Starbrite Premium Golden Teak Oil is the best oil treatment for marine teak and hardwood patio furniture. Out of all the various teak oil formulas for sale out there, you’ll find that this one gives the best long-lasting color to your precious teak wood furnishings.
What’s in Starbrite’s Premium Oil?
This is actually a good question. Don’t be fooled by the name “teak oil”. This is a marketing term and doesn’t imply that the oil originates from the teak tree. Most teak oils consist of a base of linseed oil mixed with mineral spirits and other additives. I suspect that is the case with Starbrite’s Premium Teak Oil as well. The manufacturer simply identifies the ingredients as “premium natural oils” that are “ultra-refined and modified” and blended with “high-technology additives”, so truth be told that could mean just about anything.
The good news is that the formula they’ve come up with works well, and is really one of the few teak oils I’d recommend using. (Although for my own projects I still prefer to use a teak sealer).
Starbrite Teak Oil Performance
While most teak oils have faded significantly after two months of exposure to the wind, rain, and sun you will discover that Starbrite holds up pretty well and still maintains a golden honey-tone glow. Like all oils, though, it won’t last forever, and you’d still want to re-apply every six months or so.
The color is really fantastic when this teak oil is first applied to wood, even faded teak that has taken a beating from the weather.
Take a look at the before and after picture below to see how some Starbrite teak oil can transform an old, gray, neglected teak dining table:
How to use Starbrite Teak Oil
To get the best results, you should clean and brighten your teak furniture before oiling.
Cleaning
If you pick up a bottle of Starbrite’s one-step Teak Cleaner and Brightener you’ll be able to save time by combining the process of cleaning and brightening the wood. Make sure you’re wearing gloves for protection and follow the instructions on the bottle. If your wood is badly weathered or very dirty, then apply the cleaner directly to dry wood. Spread it around with a scrub brush and then give it a few minutes to work. Scrub again and rinse clean.
Sanding
For really bad stains or extremely aged teak, you’ll want sand them out to expose fresh wood. A light sanding with 120-grit paper can also help prep the surface to take on the teak oil. Be sure to completely wipe away all dust after sanding.
Oiling
Apply teak oil with a sponge or brush in the direction of the wood grain. You don’t need to use a ton of it—just use enough to thoroughly coat the wood. Then you want to wait about 10 minutes and wipe up the excess.
This step is extremely important! Use a clean cloth to completely wipe up any excess oil from the wood surface. Failure to do so is what leads to the most problems people have with teak oils. After that, let it dry completely (usually 24 hours) and see if you need to do another coat. Sometimes one coat is all that is needed, but 2 coats will often give the best color.
Here’s a quick video demo of the application process:
If you don’t mind breaking up cleaning and brightening into two steps, then you’ll find that Starbrite’s Premium Teak Care Kit is a good value. Otherwise, you can buy the combined cleaner/brightener and teak oil separately.
Safety Warning
Be warned that this product can cause oily rags to spontaneously combust if you throw them directly in the trash. To be safe, you should soak any oiled rags in water first before disposing of them.
