Aftercare - How to care for your table
From celebratory cocktails, chaotic mornings, weekend breakfasts and stylish dinner parties, we live our lives around our kitchen and dining tables.
Our furniture collection use a variety of natural timbers such as oak, chestnut, walnut, yew and elm. Beautiful wild wood furniture looks great in every space, a communal focal point for your home. Looking after your wooden furniture allows these pieces to age beautifully, and, more importantly, stand the test of time.
How to keep your table looking beautiful when natural materials are involved, is one of the most common questions we’re asked. It’s important to remember that it’s impossible to completely eliminate wood movement and so it’s best to embrace it as the natural progression of your table.
Our tables, mostly crafted from big natural pieces of wood, will always undergo a bit of natural movement and shrinkage - especially in the first 12 months in your home. All our designs are crafted with movement in mind to try and minimise the risk and our knowledgeable team are always on hand to answer any questions.
GENERAL CARE
Finish
Our collections of wood furniture are usually finished in a durable resin based oil that provides a smooth and protective finish, whilst letting the beauty of the wood shine through. We will always communicate with you about the oil we’ll use as it may change from wood to wood and you may have some opinions about the colour and effect you’re after. All our pictured designs are finished with a natural oil which is usually linseed, which enhances the open grained appearance of the wood giving it a slightly more matt finish.
Care and cleaning
Changes in temperate, humidity and moisture is the biggest culprit for wood movement. Try to avoid placing furniture next to a radiator or wood-burner or in a room that is subject to changes in temperature.
To clean the table, simply wipe down with a soft, barely damp cloth to remove any dust. In the case of stubborn marks, a solution of mild detergent such as washing up liquid should be used on the cloth. Avoid the use of scourers or bleaches. In the event of severe spillages and stains the surface can be re-sanded and re-oiled - get in touch with our team for advice.
Unless your table has a slate runner, don’t place hot items directly onto the table without using a heat resistant mat or trivet as direct heat will draw out the moisture in the wood leaving a ring mark ingrained into the wood. Coffee cups and wine glasses are usually fine.
Re-oiling
Despite having already been pre-oiled, as best practice, we would also recommend that you oil the table surface on a six month to yearly basis depending on its usage. How regularly you re-apply oil to your table will vary based on the humidity and temperature of your room and the effect you’re after.
