Outdoor Furniture - To Paint or Not to Paint?

"To paint or not to paint......that is the question!"

When I purchased our beach house, I purchased it fully furnished (inside and outside).

The second floor balcony has terrific teak furniture which includes a dining table and chairs and a full outdoor seating set. I know how expensive solid teak furniture is, so I'm delighted to have this furniture. The problem is -- it looks terrible! It has been left untreated and unprotected to the harsh elements of the salt water of the gulf and the intense heat of the sun. Aged teak turns from a honey brown (which is nice at first), but left untreated turns to an ash gray as it ages. Even worse, the backyard dining set has turned ash gray with mold.

I freshened the porch set up with ivory cushions and bought some pretty outdoor pillows so I can use the porch, but it's really just putting lipstick on the pig.  The wood is in terrible condition.

From what I've been able to learn, most wood experts and purists say NO to painting teak furniture as it is an oily wood that doesn't take well to paint. (I'm not at all opposed to it looking chippy or distressed -- I would most likely paint it with a coat of KILZ first, then paint and distress it before adding a clear coat sealer).

I could clean, sand, and stain it.

Or just clean, sand, and treat it with teak oil that will change the appearance, but not much. And the teak oil needs to be reapplied (at least once a year or more, depending on the elements).

What do y'all think? I know there are many of you that are quite experienced with painting or restoring outdoor furniture. Any advice or suggestions? 

I realize this is a huge undertaking, and I'm sure whatever I decide to do I will need to call in for help from a professional to get the entire job done. I counted -- it's 25 pieces of furniture that weighs a ton!

I will need to let this project simmer for a while as I do more research and try to figure out the best course of action. I might just take the small end table and do a few experiments on the underside, but I'd love to hear some feed back on your experiences with painting or staining outdoor furniture.

Thanks for visiting Sea Glass Cottage today......hoping to hear from you!