Materials & Care

Our furniture is manufactured from Iroko timber, also known as African Teak, which originates from West Africa.

It is a hardwood which is naturally

• – Tough, dense, durable.
• – Resistant to rot, decay and infestation and does not require any preservative treatment.

The timber is seasoned and cured(kilned) to insure it performs optimally for its intended purpose making it suitable for the manufacturing of outdoor furniture. Its beauty is accentuated in its straight interlocking grain which varies in color from golden-yellow to dark brown.

| Protection/Treatment/Finish

We offer a few different finishes but generally, each piece of furniture has been sealed/coated with a coat of oil prior to leaving the factory. This initial coat of oil will assist the timber to climatize to its new environment while protecting and sealing it against UV, water penetration and leaching, only for a short period of time. It is important to note that that the oil allows the timber to breath and move naturally while protecting it. Therefor slight movement on joins could/should be expected while the timber adjusts to its environment. Timber is a natural product which react to its environment.

It then becomes the customer/clients/owner’s choice and responsibility to maintain and care for it depending on their requirement and expectation.

Alternatively a more industrial sealer like a varnish could be applied by request, especially where exposed conditions are extreme/excessive.

Although Iroko requires no treatment we recommend regular maintenance and care for optimal performance, longevity and aesthetical appearance by recoating/reapplying any of our products or any other product suitable of your choice as frequently as needed.

Any outdoor oil/varnish or sealant suitable for exterior use on timber can be applied providing you follow the instructions of the product.

We strongly recommend your furniture to be stored or covered with outdoor pvc covers during the rainier/wetter months when not in use for long periods.

|Cleaning

Use a damp cloth to wipe with mild detergents, avoid any furniture polishes and products containing ammonia.

|What happens when I don’t maintain/oil/varnish the furniture

You will notice the timber of your piece of furniture varies in colour from light yellow to brown when you receive it. This is to be expected as this is the typical natural character of Iroko. As soon as the timber comes into contact with UV a chemical reaction known as oxidation start to take place. The timber will over time start to change colour depending on the intensity and exposure to UV. Over time you will notice that the timber will start to fade to a softer/blonder colour and eventually age gracefully to a silver-grey patina. This could take anything from 6-12 months when fully outdoors, and possibly never when undercover.

During this period, it is expected that the timber will react and move according to its environment with the risk of slight surface cracking/checking. It will also appear dry and ruff to the touch. Although this appearance is only aesthetic it should not lead to any structural defects within the 3 year warrantee period.

At any stage during this period you can restore the timber to its natural beauty by applying maintenance.

| When is maintenance required?

Regular maintenance and care is required for optimal performance and longevity. The maintenance intervals will be determined by the exposure to the outdoor elements. Given the above it is the client’s responsibility to monitor the behavior and change in appearance of the timber. Fiber or grain lifting, surface cracking/checking, excessive movement and color change are all signs of ageing/drying and an indication that maintenance is due. The method of maintenance and intensity will depend on the neglect of maintenance. Given early prevention the maintenance could be as simple as just re applying a coat of oil/varnish of your choice over the previous coat, without any sanding. But given neglect it will require more intensive and aggressive sanding by hand or machine before re applying another coat of oil/varnish.

|Sealant/Coatings

There are quite a lot of products on the market that can be used to protect your timber furniture. The information and choices are quite overwhelming. Here’s our take on it.

|Oils

We recommend using oils as this gives you the most natural finish while allowing the timber to breathe and move naturally while protecting against UV and water penetration. Oils penetrate and are absorbed into the surface leaving you with a matt finish. The only negative is that the oil does not last as long, and the maintenance intervals are more frequent compared to varnishes. Anything from 1-3 times a year, depending on the environment and exposure. The secret is to apply oil as frequently as possible or as soon as the timber appears dry. Given early prevention it will only require minimal effort by applying another coat of oil by cloth or brush. Please ensure that you wipe any access oil off that is not absorbed by the timber. Leaving excessive oil behind will cause it to dry to a sticky residue which will be difficult to remove leaving your furniture looking tacky.

Given more neglect it will require more aggressive labor by sanding it down by hand or machine before re coating.

|Varnishes (Water/Polyurethane based)

Varnishes are a more industrial sealant which forms a protective film on the outside of the timbers surface, usually leaving it with a satin or gloss finish. It also restricts the movement of the timber while protecting it against UV and water penetration. The positive of varnishes is the prolonged maintenance intervals. The negative is that although it has been sealed there is a possibility that the protective film caused by the varnish can crack due to timber movement and then water gets trapped under the varnishes surface. This causes the varnish to blister/ flake and peal and appear blotchy which will require you to strip it down by aggressive sanding before re applying another coat.

|General maintenance steps given early prevention

Given all the information above regardless of what sealer you have used these general steps will apply before you re apply any sealant.

• – Remove all cushions.
• – Protect all rope / stone and aluminum by masking tape so that you don’t damage, scratch or mess sealant all over it.
• – Remove all dust/debris and re apply a coat of sealer and leave to dry.
• – Remove masking tape and replace cushions.

General maintenance steps given neglect

Given all the information above regardless of what sealer you have used these general steps will apply before you re apply any sealant.

• – Remove all cushions.
• – Protect all rope / stone and aluminum by masking tape so that you don’t damage, scratch or mess sealant all over it.
• – Sand down timber by using 80 grit sandpaper either by hand or with a machine until the natural colour of the timber is exposed and all sealant is removed.
• – Finish sanding to a smooth finish using 150 grit sandpaper.
• – Remove all dust, apply the sealant, and leave to dry.
• – Remove masking tape and replace cushions.

Warranty/Guarantee

Materials
We offer a 3-year limited guarantee against the material. There are no guarantees/ warrantees against minor cracks or movement, unless the structural integrity has been undermined and the furniture is unfit/unsafe for its purpose.

Workmanship
We offer a 3-year limited guarantee against workmanship. Faulty or bad workmanship is generally when the joinery becomes defective or loose and unfit for it purpose due to workmanship and not wear and tear or mishandling and care.

Please note that we will not cover failure caused by extreme weather and climate conditions and misuse or negligence or any act of nature. NB. Our timber has been seasoned and cured to perform optimal in normal/ acceptable outdoor climate conditions and not in areas with extreme arid/wet/dry/humidity conditions and where daily temperatures could vary 30 degrees from day to night. It is the client’s responsibility to familiarize themselves with the environment where the furniture will be placed. These dry/wet and extreme conditions will put pressure on the timber and coating/ sealant which could result in excessive movement/cracking which could affect the structural integrity. In these cases, we recommend more frequent maintenance of oiling or varnishing to reduce the risk. We also do not guarantee against any damages caused by misuse, handling, inadequate storage and where furniture becomes faulty due to use on uneven surfaces such as paving, floors and surfaces.