Specificity of the maintenance of wooden furniture depends on:
- wood species;
- on the type of coating used for the product.
Although both should still be considered together. The era of the dominance of MDF and chipboard has instilled in people the image of furniture as a very stable, inanimate thing, the life of which cannot be influenced. But wooden furniture is a completely different story.
Which one?
Take a look at our "Cologne" table, for example. Outwardly, it seems as if nothing happens to him. But inside ... Carpentry quality wood is never 100% dry. The average moisture level of the board from which your Ywood furniture will be made is 8-12%. Drying, the wood loses only part of its moisture and retains its molecular structure, the natural internal tension of the fibers. In fact, it continues to live, but in a different form.
And, like any living thing, it reacts to humidity, temperature, sunlight:
- it expands or decreases;
- loses pigments;
- releases biologically active substances into the surrounding space.
In some breeds this is more pronounced, in others it is less. For example, we work with oak, beech and ash. So oak is most prone to deformation and continues to react quite strongly to moisture throughout the entire service life of the product.
This is why the owner of wooden furniture can influence the life of the furniture by providing timely and proper care.
Basic Tips
No external coating is capable of completely "preserving" wood, depriving it of its ability to respond to external factors. It can only affect the speed and efficiency of the process. Therefore, there are basic care tips that apply to all wooden furniture, regardless of the type of decorative and protective layer on its surface. And they boil down to the creation of certain operating conditions:
- Stable temperature. The allowed range is from +15 to + 25 ° C. In general, it is not the temperature indicators themselves that are destructive for wooden furniture, but its sharp drops. Internal moisture reacts to these changes by expanding or contracting and causing deformations.
- Stable humidity. Wooden furniture easily and quickly absorbs moisture from the surrounding space, and just as easily gives it back. If the air humidity is high, the array absorbs too much moisture and its excess causes expansion, swelling, warping. If the humidity is too low, the wood drying process starts - giving off moisture, it shrinks, cracks.
- Away from the sun. UV rays destroy pigments: the wood burns out, becomes spotty, loses its texture. It is best to install furniture so that direct sunlight does not fall on it.
It is also important to wipe all furniture from dust in time: it may contain solid particles that are compressed and scratch the surface when trying to wipe it off.
Also, the type of surface coating affects the rules of care. We offer three types of protective and decorative coatings: oil-wax, enamel and varnishes / stains.
Oil-wax
The coating consists of natural oil (most often linseed oil) and wax. It perfectly emphasizes the wood grain, makes the color deeper and richer. But it does not penetrate deeply into the wood structure and does not form a durable protective layer. Therefore, during use, especially on work surfaces, it is erased, exposing live wood. When caring for such furniture, do not use aggressive cleaning agents: they scratch the wood, leaving bald spots. It is also necessary to update the coverage as you use it. You can wipe the product with a soft cloth dampened with linseed oil. Or buy a ready-made wax composition in the store: they are 100% safe and can be freely applied in the living space.
Enamel
Enamel, unlike oil, forms a strong protective layer, therefore, masks its natural color and texture. Instead, allowing you to get a bright and clean shade, as well as save, in fact, the wood from mechanical damage: most scratches damage only the outer layer.
Enamels, however, will fade in the sun, and light-colored varieties can even stain from contact with bright synthetic fabric. That is why furniture with such a coating is best kept out of the sun and wiped only with natural and colorless materials. There is no need to renew the coating at home, but it is worth avoiding any abrasives - the surface is relatively easy to scratch.
Varnishes / stains
Transparent and colored varnishes, forming a protective and decorative layer, can both emphasize and mask the natural color of the tree, but to one degree or another retain its texture. When caring for furniture with such a coating, do not use abrasives and hard fabrics - they leave marks on the surface. They are especially noticeable on a glossy surface. Also, you can not use cleaning compounds with aggressive solvents in the composition, since most professional varnishes / stains are made on the basis of synthetic hardeners. When in contact with solvents, they can change color, structure and lose density.