Tips

Fundamentals of caring for wood products
We have put together a list of our favorite maintenance tips to help you prolong the life of your wood products by protecting them from fading, cracking and anything else that might affect the finish of the product.

All wood is porous and can absorb moisture, stains or odors. Each piece of furniture responds differently to changes in temperature and humidity in your home. Expansion at the joints and seams will return to its original shape and size as seasons change. Because each piece of wood is unique, you can expect variations in grain appearance and stain coloration.

Our Favorite Maintenance Tips

  • Clean up spills immediately. Use a blotting action rather than a wiping action.
  • Avoid placing furniture in direct sunlight to avoid sun damage and bleaching.
  • Avoid extremes in room humidity. Too high or too low humidity can cause wood to warp or the glue lines to fail.
  • Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Arrange furniture away from sources of heat (such as fireplaces, radiators/registers) and air-conditioning units.
  • Rotate accessories on furniture so they do not sit in the same spot all of the time to avoid creating "light" shadows.
  • Use pads, cloth or felt to protect the furniture surface from plastic, rubber, hot dishes, beverages, bookends, flower pots and vases.
  • Use a protective pad when writing with a ballpoint pen.
  • Lift and place objects, do not drag them across the furniture surface to avoid scratching your products.
  • Make minor repairs while they are still small.
  • Use the proper materials or professional help to repair badly damaged surfaces.
  • Avoid wax polishes. Regular use of wax polishes may result in the build-up of wax film on the surface of the furniture. Used long enough, this may cause the finish to soften, requiring expensive refinishing work. Wax build-up over time hardens, making it difficult to remove from the furniture's finish.
  • If you use a wax for a patina and sheen, use only a very fine film of butchers type wax. Avoid waxes with silicone which impedes future refinishing.
  • Avoid using cleaners with chemicals or abrasives.
  • Adjust levelers and door hinges periodically to ensure smooth operation of doors and drawers.
  • Treat drawer wood slides with petroleum jelly or candle wax for smooth operation.
  • Store table leaves flat. Opening & closing of dining tables often requires two people, when inserting or removing table leaves in order to avoid damaging.
  • Do not leave newspapers and magazines on wood because the inks can bleed onto the finish and into the wood, especially in moist seasons.

    Cleaning Instructions
    1. Wood furniture should be dusted as often as needed with a soft, clean, lint-free, absorbent damp cloth. It is more efficient and convenient than spray products. Feather dusters scatter the dust particles into the air, which then resettle back on your furniture. A mildly damp cloth may be used for the removal of dried residues and food. Murphy’s oil soap can be used.
    2. Polishing is recommended as required based on use and wear. Use a quality furniture polish (not spray) that does not contain silicone (Do Not use ‘Pledge’). It will lessen your chance of expensive refinishing jobs. Use a soft, lint-free, absorbent cloth and work with the grain of the wood. Lemon oil could be used for polishing.
    3. Remove old wax and polish before polishing furniture. Not taking this step could lead to disappointing results.

    How to care for your Cutting Boards:
    Each cutting board is a unique combination of sustainably harvested, food safe hardwoods from North America. We use varying widths of Walnut, Cherry, Maple and Birch to form a pleasing visual cutting surface.
    Wood cutting boards are safer to use when cutting meats. We suggest having a separate cutting board for meat.
    Our cutting boards need only mineral oil to restore the brilliance of the natural wood colors and protect it from moisture.

    To get the most life out of your cutting board, we also recommend the following:
    • Use a minimum of water and un-soaped scouring pad or sponge to clean. Do not soak bread boards as it may make the wood split.
    • Rub the surface with a lemon slice or sprinkle some salt if you see a stained area.
    • For deeper stains and scratches, use 120 grit sandpaper. Use this very carefully and softly as it may change the texture of the wood.

    Please note:
    It is important to rub parallel to the wood grain. Rinse the board after each use to keep their attractive finish. This should remove odors and stains. Dry the board with a clean soft cloth. Place the board on edge on a countertop and let it dry.