Teakwood Care and Maintence

Teak (tectona grandis), is a durable hardwood, performs beautifully in any climate. Teak is the very best you can buy for outdoor uses because it is resistant to water damage and severe weather, and will never rot. Teak is known as the ultimate in durability of outdoor furnitures.

Teak is one of the most popular styles of furniture on the market. A teak wood furniture is a magnificent accent to your home or garden. It's no wonder that so many people are choosing teak for their outdoor garden furnitures.

Often when people hear the word teak, they tend to think of a tropical rainforest but this is actually not where teak grows. The hardwood teak tree is actually found in South-East Asia. Teak is a fantastic material choice for outdoor furniture especially in areas of extreme climates. The natural oil in teak assists in the prevention of rotting. Teak wood is a close grained and extremely durable wood. It is a yellowish brown color. You can always feel confident about your purchase when you choose teak garden furniture.

There is many reasons that teak is among the most popular wood varieties for outdoor furniture. First, teak is a naturally beautiful wood and looks great in any location. Plus, it looks great stained or left natural. People like having the option to leave it natural and still have a great looking wood. Second, teak is very durable and will last you an entire lifetime. When most people purchase outdoor furniture they want to be assured it will last them a very long time. A teak furniture can offer you this assurance. Thirdly, teak can withstand the harshest of climates and weather conditions

Teak is extremely dense-grained and highly resistant to rot, warping, shrinkage and swelling. Its high natural oil content acts as a natural preservative to the wood so it can be left outdoors for decades.

How durable is teak? The first outdoor teak benches were made of recycled decking from old sailing ships. Many public parks in England are furnished with such teak benches, some of which are nearly a century old.

Teak is comfort and beauty

Teak is very smooth to the touch and does not splinter. It remains very neutral in temperature compared to plastic or metal furniture and has a faint, pleasant aromatic smell.

Most teak outdoor furniture is typically classic in design with clean architectural lines and timeless style. This is an important attribute for something you could expect to have on your patio for the next decade

Teak wood has been renowned for centuries for its attractive appearance and ability to withstand either tropical Asian or temperate European and American climates. Teak wood combines both these characteristics, a rich, satisfying appearance, and a toughness that is unmatched by any other hardwood, to be a solid choice for wood furniture, particularly for outdoor garden furniture and, in a different way, for indoor furniture.

Care to teak wood furnitures

Teak requires no preservatives or treatment of any kind to protect it from the elements. If left outside without oil then the natural teak will gradually turn a light silver gray color over time. You will begin to notice the "graying" after 3 months or so, depending upon the amount of sun and rain the furniture is subject to. The "graying" is only on the surface layer and can be removed by cleaning with soapy water and a poly-bristle scrub brush. If you wish to maintain the rich honey color of your garden furniture, you simply utilize a little teak oil 2 or 3 times per year to restore its natural luster.

In order to maintain the new look you will want to treat your furniture. If you choose not to treat your teak it will eventually turn silver and gray. This however will not in any way affect the durability or quality of the wood. It simply depends on which look is preferred. Because it is weather resistant, a teak bench can be left out all year long.

A teak furniture will add style and class to your home or garden. Your friends and family will adore the comfort and quality of your teak furnitures

Wooden Floor Re-finishing

Are your nice hardwood floors not so beautiful anymore? Maybe they just need a refinishing job. It can be a daunting task, but here are some ideas to make it a little easier.

Contrary to what you may have heard, the finish doesn't take days and days to dry. It's quite simple actually. Go to your favorite local home improvement store, Lowe's, Menard's, Home Depot or other. Rent a sander. You'll need a drum sander, a belt sander or both. They will explain to you how to use the machine and tell you what kind of sand paper to purchase. They will also tell you what kind of stain and finish to get. Make sure you also pick up some dust masks because you will have saw dust everywhere.

If your hardwood floors are in dire need of refinishing, get a few estimates from professionals. You may be surprised at the figures. You'll want to sit down when they tell you it will cost you $1200 to have your living room redone. You could carpet over it for less, but doesn't carpeting over beautiful hardwood floors seem, well, wrong?

