Using Teak Garden Furniture Indoors
Most people assume garden furniture belongs outside, full stop, and that anything meant for a conservatory or garden room is a different category altogether. Teak elegantly breaks that rule. Take it out of the rain and put it under glass, and it doesn’t just look stunning; but it’ll also retain its golden hue for longer than it would outdoors.
That’s not a coincidence. It comes down to what teak actually is: a dense, oil-rich hardwood that our teak care guide explains in more depth. Ours is carefully selected Grade A heartwood, the very best teak available.
Teak Suits a Conservatory or Orangery
A glazed room is a tougher environment for furniture than most people expect: strong light shining through the glass, wide temperature swings between afternoon and night, and humidity that rises and falls with the seasons. Softwoods and lower-grade hardwoods move a lot under that pressure, and the joints are where it shows.
Teak, however, is dense, close-grained and rich in natural oils and silica, which makes it unusually stable. We use only carefully selected Grade A heartwood, and every piece is kiln-dried to between 10% and 15% moisture content, the range suited to the British climate, which helps prevent shrinkage and splitting around the joints.
As a caveat: the one thing to avoid is placing teak directly next to a radiator, wood burner or heater vent. Very dry, direct heat draws moisture out of any timber faster than it can adjust, which can open up checking on the end grain.
Teak Keeps Its Colour Longer Under Glass
This is the part that surprises people. Outdoors, sunlight and rain together turn teak from golden brown to silver-grey. Indoors, with no rain to wash the surface, it doesn’t silver (as quickly) in the same way, and any change occurs much more slowly.
So, if you like the honey tone and have been put off teak because you expected it to grey, a conservatory or garden room is where it will hold that colour longest, with no oil and no sealant involved.
Sunlight still plays a part, though. Glass filters out some UV light but not all of it, so teak that sits in direct sun will gradually lighten. In a conservatory or orangery the sun moves across the room through the day, which means one chair, one end of a table or one side of a sofa may catch far more of it than the rest. Over time, that can leave pieces, or parts of a piece, slightly different in tone.
It’s easy to manage. Rotate furniture every few months so each piece gets a similar share of the light, and move vases, lamps and table runners now and then so they don’t leave a darker outline on the surface beneath. Blinds on the sunniest side of the room help too. Remember, any difference is cosmetic and has no effect on the strength of the timber.
What a Glazed Room Does to Furniture
Sunlight and Light Levels
A glazed room lets in far more direct sunlight than an ordinary room. Teak copes well in this environment, lightening gradually where the sun falls rather than degrading.
Heat and Humidity
Temperature and humidity swings make timber move. Teak's oil content limits movement, and proper kiln drying does the rest. You may still see occasional checking on the end grain, which is the grain opening and closing with the conditions, and is entirely normal.
Teak or Rattan for a Glazed Room
Rattan and wicker dominate conservatory furnishing, and there is nothing wrong with either. But they are a different proposition, and it is worth comparing honestly.
| Grade A teak | Rattan or wicker | Upholstered indoor furniture | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong light | Lightens slowly, no structural effect | Can become brittle over time | Fabric fades |
| Humidity | Stable, high natural oil content | Varies by construction | Can hold moisture |
| Moves outside | Yes, freely | Usually not advisable | No |
| Upkeep | An occasional wipe indoors; a light soapy wash once or twice a year outside | Depends on the weave | Cleaning and covers |
| Expected life | Decades | Up to 10 years | Up to 10 years |
The practical difference is that teak is the only one of the three you can carry out onto the terrace in July and leave there. In a room with bi-fold or folding doors, that difference is really important.
Caring for Teak Kept Indoors
You’ll need to worry less about indoor maintenance, occasionally wiping with a dry or slightly damp cloth.
Food and drink need a little more care. Because our teak has no varnish or sealant on its surface, it is naturally absorbent, so grease from butter, cooking oil, dressings and sauces can soak in and leave a mark, as can red wine and coffee if they’re left to sit. Wipe spills straight away with a damp cloth and a little mild soapy water, and use placemats and coasters on dining and side tables. Some of our customers have also protected their teak furniture with a toughened glass top.
It can be tempting to seal a dining table against spills, but as with furniture kept outside, we don’t recommend oil, wax or any other sealant on Grade A heartwood teak indoors either. It isn’t needed to protect the wood, and once applied it needs regular reapplying, can trap dirt, and tends to wear unevenly, leaving the surface patchy.
As a last resort, as the teak is not sealed, the surface can be lightly sanded to remove any stubborn stains.
Also note, our warranty is void on products that have been oiled, waxed or sealed.
Teak Indoors: FAQs
Can you use garden furniture indoors?
Yes. Teak garden furniture is well suited to indoor use, particularly in a conservatory, orangery or garden room. Sheltered from rain, it keeps its golden colour far longer than it would outside, though pieces in direct sun will still lighten gradually.
Will teak fade in a conservatory?
It will lighten gradually where it sits in direct sun, but far more slowly than outdoors, and without rain it won’t turn silver-grey in the same way. Because the sun moves across a conservatory through the day, some pieces may lighten faster than others; rotating them every few months keeps the tone even. The timber’s strength is unaffected either way.
Is teak too heavy for a conservatory floor?
Solid teak is heavy. On a tiled or solid floor, it's not an issue. If you are placing it on a raised or timber floor and are unsure, call us.
Should I wax teak furniture kept indoors?
No. We don’t recommend wax, oil or any other sealant on Grade A heartwood teak, whether it’s kept indoors or outside. It isn’t needed to protect the wood, and once applied it needs regular reapplying and tends to wear unevenly.
Will food and drink stain teak?
They can. Unsealed teak is naturally absorbent, so butter, cooking oil and sauces, along with red wine and coffee, can leave marks if they’re left to sit. Wipe spills straight away with a damp cloth and mild soapy water, and use placemats and coasters.
Can the same furniture be used inside and out?
Yes. Our ranges are designed for both, which suits rooms with bi-fold doors where furniture moves with the weather.
Are the cushions suitable for a sunny conservatory?
Our cushion covers are Olefin fabric with UV colour fastness and stain resistance. They are showerproof rather than waterproof. Cushions carry a one-year supplier guarantee rather than our ten-year teak guarantee.