How to Make Your Wood Furniture Last for a Lifetime
Quality wood furniture often lasts a long time; they can last for generations — if you know how to take care of them. Without proper maintenance, even the most solid wood can be susceptible to damage and breaking down. This article discusses effective and easy ways to prolong the life of your furniture. Check them out!
Dust and Clean It Often
Dust is abrasive to wood, so you should remove it right away to avoid damaging your wood furniture. It’s one of the best and easiest ways to prolong the life of any wooden furniture. Do it frequently, and you’ll prevent any dust buildup.
Use a soft cloth, such as cotton shirts and microfiber to avoid damage. Lambswool dusters are perfect for wood furniture with ornate carvings. They also attract and hold dust, so they’re great for hard-to-reach places.
Keep It Away from Heat and Moisture
Heat and moisture undo the tight-fitting joints of most furniture pieces. Heat shrinks the wood, so it also loosens wood joints. Meanwhile, moisture softens water-based glues that are often used with wood furniture.
Moreover, heat speeds up the process of oxidation, which darkens furniture finishes. They then eventually crack. Oxidation can’t be stopped, but you can slow it down by taking the furniture out of hot places and placing them far from heating vents or radiators.
Keep It Away from Direct Sunlight
The ultraviolet rays that come from direct sunlight break down furniture finish. Waxes and polishes deteriorate because of this. While this is a slow process, it’s still something you want to slow down further if you want your furniture to last for a lifetime.
You can cover tables with tablecloths to mitigate this effect. Indoor lights also emit ultraviolet rays, so it’s wise to turn off lights when you’re not using a room with furniture pieces in it. Also, never cover furniture with plastic for a long time, or the plastic will stick to the finish.
Monitor Humidity
Humidity also causes wooden furniture pieces to shrink, loosening their joints and causing the wood to split. Meanwhile, hot summer air holds lots of moisture. As a result, your wooden furniture will absorb moisture from the air, causing it to expand. Use an air conditioner to cool the air and make the air give up its moisture before it’s absorbed by your furniture.
Repair Damages Right Away
Most wood furniture damages are easy to fix, but make sure that you have the correct repair materials. For instance, you must use pumice to sand down any area with multiple scratches. A small scratch can be repaired by applying paste wax made for wooden furniture.
Apply Wax
Occasional waxing helps protect varnished wood from dust and moisture. Specifically, you can use paste wax, which is a semi-solid wood preserver that creates a protective shell over your furniture’s original finish. You can even make a DIY furniture wax.
Using a clean cloth, rub the wax into the wood. Let it dry for 30 minutes, and then buff the wood with a second clean cloth following the grain’s direction. Avoid buildup; don’t apply paste wax more than two times per year.