Discoloration in the outdoor wood furniture.

A discoloration or color change at the wood furniture is a naturally phenomenon especially when the wood is put at the outdoor. Outdoor wood furniture as an object of sunlight, heat and cold of the weather will tend to get the discoloration. The ultra violet ray in the sunlight will accelerate for chemical reactions at the wood that would cause discoloration. The color changes of the wood can be varied from one part with other parts. The variation of chemical composition inside the wood will make the wood react differently and make different discoloration.

Although it is naturally phenomenon, the color change is not expected by furniture business player and user. Most people want to remain their wood furniture to be durable and unchanged in the form and appearance as long as possible. Moreover, today many furniture sellers dare to give a warranty for their product to keep same during the certain period of time. Since then several attempts were made to prevent or minimize the occurrence of discoloration at wood furniture. Although it is not possible to stop totally the occurrence of discoloration, but at lest there some way to minimized it.

discoloration at the outdoor teak furniture

Some things that can be done to prevent discoloration

• The finishing process (layering with coating)

Finishing process is one of the logical way to maintain the appearance the wood furniture to remain stable. The finishing layer will cover and protect the wood from contact with the surrounded air. It will prevent or at least minimize the occurrence of the reaction between the wood surfaces with the air environment. As long as the finishing layer is still attached to the surface, then he will be a protector that can prevent the occurrence of discoloration. But for the exterior uses, the furniture requires a special chemical that can withstand the heat of the sun and weather changes in their environment. The finishing materials with acrylic resins are the widely used for outdoor finish. The acrylic resin has high durability to the UV light from the outdoor sunlight.

We as finishing people can easily recognize the outdoor finish material by read the specifications of the coating product. The product for outdoor uses usually has tag in its cane that says it for outdoor uses.  The most commonly used finishing materials for outdoor use are: spar varnish, acrylic PU, water base acrylic, acrylic and polyester.

• Staining

Staining is the trick to reduce the discoloration problem of the wood. The natural wood color that has been coated with a clear coating layer of finish film still tends to get discoloration. The wood will absorb the ultraviolet ray and then react to change its color. The color changes of the wood can vary from one section to another since it is depend on the content of tannins inside.
The wood staining will make the color of the wood becomes more stable. Stain will color the wood so that the wood discoloration will be covered and less visible.
But the special stain is needed for outdoor uses. The stain for outdoor finish should use the pigments materials that are resistant to the UV rays.

• Re coating.

Despite that the finishing layer for outdoor has been designed to be resistant to the outside weather and sunlight, but he still will fade too after a certain time. Exposure to sunlight and weather changes and abrasion from the air will fade the finishing color and film. For those reasons, some finishing materials manufacturers are recommend for refinish or recoating he finish after a certain period of time.
The oil finish is the most common finish that needs to be recoated.  Every 6 months or 1 year the oil finish need to be recoated to keep its performance. The oil finish is simple finish, so the recoating can be done quite easily. The oil finish recoated can be done by brush and wipe the new oil to the old finish.
Some varnish manufacturers also recommend recoating the old varnish layer to maintain the products. They provide varnish that can be applied in a simple manner by brushed. The brushing varnish is much easier to be used to re coat the old finish without have to deal with the complex troublesome finishing equipment ad facility.