Teak restoration, done on site and done properly
Cleaning, sanding, repair and finishing for weathered teak furniture, decking and architectural woodwork across Southern California.
Teak survives outdoors better than almost any timber, which is exactly why it is worth restoring rather than replacing. Its natural oil content and dense, interlocked grain mean that even furniture left untouched for a decade is usually structurally sound under a grey, weathered surface.
A restoration removes that oxidised layer, corrects staining and surface damage, addresses any joinery that has worked loose, and rebuilds a protective finish suited to where the piece actually sits. The result is not a cosmetic wipe-over; it is a reset of the whole surface.
We work as a mobile operation. Furniture, benches, decking and doors are restored at your property with everything around them protected, which avoids transport risk and keeps large or fixed pieces in place.
What we restore
Pieces this service covers
Teak turns up in a lot of places outdoors. The craft is the same; access and handling are what change.
Dining sets and tables
Tabletops take the hardest wear from sun, heat and spills, and usually need the deepest preparation of any piece in a set.
Loungers, chaises and benches
Slatted construction with many edges. Preparation is slow, and it is where shortcuts show first.
Built-in seating and planters
Restored in place, with surrounding hardscape and planting masked before any work starts.
Teak decking and swim platforms
Large horizontal surfaces where levelling and finish uniformity matter most.
Doors, gates and trim
Vertical surfaces where finish failure appears first at the top rail and the sill.
Process
How a teak restoration runs
Every project starts with an assessment: condition of the surface, condition of the structure, and the exposure the piece lives in. That determines the plan and the written quote.
Work then proceeds in sequence. Clean first to remove grit and mildew, because sanding a dirty surface drives contamination into the grain. Sand through progressively finer abrasives to level the eroded surface without over-thinning material. Repair joints, replace failed slats and re-seat fixings. Finish last, in thin coats, wiped back so nothing sits on the surface.
Most residential projects are completed within a few days on site. Larger commercial and multi-property work is phased so the space stays usable.
Finish
Choosing a finish you can live with
Penetrating oils present the grain at its richest and cannot peel, but they want the shortest maintenance interval. Protective sealers with UV inhibitors last longer between visits and look slightly more uniform. Leaving teak clean and bare to silver evenly is also a legitimate choice and needs almost no upkeep.
We make the recommendation based on sun hours, moisture, how the piece is used and how often you want to think about it, then we say what the realistic interval will be rather than quoting a best case.
Teak restoration by location
Each location page covers the conditions, wear patterns and maintenance intervals that apply in that specific area.
Guides on this subject
How to Restore Weathered Teak Furniture
Grey teak is almost always surface oxidation, not damage. Here is the full sequence used to bring it back, and the points where the job usually goes wrong.
Teak Oil vs. Teak Sealer
Oils look richer and want more attention. Sealers hold longer and read more uniform. The right answer depends on exposure and on how often you want to think about it.
How Often Should Teak Furniture Be Refinished?
There is no universal interval. There is a simple test that answers it for your specific furniture in about ten seconds.
Common questions
Is grey teak permanently damaged?
No. Grey is oxidised fibre at the very surface of the wood, usually a fraction of a millimetre deep. Cleaning and light sanding reveal the original tone underneath on almost every piece we see.
Do you work on site?
Yes. The large majority of restorations are completed at your property with surrounding stone, glass and planting fully masked, so nothing has to be transported.
How much does teak restoration cost?
Pricing is quoted after a free assessment because it depends on piece count, condition and finish choice. We give a written figure before any work starts.
Should teak be oiled or sealed?
Oil gives the richest colour and never peels but needs refreshing more often. A sealer holds longer and reads more uniform. We recommend based on the exposure the piece actually lives in.
Can you repair loose joints and cracked slats?
Yes. Joinery repair is part of a full restoration, and it is far better done while the piece is already stripped back than as a separate visit later.
Get your teak assessed at no cost
Send a few details or a photo and we will tell you honestly what the piece needs, including when the answer is that it can wait.
Browse every service area
On-site teak restoration and Ipe deck refinishing across Orange County, Los Angeles County and San Diego County. Every city we serve has its own page.