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Care & Maintenance

With Australia’s harsh climate in mind, it is important to recognise that some simple care and maintenance can greatly extend the life of your outdoor furniture. Australia has the most severe UV light in the world, this is the major cause of damage to your new furniture. It is recommended that a furniture cover be used to protect all furniture when exposed to the elements and not in use. Even with Indoor products, prolonged exposure to sunlight will cause fabrics to fade and may also cause excessive drying of timber products, particularly doors, tops and side panels to warp.

Please ensure that your furniture is used as it was intended. Do not sit on arms of lounges, do not sit or stand on table tops, and do not pivot on the legs of chairs. All flat-packed furniture must be assembled as per the manufacturer’s instructions, failure to do so may void your warranty. it should also be oiled/waxed when taken out of packaging and being assembled as it will be dry from packaging. Change in weather conditions may cause the timber to expand and contract.  Due to this natural movement in timber, you will need to re-tension the bolts occasionally.  This will prevent damage to the joints of the furniture.  Perform a hardware check every few months.

Timber

Avoid placing timber furniture in direct sunlight, as the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause the wood to dry out. Position furniture underneath a roof to minimize damage due to sun and rain. Natural timbers and recycled timbers have natural characteristics such as; colour, veins, knots, grain, cracks, splits, stress marks, nicks, indentations and/or bows, are not considered a fault in any way, but enhance that feature of the table. Each of these characteristics are expected to develop or evolve over time. Please be aware that checking and small hairline cracks in timber furniture are a natural occurrence of your furniture settling into its new environment, this will not affect the durability of your setting and is not covered under warranty. Clean spills from timber furniture with a soft cloth moistened with warm, soapy water, dry completely to avoid water marks. Do not use harsh detergents, chemicals or general cleaning products on the wood.  Avoid using abrasive cloths, brushes and cleaners. All timber will naturally weather to silver grey if left outdoors unprotected. Oiling/waxing your furniture is recommended 3-4 times a year although the frequency will vary according to the climatic conditions in your area and exposure to the elements your furniture is subjected to. Drovers recommend Howard’s ORANGE OIL, FEED N WAX or SUNSHIELD to nourish and protect. The legs of your furniture are the most vulnerable when it comes to water damage.  Covering the bottoms of each leg with rubberized material will help to stop damage from water being absorbed. We recommend that a good quality furniture cover be placed over furniture when not in use.

Boatwood

If your Boatwood furniture is exposed to the elements it will fade, crack and split. Keeping it indoors or in an alfresco area under a roof will extend the life and require less maintenance. Using a marine varnish not only protects the paint from fading, but also helps protect it from all of the elements such as damaging UV rays and humidity (causing the wood to expand and then contract). These varnishes are typically designed not only to protect the wood, but also to give it the flexibility and UV protection. Because our furniture is made from reclaimed Boatwood, it requires the same maintenance as an actual fishing boat. We recommend protecting your furniture with marine varnish for both indoor and outdoor use, for ease of application this is available in a spray can. If it is going outdoors and exposed to sunlight, rain, etc, we recommend finishing as needed (typically every 6-8 months).

  • First, clean product with water to remove any surface residue.
  • Apply a marine grade varnish using the directions provided by the manufacturer, we recommend Bondal Monocel with UV protection.
  • Apply to entire product including the underside and feet.

We recommend that a good quality furniture cover be placed over furniture when not in use.

Poly Rattan (Resin Wicker)

Wicker used is made from environmentally friendly polyethylene wicker and contains UV stabilizers which ensures a prolonged life span. It is recommended that this not be left in direct sun or continuous rain. Aluminium powder coated frames form the structure for lightweight and rust resistant furniture. If your Wicker furniture is in contact with glass e.g. dining table or coffee table, it MUST NOT be placed in direct sunlight as the rays of the sun can be magnified through the glass and will cause damage. All wicker furniture should be washed down regularly with mild soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. We recommend that a good quality furniture cover be placed over wicker furniture when not in use.

Glass

Glass used goes through a tempering process which greatly increases its strength. This is commonly known as toughened glass. Although toughened, it is important to remember that glass is not unbreakable. Sudden changes in temperature can cause glass to break. To clean glass, wash down regularly with mild soapy water or commercially available glass cleaner. Do not clean hot glass or place hot or cold items directly on the surface. Be careful not to strike glass or place any heavy weight directly on the glass. Rough handling can cause microscopic damage to the table causing it to shatter at a later time. Do not drag the table under any circumstances. Tempered glass has a limited warranty.

Powder Coated Aluminium

Aluminium powder coated frames form the structure for lightweight and rust resistant furniture. Small imperfections in the powder coating can sometimes occur and this is considered to be normal. Powder coated frames should be washed down regularly with mild soapy water and rinsed thoroughly. This is particularly important for coastal areas where prolonged exposure to salt air may lead to corrosion causing the powder coating to bubble or peel. Warranty specifically excludes damage to powdercoat finish caused by corrosion, scratching, pitting or fading. We recommend that a good quality furniture cover be placed over furniture when not in use.

Water Hyacinth & Natural Rattan

Natural fibres are not recommended for areas that get direct sun or rain, it must be indoor or in a fully covered alfresco area. If furniture gets wet and stays moist for too long it is likely that the furniture will develop mould. This can lead to structural weakening of the furniture and a loss in its natural appeal. We recommend spraying with a marine grade varnish before use and re-application every 1-2 years. These can be kept dust free by using the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner or a soft handheld brush, a damp cloth can be used to wipe over. Cushion covers should not be removed, these can be spot cleaned with a mild detergent and water or steam cleaned. We recommend that a good quality furniture cover be placed over furniture when not in use.

Statues

Please DO NOT carry your statue by any individual part e.g. head, arms, trunk, rim etc. Always carry it carefully under the main body or base. We recommend transporting in the crate to avoid damage on the way home. All our Terracotta is designed for indoors or covered areas. If you wish to place your statue outside please be aware that the natural elements may make the terracotta weak or brittle, sun can affect the colour/finish. We recommend sealing your product with a terracotta sealer which will help to protect your statue from the elements (this must be applied on the outside, base and if accessible the inside of the statue). However we cannot guarantee for what length of time this will last and re-application may be necessary.

Bamboo Gazebos

Our Gazebos are hand Crafted – Supplied as DIY Kit form, easy to assemble

(Any council approval required is for the customer to organise, we do not supply technical drawings and or specifications)

Variations in colour & thickness of bamboo is normal and part of the natural beauty – splitting of bamboo & fading of thatch is normal and does not affect it structurally

Roof has a plastic membrane between the thatch & ceiling lining to help with water resistance, rain and wind can still come in through the sides. These structures can be damaged by weather.

We recommend that bamboo rejuvenator is used annually to help restore colour and shine. This is specially formulated for bamboo.

Assemble on Level Ground. All Gazebos have been completely assembled in the manufacturing process, so will go together if labelling is followed correctly (labels must be face the inside of the gazebo) sometimes bamboo pieces need to be correctly aligned for bolts to go through.

Securing your gazebo to the ground with pergola stirrups (in concrete footings) is recommended, or by using L brackets bolted to poured concrete or limestone floors.

Nylon bird netting can be used to keep thatch in place, alternately you could attach timber or bamboo lattice to hold thatch down.

Gazebo components are large and a suitable vehicle is required for transport, we recommend a covered vehicle as thatch on roof panels can be damaged by wind in transport. Trailers with secured tarps are an alternative.