CARE and MAINTENANCE
At CO9 Design, we know that the furniture showroom and real life are very different. Picture perfect and the perfect picture are hardly the same things, what with changing weather conditions, the joys of children and pets, and everyday entertaining making an impact. With these helpful tips for care and maintenance, you can enjoy your furniture for a lifetime.
TEAK FURNITURE
Let’s Talk About Teak
Teak is a deciduous hardwood tree from southeast Asia. Teakwood has a naturally high oil content which makes it both stable and resistant to rotting when exposed to climatic extremes. So if you’re expecting (or not expecting, as is usually the case) 4 feet of snow followed by hot temperatures, this is the reason it is the preferred wood for outdoor furniture. The time it takes to weather will vary with exposure to different climatic conditions, but it can happen within a 9-12 month period. A slight checking or lifting of the grain, even small cracks, may occur during this process—it is completely normal as the wood expands and contracts. Let your furniture age gracefully and witness the beautiful natural results which make your teak furniture virtually maintenance free.
Premium or Grade-A Teak vs. Reclaimed or Grade-B Teak—the difference is in the details.
Grade-A teak is the cleanest, unblemished, and most stable, which makes it relatively more expensive. Typically it ages into a more consistent even gray finish. With Grade B teak, you can still have it all and it will last a lifetime too!
It has excellent endurance with minor blemishes like grooves, knots, splices, and other rustic features. Grade B Teak has more character and weathers different than Grade A. The unfinished Grade B teak is younger teak wood and is more susceptible to molding; this can be removed easily with a bleach wash, see care instructions. These rustic features are intentional but do not detract from the sturdy, long-lasting quality of the furniture.
Just want to clean your teak?
For mild cleaning, simply wipe down with a soft cloth using warm water. For more moderate cleaning, nothing fancy is needed. Just break out the dish soap and add one teaspoon to one quart of warm water and wipe down your teak with a soft cloth. Rinse using a low pressure garden hose to remove any soap.
For molding, green or black spots can be removed easily with a bleach wash. Mix 1 cup of any household bleach, 1 cup of washing powder and 1/2 bucket of warm water. Soak your furniture with the bleach solution or spray (with a handpump garden sprayer). Spray the entire table, including the underside, and keep it wet with the solution for at least 15 to 30 minutes. Then simply hose off the solution. Be sure, however, to protect your eyes and hands when working with bleach and remove everything that could be discolored by bleach away from the furniture. If needed, you can repeat the treatment on the affected areas.
Reclaimed Teak/Grey Finish
We recommend placing teak with a Grey Finish in covered areas or indoor spaces, the finish will stay on much longer in these environments. There is no warranty if the teak is placed in a non-covered area. The factory applied finish will last one or two seasons if fully exposed. If fully exposed to the weather, the finish will either continue to age or may completely come off depending on weather conditions. For both indoor and outdoor we recommend our Shield product be placed yearly on the Grey finish to protect the finish. *Clean Grey finish with only soap and water.
RESIN FURNITURE
What is Resin?
Resin is made from polymer that does not require a seal, paint, or stain. It will not rot or splinter, and contains UV inhibitors that right against fading. Resin is not affected by most corrosive substances and will not absorb moisture or exhibit bacterial growth.
Easy to keep nice and even easier to enjoy
Just like washing your hands, all you need to do to care for resin furniture is to clean it regularly with soap and water (avoid pressure washing). Avoid using harsh chemicals and in coastal areas, the furniture will require more frequent washing or rinsing with fresh water to avoid rusting. If not properly maintained as described, the hardware will rust in high salinity environments.
WOVEN FURNITURE
Cleaning that’s easier than a trip to the dentist
Have you been to the dentist for your yearly cleaning? If not, you should! In the meantime, think back to the tooth care regimen your dentist has shared with you and apply that to your woven furniture. First, rinse the furniture with high pressure fresh water from your garden hose, being careful to avoid any teak framing or details (you don’t want to erode the “enamel”). Next, you may wash the wicker with warm water, a mild detergent and soft brush. Finally, rinse away all soap and bubbles. Be sure to let the furniture air dry before storing. See, wasn’t that easy? And you didn’t even have to floss!
Woven furniture storage and hibernation tips
If Old Man Winter visits your area each year, we recommend you store your woven furniture to protect it from snow and freezing temperatures. Clean your furniture before storing and store upright so water can drain and you can avoid any structural damage caused by water freezing within the frame due to improper storage. Avoid this altogether and keep your furniture cozy and warm until spring by storing it inside a garden shed, garage, or basement. You may even use breathable furniture covers to help your furniture hibernate comfortably until warmer temperatures emerge once again.
CUSHIONS, SLINGS, and UMBRELLAS
Cushions prefer to be dry, but if they get wet….
With the first few rainfalls on your new teak furniture, you can expect to the teak to seep out its naturally occurring oils. Protect your cushions from teak oil by bringing them in before it rains. Stains from teak oil are not covered under warranty. Once your teak has begun its transition to a beautiful silver grey, your cushions are safe from oil seepage and no longer need to be brought in.
