Maintaining the Wood in Our Furniture to Keep It Looking Fresh and Appealing

A key trait of wooden components is their vulnerability to weather elements like sunlight, wind, and moisture. Perfect protection of wood to avoid the natural aging process over many years is unattainable. To maintain the wood’s appearance for an extended period, we treat the boards with varnish or oil during production. It’s noteworthy to mention that the wood available from us is categorized into:

• European coniferous wood - soft - we protect them with varnish in various colors (see on the left "wood color palette")
• exotic wood - hard - we protect it with impregnation and then oiling.

European Softwood

When treated with varnish, coniferous wood preserves its pristine condition longer compared to exotic wood, which is maintained with oil. Varnish forms a robust layer, whereas oil tends to seep into the wood's structure and wash away. Nevertheless, when coniferous wood shows wear (like chipped varnish or physical damage) without undergoing maintenance, all damaged boards must be replaced. The upkeep routine differs with exotic wood....

Exotic wood - hardwood

While exotic wood tends to fade quicker than varnished wood, its structure enables it to be maintained and returned to its original condition. Exotic wood naturally absorbs oil, which rain can wash away. This leaves the surface layer vulnerable to blistering - drying out due to sunlight. Therefore, it's crucial to consistently oil the wood to protect it. Considering the varying levels of maintenance required for the wood, we offer two options:

• For wood that still has a fresh appearance, half a year after purchase, clean the boards (water with dishwashing detergent) - so that the oil is not mixed with dirt - and then oil the visible surfaces. This process should be repeated every 6 months. This is enough for the wood to have a long-lasting favorable appearance with intense colors.
• The second case is when the boards have already turned gray and faded. Here, the work should begin by sanding the surface with sandpaper (first with a coarser grit, e.g. 180; then with a smaller grit, e.g. 240 /300) until the gray coating is removed; ideally, the sanding should be done on the visible surfaces, i.e. the tops/sides - so as not to unscrew the boards; screwing the boards back on requires skill and is time-consuming; then, a layer of impregnant should be applied, followed by a layer of oil.

Below are side-by-side comparisons of planks from the same series, treated (sanded and oiled) and untreated.

• Each plank at the beginning looked like the one in the photo with number 1. The planks have not been maintained and have been exposed to outdoor conditions for a long time (a period of about 2 years).
• Number 2 shows the plank after sanding down its surface and filling in the cracks (optional action).
• Board number 3 shows a board that has been sanded down, impregnated and coated with a layer of oil. Please note the differences between planks 1 and 3. This is the same plank - before and after maintenance. It looks like new. The photos highlight an important advantage of the material hardwood - exotic wood. They can be very easily restored to a fresh and new condition.