Once a decision has been made to buy a new furniture for a home, solid wood is the best option. Oak offers more options and styles and by far the best available option. Also, no matter what option is zeroed in at the end, hardwood furniture will enhance the home for a lifetime if maintained correctly. With little effort and a bit of hard work and following care instructions as provided by the manufacturer it will last a lifetime.
Some of the care tips to maintain handmade oak furniture are listed below.
- Oak furniture tend to change color during its lifetime with the effects of sunlight. Any items placed on it like lamps, flower vase, table clock can stop this coloring process so it is recommended to re-arrange the items to even the coloring process.
- The position of the furniture is to be as such that there is a 25 mm between the wall and the piece of furniture to maintain air flow and stable temperature.
- Avoid direct exposure of the furniture to sunlight for prolonged periods. This is because sunlight might accelerate the evaporation of protective oils from the surface and loose colour as well.
- Make sure if the table or piece of furniture is in a area with sunlight to cover it with a table runner or cloth. Also, if the furniture in such areas needs to be re-oiled regularly as they tend to dry out reasonably quicker.
- Preferably use mats or trivets on tables for cups and plates so that there is no direct contact between hot or damp items with the oak surface.
- Avoid cleaning the furniture with common household cleaning agents even if they are wood cleaners. Also, wipe up spills with a clean dry cloth or paper towel.
- Wax or a polish with a high content of beeswax is the best way to treat and polish the oak furniture. Wax would nourish the wood and also form a protective seal to help prevent the wood from cracking or splitting.
- Avoid placing the furniture close to a radiator or air condition as extreme high or low temperatures will dry out protective oils.
- Before applying any finishes to the furniture try it on a inconspicuous area first to check the compatibility with previous products that has been used on the furniture. Also, if the furniture needs thorough cleaning Murphy’s Oil Soap is a good option to remove years of gunk and wax. However, it is important to read the instructions and refinish after the cleaning.
- Avoid dragging a table along the floor as it may damage the table joints and scratch marks on the flooring. Also, consider to buy some protective pads for the table to be placed under the table legs.
Due to the very nature of handmade oak furniture, all ranges will feature various degrees of distressing, knots, fillings which are considered traditional charms of oak furniture. With a little common sense and minimal maintenance it should last a lifetime.
