In an ideal world, you would have plenty of space to bring your garden furniture indoors over the winter. However, this isn’t a reality for most people, and long hours spent in the sun and rain will all take their toll on your garden furniture.
Well cared for, wooden garden furniture has the potential to last for decades, if not a lifetime. With that said, what should you do if your garden furniture already needs refreshing to bring it back to its former glory?
Bring The Furniture Back To Life
Wooden garden furniture is often left outdoors for the year’s entirety. If left uncared for, the weather could cause the timber to have a silver-grey sheen. Many people refer to this phenomenon as slivering. To bring the wood back to life, you should remove excess dirt and cobwebs with a non-metallic brush.
You can then use a four-step garden furniture treatment. We recommend the Organowood system, which includes a powerful cleaner, flame and rot protection, dirt and water repellent, and end grain sealing wax. These restore the timber and protect it from future degradation. The treatment series uses natural ingredients for treating hardwood and softwood timber species such as Swedish redwood, teak, pine, larch, cedar, and spruce.
For the best results, always apply the cleaning products and treatments with a brush or rag, following the grain of the wood. Removing stubborn slivering may require light sanding with fine-grade sandpaper. After using the cleaner, make sure the surface is completely dry before applying the treatments, even if this means leaving the garden furniture to dry overnight.
Styling & Making Your Own
Most wood species, including Swedish redwood, will take a stain if you want to change the colour. Stains let you colour garden furniture to your tastes and can often bring all the wood in your garden into uniformity. Several coats will be required, and you should lightly sand the first coat before applying the second. Negating the sanding step increases the risk that the second coat will not bond with the first, resulting in flaking.
You should apply the stain first and then use the wood preservatives and repellents. Once all steps are complete, you should leave the garden chairs, picnic bench, or patio coffee table for 24 to 36 hours before sitting on or using them.
To further make your garden space your own, you can add soft furnishings such as fabric cushions. If you have these products already, then they may also need refreshing. It would be best if you tackled soft furnishings by hoovering them first and then using upholstery shampoo. It is best to tackle this job on a sunny day so that mildew does not form on the fabric. If you keep your cushions in a storage box, ensure they are completely dry before packing them away.
You can order your wooden garden furniture treatments on our website, browse our garden furniture range, or contact our team for further advice.