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Solid wood dining room furniture can respond to seasons and respond in the same way as human skin. Some of the most endangering things for wooden dining room furniture can be:
- Heat
- Humidity
- Water
- Scratches and nicks
- Stains
Due to spills and careless placement of wooden dining furniture, your tables and chairs, servers or trolleys might show signs of wear and tear. In some cases, the halves of an extension table may part slightly or a few tiny openings may appear on a solid wood surface. However, such small things correct themselves as the relative humidity rises, and the wood absorbs enough moisture to expand slightly.
If you live in extreme hot place and do not have an air conditioner or dehumidifier, relative humidity in the house may get too high leading to parts of wood furniture to absorb excess moisture and expand causing drawers to stick. This will also come back to normal if the humidity decreases as the quality and sturdiness of wooden dining furniture is not affected by natural changes
However, water spills, dirt, scratches and nicks are something that can really destroy your furniture if they are not taken care of on time. it is important to ensure that you keep your wooden dining table and chairs away from danger elements that can harm its durability and shorten its life.
Tips on Caring For Dining Room Furniture
Here are some tips to help you ensure that your dining room furniture is taken care of and lasts for a long time
- Use a humidifier in the winter and an air conditioner in the summer to keep humidity at 25 to 35% to protect your furniture.
- Avoid placing furniture directly in front of radiators, heat runs or fireplaces to prevent direct contact with high temperature
- Don't expose hardwood furniture to continuous direct sunlight; draw the curtains occasionally
- Store table leaves as close as possible to the table. Instead of leaving them in a damp basement, keep them in an upstairs closet so that the table leaves adjust to the same relative humidity.
Expert Tips on Wooden Dining Furniture Care
It is very easy to protects and enhance your natural hardwood dining room furniture. All you need to give it your tender loving care to make it last long and retain its shape. Here are some tips from the experts which can help you take care of wooden dining room furniture in the best possible way.
- Read the manufacturers care directions carefully and keep them handy for future usage.
- Dust the furniture with a soft cloth following the grain pattern of the wood. Use an old and washed T-shirt, baby diaper or cheesecloth for this purpose.
- Dust often to remove everyday abrasive particles from wood surfaces to keep the furniture clean. Before dusting, moisten cloth lightly with a spray product. A dry cloth can leave hairline scratches on the finish.
- Wooden surfaces also can be cleaned with a mild non-alkaline soap and water. Use the suds on a damp sponge or cloth, but be sure to pretest the solution on an out-of-sight-section to make sure it doesn't damage the wooden finish. Dry immediately with a soft cloth and buff lightly.
- Wood finishes benefit from occasional waxing or polishing. A paste wax can be applied every six to twelve months. Remove old wax first with a mild non-alkaline soap and water solution. Avoid waxing urethane-finished furniture. Waxing these surfaces causes them to gather dust and dirt rather than repel it.
Simple Repairs
Minor damages to wooden dining furniture can be repaired quickly and effectively with the right materials, a bit of elbow grease and careful attention to detail. It is recommended that you leave major repairs or complex ones to the professionals so they are done thoroughly.
Loose Joints and Screws
For loose joints and screws check out their exact location, take them apart and try to replace with new joints and screws as the old ones might be giving way under pressure.
Legs and feet of wooden dining tables and chairs can be done with glue and nails or screws depending upon the manufacturing. While some furniture pieces use glue to stick others use screws and nuts. Check out how the other legs and feet are done and follow the procedure.
Scratches and Nicks
Before repairing the scratches and nicks in your wooden dining room furniture, it is recommended that you test an invisible area of furniture to make sure the filling mixture will not damage the furniture finish.
For Dark Wood or Stain
Fill the scratches with shoe polish that matches the lightest shade of the finish or rub with walnut or Brazil nut meat in the direction of the scratch. Also, a crayon or felt-tipped marker can also be used to fill in the scratch but make sure it’s the right color which matches the wood.
Cherry Furniture
Scratches can be filled with cordovan or reddish shoe polish that matches the wood or with darkened iodine that can be applied with cotton swab or thin artist's brush.
Light Wood or Stain
Fill in the scratches with a tan or natural shoe polish or apply darkened iodine diluted 50 percent with denatured alcohol. This is sure to cover the scratch and make the furniture look almost new.
Taking care of your wooden dining room furniture is simple if you know some basics of furniture. From wooden dining chairs and tables to trolleys and sideboards, you can take care of your furniture by applying these easy fixing solutions for comfortable and durable furniture. |