If an unexpected downpour occurs while you’re away or your sprinklers go haywire, you may find yourself with saturated cushions. If this occurs, simply unzip the cushions and stand them on edge, zipper edge facing down, in a sunny location; no need to remove the cover completely. Expect a drying time of approximately 24-48 hours. If the thought of wet cushions and drying time puts you on edge, store your cushions tipped up on their edges to reduce the surface area exposed to the elements and decrease drying time.
Cleaning and Storage of your Cushions and Umbrella Canopies
All of the fabrics used on our cushions and umbrella canopies are more low-maintenance than any child whose sticky fingers may grace their surfaces. All of our cushions and canopies are made of either Sunbrella or an equivalent solution dyed fabric. These fabrics are treated with a fluorocarbon finish that acts as a sealant, making them resistant to water and stains. Give yourself a pat on the back right now for choosing these fine products! And give these fabrics a light regular cleaning to prevent build-up of dirt, sand, etc., that can become embedded in the fabric and harder to remove.
For light regular cleaning, here’s what to do! Brush away any dirt or debris and use a clean sponge, warm water (less than 100° F to prevent shrinking), and a natural soap like Woolite® to clean your fabric. Let your fabric air dry and do not use a steam press, iron, or your dryer. It’s outdoor furniture – let it dry outdoors or these heat sensitive acrylic fibers will shrink! A note on soap – if you use a detergent instead of a natural soap, you may break down the finish and may need to reapply 303 Hi Tech Fabric Guard or a similar product to maintain the water/stain repellant resistance.
That covers the standard cleaning process, but what happens when those precious little fingers or a spill from a cocktail party leave stains on your fabric? For tougher stains use a fabric spot remover or contact Sunbrella for advice on removing specific stains like wine, chocolate, or glitter-infused paint from an art project that you told your little one to do outside so it would be “less messy.”
These acrylic fabrics keep mildew in check, but if mildew grows on dirt or another foreign substance that has not been removed from your fabric, you can use the following method. To clean stains left by mildew, prepare a mild solution of one cup bleach and two capfuls of natural soap (Woolite®) per gallon of water. Spray on the entire affected area and allow it to soak in. Scrub briskly with a clean sponge or cloth if necessary.
Following cleaning of difficult stains or mildew, rinse the fabric thoroughly with fresh water to remove any soap or cleaner, and let it air dry in a sunny location. Then get to work on your walls, because there’s probably chocolate or glitter paint there too.
Resist the urge to remove the cushion fill from the casing! While removing the casing from the cushion fill and throwing it into the washing machine may sound like a great idea, we strongly recommend that you follow the steps above and clean the cushions with the cushion fill in place. The cushions are “stuffed” using special machinery….special machinery that you do not have, and you likely won’t achieve a professional finished appearance if you attempt to re-stuff the cushions by hand. The zipper on the cushions is there only to provide added drainage when the cushions become saturated with water. The casings are not designed to be removed from the cushion fill or washed in a washing machine!
Storing your cushions is a no-brainer. Your cushions and umbrellas are not made of durable, enduring teak or synthetic wicker, so bring them inside over the winter. Make sure they are clean and dry before storing in a dry, well-ventilated space.
A “heads-up” on cleaning the slings of the Bayhead Collection
Cleaning the Batyline sling material of your Bayhead pieces is just about as easy as cleaning your kitchen counter. Batyline is a woven polyester fiber protected by a PVC coating. It is resistant to stretching, immune to cracking and is applied with an anti-fungal treatment. For cleaning, all you need to do is mix liquid dish soap with warm water and wipe down with a sponge or scrub gently with a soft bristle brush. Avoid the surrounding metal and teak frame when applying. Rinse with fresh water and let air dry. For added fun, time how long it takes for the sling to dry before it’s ready to be back in action for you and your guests. You’ll be amazed at its fast drying time. With its airy mesh, you can even allow the family dog to do some “pre-cleaning” from below before you simply wipe away the sling with a damp cloth.
WEATHERED CEMENT FURNITURE
The pores, micro fissures and possible variations in color are inherent characteristics of the material used and that it is hand-crafted. This is what gives this furniture its unique appearance. The micro fissures do not affect the structural condition the concrete tables and benches. It is not possible to return or exchange these products for these reasons.
The weathered cement product is colored with pigments that are homogeneously mixed within the cement surface. The exposed surfaces have been coated with a proprietary food-safe water based sealer that protects the porous weathered cement material and creates a hydrophobic layer that limits staining and scratching of the surface layer.
General Care and Maintenance of Weathered Cement
Clean your weathered cement product as you would to an exotic natural stone surface such as marble or onyx. For general clean up, use warm water and soft or microfiber cloth to clean the surface. For stubborn surface soils or stains, use a mild household cleaner or liquid soap (containing no abrasive, chlorine/bleach, or ammonium). A commercially available all-purpose / all-surface cleaner is appropriate. If products containing antibacterial or disinfectant agents are used, always test an inconspicuous area of the piece to ensure your cleaner is compatible with the finish. Always remove cleaning agent residue with clean water and rinse immediately; then dry. Do not allow large standing water drops to air dry, or water spotting may occur.
