Much of the mid-century teak on the market dates from the 1950s to the 1970s. Many of these pieces are worth keeping, and many need less work than their owners expect. Most can be cleaned, repaired, and refinished. The approach depends on how the piece was built and what finish it has, so start there. The order that works for most pieces is: identify the piece, test the finish, clean, repair, sand only if needed, and then finish.
Can old teak furniture be restored?
Usually, yes. A full strip is not always needed, though. A rushed strip can remove a maker’s label or stamp, and those add value. Check the piece before you decide how much work it needs.
Identify the maker and the construction
Knowing who made a piece tells you what finish to expect and how carefully to work. Two makers come up often in restoration questions.
Nathan pieces
Nathan is a British furniture maker, founded in London in 1916 by Barnett Nathan. It is known for teak ranges from the 1950s to the 1970s, including the “Squares” and “Circles” lines. Lacquer was a common finish on Nathan pieces, so test the finish before you choose a method.
Fler pieces
Fler is an Australian maker, founded in Melbourne in 1947 by Fred Lowen and Ernest Rodeck. The name combines their initials, FL and ER. Its best-known teak line is the SC range. As with Nathan, lacquer was a common finish, so test first.
Solid teak or veneer?
Don’t assume a mid-century teak piece is solid. For general checks that work on any piece, see how to tell solid wood from veneer furniture. Most case pieces, such as sideboards and cabinets, and many tabletops, are teak veneer over a core of chipboard, blockboard, or plywood. The core is usually edged and legged with solid teak. Vintage veneer is often only about 0.5 to 0.9 mm thick, and it is easy to sand through.
Look at the edges of tops and doors, and at any chips or lifted areas. A chipped edge or a lifted corner often shows a thin layer of teak over a different core. A solid edge looks like teak all the way through.
Keep labels and stamps
Makers’ labels and stamps often sit on the underside, on the back, or inside drawers. Mask them before you strip, sand, or clean heavily. They add value, and a rushed job can remove them.
Test the finish before you touch it
Choose a hidden spot, such as the underside of a tabletop or the back of a leg. Dampen a cotton swab with denatured alcohol and rub a small area. Alcohol softens shellac. If nothing happens, try the same test with lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner softens nitrocellulose lacquer. If neither solvent softens the finish, it may be a catalyzed lacquer, which resists both.
The result tells you what the finish will react to, so you know which cleaners and finishes are safe to use. Work in a ventilated space and wear nitrile gloves for these tests.
Clean before you strip
Often you won’t need to strip the piece at all. Start with mineral spirits or naphtha on a gray synthetic pad. Wipe with the grain, and turn the pad often so you aren’t spreading grime around. Let the piece dry. This removes wax, grime, and old polish, and many pieces look much better after this step alone.
After cleaning, a product such as Howard Restor-A-Finish can blend light wear without stripping the finish. Test it on a hidden area first.
For cleaning outdoor teak, including mildew, see how to clean teak furniture without damaging the wood.
Water rings and black rings
A white water ring sits in the finish, so it is usually a finish-level problem. Light work on the finish may be enough. A black ring has darkened the wood itself. That usually calls for oxalic acid, which you should handle with gloves and eye protection.
Repair before you refinish
Fix structural problems before you finish the piece. A new finish can hide a crack, and then the repair is harder to do.
The most common repair on mid-century pieces is lifted veneer. Clean out the old glue, then re-glue the veneer with PVA or hide glue. Press it flat under a caul (a flat board that spreads the clamp pressure), and clamp it. Don’t try to fill the core under a lifted veneer. Re-glue the veneer itself.
Teak’s natural oils weaken glue bonds, so wipe the surfaces with acetone and let it flash off before you glue.
For cracks in solid teak, see how to repair cracks in teak furniture.
Sanding: when you need it and how far to go
Sanding isn’t a default step. Clean first, and sand only if the finish is failing, the surface is damaged, or you want to change the color.
Do you have to sand a table before restaining? Usually, yes, if you want the new stain to take evenly. Stain soaks into bare wood. Over an old film, it can look blotchy or barely change the color. Remove the old finish, or sand it back to bare wood, before you stain. If you only want to deepen the existing color, see how to restain wood furniture without stripping.
On veneer, sand by hand only. Start no coarser than 180 grit, and finish at 220 to 240 grit. Power sanders can cut through veneer quickly, and a worn-through veneer is hard to replace.
Freshly sanded or repaired areas can look lighter than the wood around them. Teak darkens with UV exposure and age, so the match tends to improve over time. Wear a dust mask while you sand, because teak dust is a sensitizer.
Choosing a finish
If the original finish is sound, keep it. If it has to be replaced, choose a finish that suits the piece and how it will be used.
Is it better to oil or varnish teak? For indoor pieces, oil is the usual choice, and it is easy to touch up in small areas. Film finishes such as varnish or lacquer give more protection against spills, but they are harder to match and repair.
Oil
Oil brings out the color and grain of teak. Apply a thin coat, wipe off the excess after 15 to 30 minutes, and let it dry for about 24 hours before the next coat. Three or more coats usually give a good result.
Commercial “teak oil” is a blend of linseed or tung oil, varnish, and solvent. It contains no oil from teak. It adds color, but it gives little surface protection. Oil that isn’t wiped off turns sticky and attracts dirt.
Lacquer and other film finishes
Lacquer sits on top of the wood as a hard film. Matching an existing lacquer takes more preparation than oiling, and a poor match is easy to see. If the piece has lacquer, test it first. Then decide whether a clean and touch-up will do, or whether a full refinish is needed.
Outdoor teak
Outdoor teak needs different care. Many outdoor teak makers advise against oiling, and a sealer is usually the better choice. For the comparison, see is it better to use teak oil or teak sealer.
Common mistakes
- Assuming all mid-century teak is solid. Most case pieces are veneer over a core.
- Thinking “teak oil” is pressed from teak. It is a blend of other oils, varnish, and solvent.
- Stripping everything. Many pieces only need cleaning and a fresh coat of oil.
- Using silicone polish. It causes fisheye in finishes you apply later.
- Power sanding veneer. Sand by hand only, and start no coarser than 180 grit.
- Removing labels and stamps. Mask them before any work.
- Over-oiling. Wipe off the excess. A thick layer stays sticky and collects dust.
What it costs and when to get help
Costs depend on the piece’s condition, the finish you need, and whether you do the work yourself or hire a professional. Prices vary too widely to quote here, but what it costs to restore furniture breaks down the main factors. A clean and re-oil mostly takes time and inexpensive supplies. A full strip, a veneer repair, or a refinish on a large piece takes much longer.
Consider a professional restorer if the piece is valuable, has a label you want to keep, or has badly lifted veneer.
Safety
- Teak dust is a sensitizer. Wear a P2 or N95 mask (or better) when sanding.
- Strippers and solvents should be used in a ventilated space, with chemical-resistant gloves.
- Oily rags can catch fire on their own as they dry. Lay them flat to dry, or keep them in a water-filled metal can.
- Never mix bleach with ammonia or acid cleaners.