Top 3 Enemies of Solid Wood Furniture

Learning how to care for your handcrafted solid wood furniture is all about understanding what things can put wood most at risk of damage. While most of the varieties of solid wood that are used in furniture making are very durable, this doesn’t mean that your items should be treated carelessly. Here are a few of the top enemies of solid wood furniture to watch out for and some precautionary advice on how to deal with them.

Why Should You Care?

The reason why you should learn to properly care for all gorgeous reclaimed wood products that you own is twofold:

• Handcrafted wood furniture a great investment
• You want it to last as long as possible

Without any care or maintenance whatsoever, beautiful solid wood furniture can deteriorate as easily as the cheaply made alternatives that are meant to keep you purchasing the same item over and over again. With proper care, however, wood furniture can last a very long time – even generations, giving your family an heirloom item worthy of being passed down. At the last resort, reparations such as to remove scratches from wood tables are possible, but it’s better to always avoid mistakes before they happen.

Know Thine Enemy

Paying attention to DIY wood furniture care can help new buyers to better understand the basics of wood furniture care, and ensure that their items stay in mint condition. That’s because the kind of care that solid wood furniture requires is directly related to defending against the elements can harm it.

Without further ado, here’s your list of the top 3 enemies of solid wood furniture, that everyone should know after purchasing a new handcrafted wood item:

1)    Natural Sunlight

When you’re looking for the best care that you can give to furniture on your own, it helps to consider the reasons why you’re doing that care. The ultraviolet rays from natural sunlight can destroy the finish of your wood furniture over time. The best way to prevent this from happening is simply to keep your wooden items out of the direct sun, or to at least limit exposure to sunlight as much as possible. You can also opt to use furniture draping to cover up your furniture when it isn’t being used. Or to rotate its placement in your home throughout the year.

2)    Extreme Levels of Humidity

The kind of humidity that is best for solid wood furniture is similar to the Goldilocks rule: not too much, not too little but that “just right” zone in between. Extreme levels of humidity can cause wood to swell and warp. Very low humidity is also bad for solid wood, as it can cause your furniture to lose moisture and shrink. In order to avoid any splitting or cracking over time, ensure that your humidity levels stay balanced.

3)    Liquid Spills

Everyone that has been called out for forgetting to use a coaster for their drink when setting it on fine wooden furniture knows all too well that liquids can cause problems for solid wood. If you’ve ever damaged a table by leaving a liquid sitting on it for too long, then you know even better of the damage that can occur. That’s why your best line of defence against liquids is to always use a coaster, saucers, and additional plates under flower pots.

Now that you’re familiar with the top enemies of wooden furniture, you won’t have to worry about careless accidents. Why not reward your efforts by looking through the new items that we have available to see what would look best in your home?