General food preparation and spills will not stain the weathered cement as long as the protective sealer coating is maintained. However, spills should be cleaned as soon as possible after being used. Since weathered cement is a porous material, water ‘spotting’ may occur, but generally disappears after it has time to evaporate. While intense heat will not harm the weathered cement itself, setting a hot object directly on the surface may weaken or discolor the sealer, thus exposing the raw weathered cement to future staining and fading. Always use trivets under hot pots and pans. While the weathered cement is suitable for everyday use and food preparation, cutting and other abrasive activities should not be performed directly on the surface of the weathered cement. To prevent scratching on the surface or wear of the sealer coat, use cutting boards, and felt or rubber pads on the bottom of all heavy or rough objects that remain on the surface for a long duration (i.e. small appliances).
Exposure to long periods of rain, pollution, sunlight and temperature extremes will accelerate the wearing of the protective sealer and cause the appearance of the weathered cement surface to wear.
It is suggested to consider re-sealing your weathered cement table top and bench with a natural stone protector 2-4 times a year if exposed to extreme weather. In addition, where the temperature goes below freezing, re-sealing right before every winter with a water based sealant (natural stone sealer) is strongly recommended to avoid cracking.
During the time of use, you might discover the hairline cracks on the table tops or benches. Hairline or Shrinkage cracks are a result of common shrinkage which occurs during the drying stage of every slab. Even if you cannot see them, micro cracks are still there. This is because weathered cement does not include elastic materials thus during the hardening and shrinking stages small Hairline cracks will occur.
Hairline cracks are inevitable and will not affect the structural condition of your weathered cement furniture.
Important!
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Do not drag your table. Lift from both ends and place down carefully so as to not damage the edges or the leg attachments to top.
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Do not stand on the table.
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Do not hit the table with hard objects.
CERAMIC TABLE TOPS
Our ceramic table tops are made from a solid ceramic slab. Ceramic is harder than granite and is workable using techniques normally applied to glass and natural stone. Ceramic table tops are chemical resistant, fireproof, UV and heat resistant. Water absorption is close to zero, therefore, table tops are also completely frost-proof and weather resistant. Although dirt cannot penetrate into the ceramic material, it is necessary to remove it from the surface in order to prevent the build up of surface grease and contaminants. Day to day maintenance of ceramic table tops can be performed by simply wiping down the surface using a clean microfiber cloth with a warm, diluted mild detergent to remove surface spillages. Spillages of wine, coffee, ketchup, oils and acidic substances such as vinegar should be wiped clean immediately. For intense cleaning and more regular maintenance we recommend using a ceramic cleaner. Under no circumstances should any persons (including children) sit on the ends sides or middle of the table or climb onto the tabletop itself as this could cause the ceramic tops to break.
FIBERGLASS TABLETOPS WITH NATURAL STONE
These tabletops should be sealed at least twice a year with a solvent based acrylic CLEAR
polyurethane coating which has as a UV protection (DO NOT USE any oil based coating). It is
also recommended to apply this coating after 6 months of use. Any clear polyurethane
product for wooden decks should contain the UV protection. Apply the clear polyurethane
product evenly and allow at least 24 hours to fully dry. Hairline cracks are inherent
characteristics of the material used for these tables; however, if any should occur, it is
recommended to treat the cracks with a clear polyurethane coating which will help minimize
the appearance of any cracks and continue to protect the tabletop over time.
Our crocheted pillows and poufs are made from UV stablized polypropylene yarns which are resistant to most solvents and hold up extremely well to UV exposure. They are rain and sun resistant and while they should weather the winter weather just fine, we suggest they be brought inside to help keep them always looking new.
GENERAL MAINTENANCE & STORAGE
Never use abrasive products or materials. Never use solvents, bleach, acid, metal brushes, or high-pressure cleaners to this article. It is preferable to use a clean, soft cloth.
Check the tightness of the screws and bolts regularly.
Shelter article from the elements. We advise you to cover (with a ventilated/breathable cover) and store the article in a dry place during winter once it has been well cleaned, aired and dried.
WARRANTY INFORMATION
CO9 Design will not cover any damage to furniture which occurs as a result of contact with the ground or any other foreign object including damage which occurs as a result of sudden and severe weather or other extreme acts of nature. CO9 Design is not liable for any damage or injuries as a result of misuse or improper care of products.
WEATHERED CEMENT/CERAMIC
1 year warranty
TEAK FURNITURE
3 year warranty for residential applications
2 year warranty for commercial applications
1 year warranty for glass table tops, cushions, slings
WOVEN FURNITURE
3 year warranty for residential or commercial applications
1 year warranty for glass table tops, cushions and pillows