightly.

Regular maintenance and cleaning
To retain the golden colour, the furniture must be treated with teak oil on a regular basis. The frequency of the treatments depends on the climate and whether the furniture is placed in a sheltered position, i.e. under a roof. As a general rule, eucalyptus table tops should be cleaned and treated at least a couple of times per year.

If your eucalyptus furniture turns red or becomes black on the surface, it can be cleaned with a recommended wood cleaner. After cleaning and rinsing thoroughly with water, allow the furniture to dry. When the furniture is completely dry, it is ready to be treated with teak oil. If the furniture has been exposed to different weather over an extended period of time, and has developed patina, it may be necessary to sand it down before cleaning and treating it. Alternatively, use a soap flake solution to saturate the wood so that the furniture does not stain as easily.

Storing
For maximum protection of your furniture, there are several ways to properly store your BALCONY LIVING furniture in Autumn and Winter months:
- It is best to store your furniture indoor throughout the winter.
- Alternatively, it can be left outside under a cover. However, please note that condensation can form under the cover which can cause mould and mildew. Therefore, make sure to lift the cover away from the furniture fromtime to time, to ensure proper air circulation and minimize condensation.

Bamboo Furniture from BALCONY LIVING

To prolong the lifetime and durability of your new bamboo furniture, we recommend that you treat your furniture with a Wood Protector before using the furniture. Remember that all cleaning and treatment of bamboo should be done in the direction of the fibers. Bamboo is a natural material and the color will gradually diminish slightly in daylight for the first few months.
Therefore, you should leave the surfaces uncovered and free of vases, bowls, etc. for the first few months.

Cleaning
You clean your bamboo furniture with a clean damp cloth. If the surface is not cared for, it will over time become more accessible to dirt, grease and dust. Always clean in the direction of the fibers. If your balcony is close to a main road, dirt from car exhaus gas can stain your furniture, but this can mostly be washed off with a damp cloth. Many also have good experience using vinegar to clean bamboo.

Maintenance
At least once a year, clean your bamboo furniture as described above, and then treat it with a Wood Protector. If you run out, you can buy more on our webshop. Remember to always apply Wood Protector in the direction of the fibers.

Storage
Bamboo should be able to breathe so it can adapt to the humidity. Therefore, you should never cover your bamboo furniture with airtight materials such as plastic for more than 12 hours at a time. You should also not store your bamboo furniture where there is changing humidity as this could result in cracks in the bamboo. Therefore, avoid unheated basements, lofts, sheds, etc. Also protect your furniture from heat sources such as radiators.

If you don’t treat your bamboo furniture correct
If you do not treat your bamboo furniture correct, it will lose the yellow color and take on a more greyish patina. It may also result in cracks in the bamboo.

General advice for the care of bamboo furniture
- Cleaning, sanding and other treatments of bamboo should always be done in the direction of the fibers.
- Avoid placing hot and humid things directly on the bamboo as it may cause stains.
- Avoid placing your bamboo furniture close to strong heat sources as this may affect the material.
- Bamboo should not be covered with airtight materials for extended periods, because this can lead to cracks.