Caring Wood Furniture

How to treat and protect wooden furniture. Repair nicks, scratches and watermarks with household items.

Wood furniture is perfect for every home. It goes with everything, is easy to care for, and adds class and elegance to all types of decor. Below are some basic tips for caring for wood furniture.

Although wood furniture is easy to care for, it’s also easy to damage. Nicks, scrapes and watermarks are just a few of the things that can mar your furniture if not properly maintained. If your wooden piece is one of history or value, and not intended for every day use, you should take steps to ensure its protection. When placing flowerpots, knick-knacks and picture frames on wood, make sure the surface is protected. You can do this by placing felt on the bottom of the object or placing the object on a protective covering such as a table runner or doily. If you’ll be putting a beverage down on wood furniture, use a coaster in order to avoid watermarks or heat damage. Every day wood pieces such as kitchen tables don’t require quite as much caution, but it’s good to use place mats to protect the wood and make it last longer.

Be sure to dust your wood furniture at least once a week to keep dust particles from building up. It’s best to use only a slightly damp cloth for this task as common waxes, sprays and polishes can leave a buildup on the surface of the piece. When it is time to polish the furniture, you can buff the piece with a paste wax, or use a little lemon oil. It’s best to use only products containing natural ingredients. For the best furniture cleaning options, ask the salesperson or antique dealer from whom your purchased the piece what he or she recommends, or call the manufacturer. Never use any product containing alcohol as it will cause the wood to dry. Silicone cleaners can harm your wood furniture as well. When polishing, go with the grain. Once or twice a year you can wash your wood with a mild soap formulated especially for this purpose. Murphy’s Oil Soap is ideal. Never spray any product directly onto wood. Spray a soft cloth with the product and apply to the wood that way.

If you have one of those homes that get very dry in the winter, you may want to use a humidifier to keep your furniture from getting too dry. Dry heat can cause your piece to crack. Avoid direct sunlight as well as this can cause discoloration. In order to avoid extreme temperatures, keep your wooden furniture away from heating or air conditioning vents and fireplaces.

When treating wood furniture for a stain or scratch, it would be a good idea to test the treatment method first on a hidden area of the table. The last thing you want is to cause more visible damage.

If you happen to spill a beverage on your wood furniture, or if you get one of those unsightly water rings that come from placing a glass down unprotected, you have several options for treating the piece. First, wipe up the liquid immediately. If a stain or watermark has been left behind, try rubbing the wood with some white, non-gel toothpaste and wipe with a clean cloth. If you don’t happen to have any of this type of toothpaste available, you can also follow the same steps using mayonnaise or salad oil. Something else to try is to cover the area with a bath towel and apply a warm iron.

If you spill liquid on paper, and the paper sticks to your wood furniture, this also comes up easily. Rub the area with salad oil or mayonnaise and it should be easy to remove.

Nicks and scratches are easy to repair, or at least hide. If you mar cherry wood, try applying iodine to the spot using a cotton swab. If the wood is dark, you can use a matching crayon. A waxy paste shoe polish works for this task as well.

For any other repairs, you might want to call in a professional. Unless you’re well versed in wood restoration, it’s best to leave this to someone with experience.

Caring for your wood furniture isn’t difficult at all. In many cases, the wood can be treated with items found in your home. With proper upkeep, today’s wood piece can become tomorrow’s heirloom.

(Featured article from: Home and Interior Improvement Textbook)

Painting Old Furniture

Do you need to spruce up a piece of old furniture? Find out how you can do it yourself.

Maybe you have an old dresser or hutch that is coated with paint, and it is chipped and cracked. Or maybe you just purchased an old varnished wash board stand at an auction, and it needs to be painted in order to spruce it up. Whatever the case, you can repaint old furniture yourself and end up with some beautiful pieces.

Before you start to paint any old furniture, you will first need to prepare the surface. To do this,

you will need to strip off any varnish, shellac, paint, etc, that is on it. There are several ways to do this, depending on the finish. If the furniture is already painted, then the easiest way to strip it is to used a liquid wood stripper. When you choose a liquid wood stripper, find one that is relatively safe to work with. Many strippers contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful if the fumes are breathed in, or, if the stripper touches your skin. But, there are safer alternatives on the market. And remember, you should always work in a well – ventilated area, and you should always wear protective eyewear, as well as rubber gloves.