The sanders are very easy to use. They're a bit on the loud side. The key is to keep it moving at all times. Do not stop or you will get a divot in your wood. Think of it like a clothes iron. You need to keep it moving or you will burn your clothes. Same deal with the sander. It creates a lot of heat and you will burn or dent your floors if you hesitate in one place too long.

You will feel like a Zamboni driver smoothing out your surface. Word of caution, you do need to maintain control of the machine at all times. It is self propelled, like a lawn mower or a basset hound on a leash. When you power it up, hold on to the machine tightly. Don't be afraid of it and after a few

Wooden Floor Re-finishing

Are your nice hardwood floors not so beautiful anymore? Maybe they just need a refinishing job. It can be a daunting task, but here are some ideas to make it a little easier.

Contrary to what you may have heard, the finish doesn't take days and days to dry. It's quite simple actually. Go to your favorite local home improvement store, Lowe's, Menard's, Home Depot or other. Rent a sander. You'll need a drum sander, a belt sander or both. They will explain to you how to use the machine and tell you what kind of sand paper to purchase. They will also tell you what kind of stain and finish to get. Make sure you also pick up some dust masks because you will have saw dust everywhere.

If your hardwood floors are in dire need of refinishing, get a few estimates from professionals. You may be surprised at the figures. You'll want to sit down when they tell you it will cost you $1200 to have your living room redone. You could carpet over it for less, but doesn't carpeting over beautiful hardwood floors seem, well, wrong?

The sanders are very easy to use. They're a bit on the loud side. The key is to keep it moving at all times. Do not stop or you will get a divot in your wood. Think of it like a clothes iron. You need to keep it moving or you will burn your clothes. Same deal with the sander. It creates a lot of heat and you will burn or dent your floors if you hesitate in one place too long.

You will feel like a Zamboni driver smoothing out your surface. Word of caution, you do need to maintain control of the machine at all times. It is self propelled, like a lawn mower or a basset hound on a leash. When you power it up, hold on to the machine tightly. Don't be afraid of it and after a few

Good Therapy Gardening

For most of us garden just for joy. Did you know that all over the country the healing aspects of gardening are being used as therapy or as an adjunct to therapy?

Although this might sound like a new concept, garden therapy has been around for decades. For example, the Garden Therapy Program at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, and in regional hospitals in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Rome, Thomasville and Savannah, has been helping people for over 40 years through gardening activities known as social and therapeutic horticulture.

So what exactly is social and therapeutic horticulture (or garden therapy)?

According to the article Your future starts here: practitioners determine the way ahead from Growth Point (1999) volume 79, pages 4-5, horticultural therapy is the use of plants by a trained professional as a medium through which certain clinically defined goals may be met. Therapeutic horticulture is the process by which individuals may develop well-being using plans and horticulture. This is achieved by active or passive involvement.

Although the physical benefits of garden therapy have not yet been fully realized through research, the overall benefits are almost overwhelming. For starters, gardening therapy programs result in increased elf-esteem and self-confidence for all participants.

Social and therapeutic horticulture also develops social and work skills, literacy and numeric skills, an increased sense of general well-being and the opportunity for social interaction and the development of independence. In some instances it can also lead to employment or further training or education. Obviously different groups will achieve different results.

Groups recovering from major illness or injury, those with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health problems, older people, offenders and those who misuse drugs or alcohol, can all benefit from the therapeutic aspects of gardening as presented through specific therapy related programs. In most cases, those that experience the biggest impact are vulnerable or socially excluded individuals or groups, including the ill, the elderly, and those kept in secure locations, such as hospitals or prisons.

One important benefit to using social and therapeutic horticulture is that traditional forms of communication arent always required. This is particularly important for stroke patients, car accident victims, those with cerebral palsy, aphasia or other illnesses or accidents that hinder verbal communication. Gardening activities lend themselves easily to communicative disabled individuals. This in turn builds teamwork, self-esteem and self-confidence, while encouraging social interaction.

Another group that clearly benefits from social and therapeutic horticulture are those that misuse alcohol or substances and those in prison. Teaching horticulture not only becomes a life skill for these individuals, but also develops a wide range of additional benefits.