# Teak and exotic woods (Tanganika included): how to treat them and maintain them over time

> Tropical woods need different care from European wood: here is how to look after them properly

URL: https://legno.covemavernici.com/en/bottega/teak-e-legni-esotici-tanganika-compresa-come-trattarli-e-mantenerli-nel-tempo

#### Tropical woods need different care from European wood: here is how to look after them properly

- [impregnating stains](https://legno.covemavernici.com/en/bottega?tag=impregnating%20stains)
- [maintenance and renewal](https://legno.covemavernici.com/en/bottega?tag=maintenance%20and%20renewal)
- [olio per teak e legni esotici](https://legno.covemavernici.com/en/bottega?tag=olio%20per%20teak%20e%20legni%20esotici)

Category: Wood Substrates / Species

Reading time: 3 min

Teak, Tanganika and other tropical woods have a characteristic that immediately sets them apart from the most common European woods: a much higher density and natural oil content. **It is precisely this characteristic that makes them popular choices for quality outdoor furniture — but it is also the reason why treatments designed for generic wood often fail to deliver the expected results.**

#### Why tropical woods are different

Tropical wood such as teak naturally contains oils that make it more resistant to moisture and insects than many European woods. This is one of the reasons it is chosen for garden furniture, decking and boats. **However, this same natural oil content makes it harder for some film-forming products to adhere, and calls for products designed specifically to nourish and enhance the surface, not simply cover it.**

Tanganika, an African wood less well known than teak but just as good, shares some of these characteristics: it is one of the wood species most consistently searched for by visitors to our site, a sign of specific and recurring interest in this type of wood.

#### What Olio per Teak e Legni Esotici does

Olio per Teak e Legni Esotici (66.682) is a special blend of oils in solvent, designed for the maintenance and protection of all tropical woods, teak in particular. **It is rich in UV filters and in components that help it penetrate the substrate: it nourishes the wood and enhances its natural beauty, protecting it from premature ageing.**

#### How and when to apply it

The product is ready to use and simple to apply. Drying takes about two hours to touch and six hours through. For teak or Tanganika garden furniture, the ideal time is at the start of the season, before full summer exposure, or at the end of the season as a closing treatment. **Tropical woods benefit from periodic application, generally once or twice a year depending on exposure.**

#### The signs that it is time to act

Tropical wood that needs maintenance tends to lighten and lose its characteristic golden sheen, taking on a duller, greyish appearance — a process similar to the greying of European wood, but mainly linked to the loss of natural surface oils. **When you notice this change, it is time for a new application.**

#### In summary

Teak, Tanganika and other tropical woods deserve a treatment designed for their specific characteristics. **Olio per Teak e Legni Esotici (66.682), applied regularly, nourishes the wood from within and preserves its natural beauty, preventing the premature ageing typical of these woods when left without maintenance.**

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