If the old furniture that you are going to paint has drawers, doors, or any other easily removable pieces, carefully take them out first. Remove any hardware on the furniture too, and set it aside. Then, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using the wood stripper on your old furniture. Basically, you pour it on the wood, then you use a paint brush to evenly spread it around. Make sure you get the stripper in any cracks, crevices, and fancy wood work the furniture may have. After you have covered the wood, let it sit undisturbed. After the time is up, use a plastic spatula – a metal one can harm the wood – and scrape off the loosened paint. You can use steel wool to remove the paint from fancy wood work, etc. Place the loosened paint into an old paint bucket as you scrape it off. You might have to reapply the liquid wood stripper, depending on how many coats of paint there are to remove. Finally, wipe any residue off with a clean, soft rag moistened with mineral spirits.

A Word of Caution: Place the rag, the steel wool, and your rubber gloves in the paint bucket too; close the lid tightly. Do not dispose of the paint by placing it in your trash. Since it is toxic waste, you will need to contact your local officials to find out the proper way to dispose of it.

If the finish on your old furniture is varnished or shellacked, you can use steel wool and a furniture refinisher to easily remove it. This clear liquid will work quickly in removing lighter finishes. For the best results, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

After you have stripped the furniture down to the bare wood, you will need to lightly sand the entire piece so that the finish is smooth and free of blemishes. Wipe the dust off with a clean, soft rag.

Now that you have prepared the finish, it’s time to paint your old furniture. Start by using a good quality brush and paint. A two – inch wide paint brush is a good size to use for large, flat surfaces. If the furniture has cracks, crevices, and fancy wood work, you will want to use a small half inch – wide brush to get the paint into those small areas. In choosing the paint, you can actually use any color that you want. However, if you want to keep the piece looking original, you will want to repaint it the same color that it was. When you are choosing the type of paint you are going to use, keep in mind that enamel paint will provide a durable, glossy finish, while latex paint comes in matte finishes that will easily chip and peel.

Cover the work area with old newspapers, then place the furniture on that. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the paint can in order to achieve the best results. Basically, you will use start by using the wider brush to spread a thin coat of paint evenly across the top of the furniture. Use long, straight strokes with the brush, and be careful not to leave drips or runs on the edges; smooth the paint out as you go. Work your way down the furniture by painting the sides and the bottom, using the smaller brush where needed. After you have completed the painting, go back and recheck for drips or runs, and fix where needed. Then, let the furniture sit undisturbed while you paint doors, drawers, and any other pieces you removed.

Finally, clean any metal hardware with a corresponding cleaner. That is, if the hardware is brass, then use a brass cleaner, and so on. If the hardware is just a plain metal, you can use a soapy steel wool pad to achieve good results. Be sure to rinse the hardware clean with cool tap water. Finish the cleaning by drying each piece of hardware with a clean, soft rag.

After the paint on the furniture has dried, check it over to see if it needs a second coat; apply if needed. Then, after the piece has thoroughly dried, replace the hardware and the doors, drawers, etc.

(Featured article from: Home and Interior Improvement Textbook)

Choosing The Ideal Furniture Color

In addition to contrasting colors (like maroon, lime green, and yellow gold), there are also natural colors. These colors are applied in order to match the wood furniture such as chairs, tables, or bookshelves.

Natural effect makes furniture look natural and not stand out. Natural colors should be confirmed by an accent color, so that furniture made ​​from wood, for example, no dark impression. Color accents are usually seen on the seat cushions, vases, and decorative plates on the table.

Color accents can also improve the quality of the atmosphere of space. Sources accent color is obtained from various things. The first color of the wall finishing material. This material may be paint, natural materials, or wall cover. Other sources can be obtained from the color of the floor. The color of the floor are generally derived from the color of the material, such as ceramics, parquet or marble. At the furniture store we could see a mix of furniture & room, so it can actually be taken knowledge of the furniture in the store room.

Sources other than the color of the element of space is the furniture and accessories. Ideally, furniture and accessories go after elements of the room woke up. For example, teak furniture. The placement of furniture and accessories made ​​easier after his form room color. This is because most of our efforts to build an atmosphere of space has been traversed. We live blends had a color space with color spaces such as teak furniture and accessories.

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