Outdoor timber: oiling a setting before summer

The setting has sat out the winter and looks a little dry, maybe a little grey. Before the first barbecue, you can bring it back in one weekend: wash it one day, give it a thin coat of oil the next. The timber looks warmer, feels smoother, and is ready for summer lunches and evenings outside.

Time: two short sessions over a day or two, plus drying time.
Difficulty: an easy weekend job. No special skills or tools.

Does yours need oil?

Sprinkle a little water on a bare part of the timber.

• If it soaks in and the wood goes darker, the timber is thirsty. It is ready for oil.
• If the water sits in beads, there is still a finish on it, and oil will not go in. A good wash is all it needs for now.

Timber that looks grey or feels rough and furry is telling you the same thing: it is time.

What you get for a weekend's work

• Warmer colour, with less grey.
• A smoother top under your hands and plates.
• Timber that lasts longer, especially when you also cover it or keep it under a roof.

Know your timber first

Most of the solid timber in our outdoor range wants oil when the water soaks in and the surface looks grey. Here is a quick guide.

What you need

• An outdoor timber oil, the kind that soaks into the wood. Pick a tint that suits your timber: hardwood and teak tints are easy to find at hardware stores.
• A timber cleaner, or a bucket of warm soapy water
• A soft brush
• Fine sandpaper
• A brush or lint-free cloths, gloves and a drop sheet

Step by step: wash one day, oil the next

1. Pick the days. Mild and dry, between 10 and 35°C. Work in the shade, with no rain or heavy dew on the way.
2. Wash it. Cushions off. Scrub along the grain with the cleaner or soapy water and a soft brush, then rinse.
3. Let it dry right through. Usually a day or two in dry weather.
4. Sand the rough spots. Lightly, along the grain, only where it is grey or furry. Wipe off the dust.
5. Oil a thin coat. Brush or wipe it on along the grain. Get the slats, the legs, the edges and the cut ends of the legs, which soak up the most.
6. Wipe off the extra. Let the oil soak in, then wipe off what is left on top before it goes sticky. Your tin says how long.
7. Add a second coat. When the tin says: anywhere from 2 to 12 hours, depending on the oil.
8. Let it dry. Wait until it is dry and no longer sticky, at least overnight, before the cushions go back.

Common mistakes

• Oiling in full sun. The oil dries on top before it soaks in. Work in the shade.
• Leaving extra oil on the surface. It stays sticky and picks up dust. Wipe it off.
• Putting the cushions back too soon. Wait until it is dry to the touch, at least overnight.
• Oiling a coated table. If the water beads, the oil has nowhere to go. Wash it instead.

A word on the rags

Rags soaked in oil can heat up and catch fire on their own as they dry. Lay them flat outside, away from anything that burns, until they are dry. Or keep them in a metal tin filled with water, with a tight lid. Never ball them up and put them in the bin wet.

Keeping it right through summer

• A cover, or a spot under the roof, does more for timber than any oil. Our Marrakesh range is made for undercover use, and the Sycamore 7 piece setting comes with an all-weather cover.
• Wipe up spills and bird droppings soon, before they mark the timber.
• Do the water test again now and then. When the water soaks in or the colour fades, it is time for one wash and one coat.

From our outdoor range

Prices as listed on 22 October 2026.

• Marrakesh 5 Piece Shaded Outdoor Dining Set: solid eucalyptus, 110 cm round table, $1,880
• Marrakesh Patio Round Dining Table: solid eucalyptus, 110 cm, $743
• Marrakesh 9 Piece Outdoor Dining Set: solid eucalyptus, 220 cm table, $3,447
• Sycamore 7 Piece Outdoor Dining Setting: FSC acacia, all-weather cover included, $3,252
• Koa Outdoor Dining Table: coated FSC acacia, the wash-and-cover kind, $1,070

Or see the whole outdoor tables and chairs range.

Not sure what your setting is made of? If it came from us, its product page names the timber and the finish. For the timber inside the house, see solid timber, veneer or MDF.

Once the oil is dry, put the cushions back on, bring the chairs out, and the table is ready for the first long lunch of summer. If your setting looks a bit grey, give the water test a go this weekend.