Teak Material Properties
Every piece of teak Gloster uses originates from plantations. About 80% of this is from government owned plantations on the Indonesian island of Java and the balance from FSC certified plantations outside Indonesia. Contrary to popular belief, teak furniture does not require any special maintenance routine or any additional protection apart from occasional cleaning. Left to age naturally outside, teak will gradually change to a soft, silver-grey as the pigments in the surface layer of the wood begin to fade away. We recommend that you allow your teak furniture to weather naturally this way and simply clean thoroughly once or twice a year with Gloster Teak & Upholstery Cleaner.

Teak furniture may also benefit from an occasional light sanding to remove any raised grain and restore a smooth finish to the surface. Under no circumstances should a power washer be used to clean teak furniture.

If you wish to retain the golden-brown color of new teak we also offer Gloster Teak Sealer. Application of Teak Sealer will not affect the strength or longevity of the furniture in any way, just its appearance. If you elect to use Teak Sealer you will be embarking on a regular maintenance programe as Teak Sealer needs to be regularly re-applied to provide continuous protection.

If you intend to store your furniture over the winter, we recommend that you do so in a water-tight garden shed or garage. However, we advise that you do not move teak furniture from the garden straight into a heated indoor room for storage, as the sharp differences in temperature and humidity may cause the wood to split.

To protect teak surfaces from staining and to help maintain the silver-grey patina on weathered teak, we recommend using Gloster Teak & Upholstery Stain Protector. Gloster Teak Protector creates an almost invisible shield which helps to prevent food (coffee, ketchup, red wine, olive oil, etc.) penetrating into the teak and causing unsightly stains. Teak Protector also helps protects the wood against the ingress of moisture, the adhesion of dirt and prevents mildew growth.

Cleaning Teak
Gloster Teak & Upholstery Cleaner - 25oz / 750ml plastic bottle with trigger-action head. Water-based formula - both non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Cleans and brightens weathered teak in one, simple step. Each bottle is supplied complete with a special applicator pad. Teak is a beautiful golden brown, close- grained hardwood with a high natural oil content. Exceptionally hard wearing, highly resistant to rotting and almost impervious to the effects of sun, rain, frost or snow, teak is the first choice timber for outdoor furniture. It is recommended that you clean teak furniture thoroughly once or twice a year.

Protecting Teak
Gloster Teak & Upholstery Stain Protector - 33oz / 1 liter plastic bottle. Water-based formula - both non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Special formula repels water and moisture. Helps prevent stains from food and drinks. Use on weathered teak to retain the silver-grey patina. Each bottle is supplied complete with a special applicator cloth. It is recommended that you treat your teak furniture with Teak Protector at least once every year. Tabletops should be treated more often.

Sealing Teak
Gloster Teak Sealer - 25oz / 750ml plastic bottle with trigger-action head. Water-based formula - both non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Cleans and brightens weathered teak in one, simple step. Each bottle is supplied complete with a special applicator pad. It is recommended that you treat your furniture with Teak Sealer at least once a year.

Cleaning Cushions
One of the best ways to keep cushions looking good and to delay the need for deep cleaning is to properly maintain the fabric cushion cover. This can be accomplished by simply brushing off dirt before it becomes embedded, wiping up spills as soon as they occur or spot cleaning soon after stains occur. Cushion covers should always be removed from the cushion filling prior to any cleaning. Cushions should be stored in a dry location when not in use. Read our Gloster Cushion Fabrics Care & Maintenance Fact Sheet.

General Tips
DO NOT dry clean
DO NOT use bleach
DO NOT use aggressive detergents
DO NOT iron or steam iron
DO NOT tumble dry

Woven Furniture Material Properties
Gloster woven furniture is made from a polyethylene (PE) plastic material. Practical and soft to the touch, this material has many benefits including high suppleness, tear resistance, UV resistance and weather resistance. The colored material is extruded through a shaped die to form the final fibre shape. The finished extruded and through-dyed wicker is completely weatherproof as well as being colorfast, extremely hard wearing and easy to clean. The wicker is resistant to chlorine, salt water, tanning lotions and oils. Gloster uses a more textured, thicker type of wicker than most other manufacturers. Although this wicker is harder to weave, it is stronger, more resistant to tension, tearing and splitting, wears better and gives a more natural feel to the product.

The basic structure of a woven item is made from a fully welded, powder-coated aluminium frame. Once welded, the entire frame is electro-statically powder coated in a tough, smooth finish that matches the color of the wicker. This way, the frame is fully protected against corrosion and becomes virtually invisible once it has been woven over. Woven furniture can be left outside all year round and is able to withstand temperatures from -20°C to +55°C (-4°F to 131°F). When very cold, the weave will become stiffer than normal and when very hot, the weave will become more elastic. However, it will always revert to its normal elasticity, once the ambient temperature stabilizes.

Cleaning Woven Furniture
We recommend that woven furniture is regularly cleaned using a solution of 1:16 mild detergent to lukewarm water (less than 100°F/40°C). Thoroughly soak the wicker with the cleaning solution and gently agitate with a soft bristle brush to remove any ingrained dirt. Once suitably cleaned, wash away the cleaning solution using cold water. A pressure hose on a low setting is acceptable to use on woven furniture, but avoid any teak components, as the high pressure can erode the surface of the timber. It is important to remove all traces of foam from the wicker, as any left-over foam will leave a residue in the gaps in-between the weave which can then attract dirt. Dry any splashes on metal or teak frames to avoid water stains.

Repairing
Scratch marks or abrasion to the edges of the fiber can be repaired by very briefly and carefully applying heat (i.e. the flame of a cigarette lighter) to the affected area and rubbing along the length of the fiber with a piece of hard cardboard to restore a smooth edge. This can be a tricky procedure to perfect, so we suggest you try a couple of test runs on an area of wicker that is hidden from view – i.e. on the underside of the furniture. If fibers are accidentally cut or broken, a piece of furniture can generally be repaired successfully by removing the broken section of wicker and carefully weaving in a new strip.

Bottom Frame Material Properties
Aluminum is a light and tough metal with an excellent strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance - making it an ideal material for outdoor furniture.

The corrosion resistance of Gloster's aluminum furniture is enhanced by pre-treating the aluminum extrusions with a chrome conversion coating that deposits a thin layer of chrome on the surface. The treated frame is subsequently coated with an electro-statically applied, powder coat finish. The electro-static application method ensures 100% coverage of the metal's surface area and provides a consistent and tough finish that far exceeds other conventional paint finishes. The resulting finish is knock and scratch resistant, impervious to moisture, highly resistant to corrosion and easy to clean.