Wood is a very special material. For craftsmen who make wooden furniture, it is a noble, elegant and exciting material. Of course, wooden furniture is not uncommon, but each piece is always unique. Each tree is exposed to very different environmental influences and thus forms a wood with a unique structure. The direction of growth, the grain and the individual color of each type of wood make every wooden piece of furniture something very special. Especially solid wood furniture. They are sturdy and durable pieces of furniture. But solid wood, for example, even more than the others, requires special attention and care. Wood is a living material that also evolves as furniture. But with a few tips and tricks, you’ll enjoy your solid wood furniture for a long time. If you take it seriously, your wooden table will be eternal! If you look after it properly, you can pass it on to your children and grandchildren without it losing its charm. On the contrary…
Tips and tricks to protect and maintain a wooden table
The old wooden tables in particular look really great and never go out of style. The prerequisite, however, is that you take some care with the wood.
- In principle, your table should not have prolonged contact with any liquid whatsoever. Or else it must be extremely brief. If anything should splash anyway, wipe down your wooden table immediately. Otherwise, you run the risk of nasty stains ruining your table. In addition, the wood swells quickly due to the liquid and such damage can hardly be repaired.
- The table tops that last the longest are those that are easiest to clean: those that are varnished or lacquered. In this case, when a glass spills, it is generally sufficient to quickly mop up the liquid, to wipe it off because the wood is well protected by the varnish. Nevertheless, you should always have a dry cloth handy, even if your table is protected by varnish.
- However, lacquered wood usually has a somewhat artificial look. Therefore, many people prefer oiled wooden tables. This way the wood looks more natural. The downside, however, is that these wooden tables are much more sensitive.
- It is therefore even more important on these wooden surfaces not to pour or drop water or other liquids. If this happens, action must be taken immediately.
- If the surface of your oiled wooden table is dirty, add a little vegetable soap. You can also mix cooking oil with table salt and use it on the stain. Let the solution sit for a while before rubbing the area again with a dry cloth.
- If you have a waxed wood table, remove some more stubborn dirt with a wax balm cleaner.
- If you have an oak or ash wood table, you need to be especially careful with water. If you wipe the wooden table too wet, you will quickly get the opposite effect, as the dust quickly settles in the pores of the wood. After rubbing dry, place a cotton tablecloth on the table until the surface is thoroughly dry.
- Tip: If the wooden table is extremely dirty, it may be advisable to sand it before treating it further.
Caring for a wooden table – it all depends on the type of wood
How you maintain your table largely depends on whether your wood is varnished or waxed. You should take care of your wooden table about two to three times a year. It’s not just important for the look of your table. It is also essential in case a liquid comes to spill on its surface. Caring for the surface also makes the wooden table less prone to stains, such as those caused by spilled drinks.
- Maintaining lacquered wood tables over time is as simple as cleaning them. You can obtain special care sets for lacquered wooden surfaces from specialist dealers, which you can use to treat the wood two to three times a year.
- If you have an untreated wood table, oil should be your first choice for maintenance. You don’t even have to resort to expensive furniture care oils from specialist retailers. You can even maintain your wooden table with normal cooking oil. Rub the table well with the oil, let it penetrate and then rub the wood again. From time to time, rub heavily used wooden tables with natural resin or paraffin oil.
- If your wooden table is waxed, maintain it two to three times a year with a beeswax care emulsion.
- Tip: Wood as a natural raw material lives and continues to develop. In the case of your wooden table, this means that it will darken over time. For this reason, it is not practical to place objects such as vases in one place on the tabletop for a long time.