Description
Kwila (merbau) is a beautiful and extremely durable hardwood, excellently suited to outdoor furniture and deck construction in Australia’s harsh outdoor conditions due to its stability (resistance to cracking or warping) as well as its termite and rot resistance.
Product disclosure statement:
Kwila is rich in natural tannin, which keeps your timber hydrated and prevents it from cracking and warping. However, this natural tannin can leach out of your timber when wet, and can stain your clothes, chair cushions or your patio/deck upon contact. To greatly reduce the risk of such tannin stains, kwila timber can be ‘bled’. It is important to note that, even after the bleeding process, some of the natural tannin may remain deep in the timber and could potentially leach out of the furniture when it is wet.
What is the bleeding process?
Bleeding kwila furniture is a simple, one off procedure which you can do at home. It involves wetting the timber so that the water leaches out majority of the natural tannin contained within.
How to bleed your furniture:
1. Place the items to be bled on a grassed area, away from anything that might be stained by the tannin.
2. Wet the items and ensure they are kept wet for at least 2 hours. This can be done using a hose or setting up a sprinkler. You will notice a light brown colour in the water runoff.
3. Flip the items over and repeat Step 2. It is just as important to wet the underside as it is to wet the top, especially the feet.
4. Steps 2 and 3 should be repeated until there is no longer a light brown colour in the water runoff.
5. Once you are confident that the tannin has been sufficiently removed, allow furniture to dry completely.
6. To preserve the timbers colour, apply a coat of boiled linseed oil.
Preservation:
Some people deliberately allow their Kwila furniture to weather over time to achieve a desirable silver/grey patina which requires no maintenance. If you wish to preserve the rich original colour of the timber, we recommend a transparent exterior furniture oil such as Boiled Linseed Oil.