Iroko Timber care
Iroko: a durable and weather-resistant hardwood
Solid hardwood iroko is inlaid throughout the kitchen, creating a beautiful contrasting seam to the carbon steel. It’s a beautiful design feature, and its natural feel subtly softens the appearance.
However, you may be wondering – does this wood require a lot of care?
The short answer is no. Iroko was the timber of choice in our kitchens because it is an extremely durable, low maintenance hardwood. In appearance, it will silver beautifully over time, whilst still retaining its resistance to the elements.
What will untreated Iroko timber look like over time?
To show you what uncoated Iroko will typically look like after a few years, please see the pictures below. As you can see from the below images, the untreated ‘silvered’ Iroko still matches perfectly with the carbon steel cabinets.
Grillo showroom on day 1:
Grillo showroom 18 months later:
Is it necessary to treat Iroko timber?
We sometimes get asked the question, is it necessary to treat the wood in a Grillo kitchen? and once again the answer is – no, it does not require any ongoing treatment. Some Grillo owners do put oil or varnish on the timber if they prefer to maintain the browner ‘new wood’ colour.
An oil that some of our customers have used successfully is Teak wood oil. It’s a great product and easy to apply. All this requires is an initial thorough and even treatment, and then a yearly maintenance coat to keep it looking fresh.
What will treated Iroko look like?
Below is a comparison between newly treated Iroko with Teak wood oil and untreated aged Iroko, and also between Iroko one year after treatment and untreated aged Iroko.
What is the best way of keeping Iroko clean?
Like any outdoor product, during winter you could get specks of mould or lichen on the iroko. To keep things in tip-top condition, we have a little trick to share: Mould and Mildew remover!
Much like using it in the bathroom, just spray it on evenly, avoiding anything that could be damaged by bleach (surrounding paintwork, BBQ covers, plants etc.) Leave it a few minutes and rinse it off with water. The product we have found to work well is this ProKleen spray.
We recommend testing cleaning products on an inconspicuous area before you start, to ensure it doesn’t stain or damage any other surfaces. Once you have applied any such cleaning products, ensure you wash the whole kitchen down thoroughly. Read more about kitchen care here.
A low maintenance design
When we designed the kitchen, one of the key things in our minds was how to make it as low maintenance as possible. The brief was that it should be able to bear the brunt of being outdoors all year round, but be party-ready at a moment’s notice!
To help you keep your kitchen in tip-top condition, we provide a Care Kit as standard. This includes our recommended cleaning products, as well as Grillo touch-up paint for if a mishap causes a scratch or chip in the coatings.
