Outside space is often one of a restaurant's most attractive features, and it's one that demands to be taken full advantage of. To do so, you'll need to make sure you decorate the outdoor area properly and use the right fittings and furnishings. It should go without saying that choosing the right material for your tables and chairs is incredibly important.
You might be thinking that teak is too expensive, but there are several benefits that make it more than worth the cost.
Here are just six.
1. Teak Is Extremely Tough
Outdoor furniture needs to resist bumps and knocks without showing too much visible damage. After all, you're going to be moving your furniture around for cleaning, and patrons will be walking up and down all the time. It's easy for tables and chairs to get knocked, and outdoor furniture is at even greater risk.
With that in mind, you need to look for a tough material. Even metal can dent quite easily, and most species of wood also take damage readily. In contrast, solid teak is exceptionally dense, though it also maintains a far degree of flexibility. As a result, it's very resilient against damage. It might cost more at first, but it's going to last and last.
2. Teak Is Weather-Resistant
When you're looking at outdoor furniture, you'll obviously want to consider weather-resistance. Luckily enough, solid teak can put up with extreme heat, extreme cold or regular rain without issue.
You see, teak is one of the few woods that retains its natural oils. Those oils will repel water, meaning that teak is naturally protected against warping and swelling due to rain and humidity. At the same time, it won't become brittle and crack when subjected to changes in temperature.
3. Teak Resists Termites
Another factor you'll have to consider when choosing furniture for your restaurant's outdoor eating area is how well that furniture can resist attacks from termites. Termites can wreck wooden furniture, and recent studies show that almost the entire country is at risk. If termites attack your furniture, you'll have to invest money in replacing it, and they could easily spread to other parts of your establishment, possibly necessitating a complete shut-down.
Using teak furniture can help. The natural oil content that makes it weather-resistant also helps ward off termites.
4. Teak Doesn't Stain or Spoil Easily
Thanks to teak's impressive density and retention of natural oils, it doesn't rot or decay very easily. As an added plus, it also resists most alkaline and acidic substances. These can stain or spoil other types of wood, and it can be hard to protect outdoor furniture against them. Again, opting for teak should help you save money in the long run.
5. Teak Has a High Weight-to-Volume Ratio
One problem with outdoor furniture is that it can be blown around by the wind. People often think that using metal is a great way to avoid this – the problem is that metal furniture often needs to be quite bulky to resist the wind.
Teak is actually going to prove better at resisting the wind because it has a very high weight-to-volume ratio. As such, it is heavy enough to anchor itself against the influence of strong breezes. If the wind gets up, you won't need to worry about your teak furniture falling over or blowing around and causing damage.
6. Teak Presents an Upscale Appearance
Teak can be quite expensive, but it does possess a premium appearance. Opting for a more economical material might help you save a few dollars initially, but using an attractive upscale wood like teak will provide a better impression of your restaurant, making diners more likely to come back. At the end of the day, teak furniture is an investment that's going to help your business thrive.