Whether classic or modern, solid wood furniture always looks impressive due to the beauty of the wood and enhances every room. However, in order for the wood to remain beautiful for longer, it requires special care. Like hardly any other piece of furniture, tables are exposed to heavy use and regular dirt. Regardless of whether it is a solid wood coffee table or a dining table, drinks and treats are often served on it, board games are won, and various objects are moved back and forth. However, with the right care, you can enjoy your solid wood table for a long time.
Pay attention to the type of wood and surface treatment
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How durable your solid wood table is depends on the surface treatment and the properties of the respective type of wood. There are basically two basic types of wood: softwood and hardwood. The soft types of wood include fir, pine, spruce and chestnut. However, hardwoods such as oak, walnut and beech are particularly popular when made into tables because they are characterized by high impact resistance and surface hardness.
Surface treatment is just as important for solid wood care. Even if table tops sealed with varnish are more practical, a protective layer of oil is much more resistant and easier to repair. And this is particularly important for furniture that is subject to frequent wear and tear, such as tables.
If you want to treat your piece of furniture yourself with wood oil, wax or another care product, it is very important that you always follow the application instructions and ensure that the product you choose is suitable for the specific type of wood and surface treatment.
Natural wood lives with its environment
In the beginning, natural wood can be particularly sensitive to light. The color and structure of the wood change depending on how much sunlight the wood is exposed to. If you want to delay the aging process of the wood, you should protect it from direct sunlight and heat. So it's better to wait a few months before placing items such as vases, trays or lights on yoursnew coffee tableArrange so that the wood can “get used to” its surroundings. Otherwise, slight color differences may occur due to light.
Real wood can begin to “live” at different humidity levels. This means, for example, that the table top can become rough or warp easily. Pine and beech in particular can show so-called dry cracks. However, these do not affect the durability of the wood.
Untreated solid wood should be able to “breathe” in order to adapt to the humidity in the room. Never cover the solid wood table with airtight material such as plastic or fabric for more than 12 hours. If the wood cannot breathe, it will rot and crack over time. This especially applies to table tops made of solid beech. Wood that has been stored and dried in the usual way is intended for a relative humidity in living spaces of 30 to 60%. The relative humidity is measured with a hygrometer.
Clean solid wood table properly
You should wipe down your piece of furniture and remove dust once a week (even more often if necessary). Use a clean, dry cotton cloth for this. To remove dirt or grease, you can also clean your solid wood table with soapy water. To do this, 25 grams of soap flakes are dissolved in 1 liter of warm water. Never use brown or green soap. Allow the solution to cool slightly until it is lukewarm. Once you have damp-wiped the table, dry the wood immediately with an absorbent cloth to prevent water damage.
Also choose cleaning products carefully. Some cleaners contain bleach, alcohol, or other substances that can discolor or damage the wood. Do not use furniture polish with silicones as these can penetrate the wood and permanently damage it. Look for natural alternatives like almond oil, olive oil, beeswax or ash.
The big advantage of the piece of furniture is that it is easy to refresh
They make themselvesWorry that solid wood may be too delicateand you have to be overly careful? You don't need that, because such pieces of furniture are robust and can usually survive even the toughest demands. This is also one of the reasons why this type of furniture is so popular - most damage such as stains or scratches are easy to repair, whereas with painted surfaces these are difficult or impossible to remove. Wooden surfaces treated with oil can be sanded and resealed as often as you like. Then they will look like new again!
