Wood is a natural, responsive material that reacts to variations in the atmosphere like all living elements do. Its beautiful and varied colours that mature with age can be protected and polished to give the wood a stunning, classic look that can last for generations. It is wood's timeless appeal and myriad uses that make it an ever popular construction and decorative material. Wood must receive the proper protection and maintenance to ensure its long-lasting quality and help you get the best from both its functional and aesthetic properties.
While it is important to treat wood furniture, fixings, and fittings with respect, ultimately your home is designed to be lived in and your furniture is made to be used. Often wood improves with use and age, and accidents will happen. Wood is a resilient material, so don't be afraid to enjoy your home; just take some general precautions:
- Use coasters to prevent heat damage, staining and spillage
- Blot any spills immediately
- Anything containing solvents or alcohol should kept away from wood surfaces
- Lift wood furniture or items on wood floors - don't drag
- Don't slam wood doors, drawers or lids
Humidity
A large portion of freshly sawn wood is comprised of water. In order to be fabricated into fine furniture and other wood items it is dried out gently, withholding just enough moisture to allow it to adjust to your home's humidity. Wood is constantly able to respond to the changes in your home's temperature, contracting and expanding as a living object.
In very dry air, wood will dry a little and shrink a bit. Once the humidity stabilises again, the wood will absorb enough moisture from the air to allow it to expand back to normal. If the air is too humid, some of the wood may absorb too much moisture and will expand, causing drawers to stick or floorboards to rub. Again, this will correct itself. Wood quality and strength will not damaged by these natural responses.
To protect your wood from more unnatural humidity changes, avoid positioning furniture in front of radiators, heaters or fireplaces. Don't leave hardwood exposed to permanent direct sunlight.
Maintenance
For day to day care of wood furniture, fittings, and flooring, always read the manufacturer's instructions and keep them for future reference. Dust regularly so that abrasive particles are removed. When dusting, spray a soft cloth with a little polish or dampen it with water to prevent tiny scratches caused by a dry cloth. Dust following the pattern of the wood grain.
The appearance and quality of wood can be maintained with an annual wax or proper polish. To prevent build up, remove the old wax first with a solution of a non-alkaline soap and water. Test it on an unseen patch first to make sure it is not damaging. However, waxing furniture coated with urethane will attract dust rather than repel it. A good wax to use is beeswax. You need only apply a little at a time as the shine is produced by the buffing action rather than plenty of wax. Too much and you will only cause a dull build up. Avoid: silicone sprays, oil based polishes and feather dusters.
Rot
Wet rot occurs as a result of water seeping into cracks or penetrating the wood finish and being unable to dry out. At the first sign, seal the cracks and recoat the wood. For any damage it will necessary to call a professional, but usually instances of wet rot can be treated without resorting to extra expense.
The conditions in which wet rot usually occurs are in damp areas that are poorly ventilated, or where a leak has occurred. The wood will feel damp to the touch, look dark and shrunken. To verify the presence of rot, poke it with a screwdriver and see of the wood is very soft or crumbly. Window and door frames are particularly prone to rot. They should be inspected regularly and protected with paint or coating to prevent water penetration.
If you find any areas of decay, it is easier to repair the section rather than a whole window frame, for example. First, chop out the rotting area using a chisel and utility knife. It will be necessary to remove about 10mm of un-decayed wood around the area too.
Cut straight edges and form a dovetail shape at either end of the patch so that the new piece of wood can be held in position. Get a new piece of timber that matches the original frame, and cut it slightly too large so that it must be tapped in for a good fit. Treat the wood with two coats of a clear protective preservative.
Glue the replacement wood into place, and tap it through another piece of wood so it fits snugly to the frame. Leave it to dry overnight before planing and sanding it flush to the frame. Small gaps will need filling with wood filler; don't forget that filler shrinks as it dries. Sand the wood smoothly, then prime it, add the undercoat, and then the topcoat to finish.
Dry rot is misleadingly named. It occurs in damp conditions where the timber is in contact with wet brickwork or masonry. It is a brown rot that causes cracks throughout the wood grain. As the wood loses moisture, it will lose weight and strength and can crumble between fingers.
Dry rot is the worst kind of rot as it is a fungus. It soaks up the moisture from the timber until it has dried it out, and then develops strands which travel across bricks and masonry to other areas of timber. The only treatment for dry rot is to eliminate the cause of the decaying conditions and replace all the damaged wood.
Woodworm
A fairly common problem, woodworm in the home's construction is not a major issue unless the structural timbers are seriously affected. Woodworm prefers softwood but does appear in hardwood too. To detect it, look for small holes all over the timber. There may also be sawdust from the holes nearby.
As with rot, press the wood with a screwdriver to determine how much damage it has caused; if the wood crumbles a lot the piece will need replacing, but usually this isn't necessary. Woodworm tend to only penetrate the outer edges of the wood, and more often than not, the woodworm holes will be leftovers from an old infestation that is no longer present.
To treat woodworm, purchase a spray to treat the whole house in one swoop. Keep pets and people out of the way and wear mouth and nasal protection. Spray all the timber well, lifting every 10th floorboard if possible. Leave the property for as long a time as specified by the manufacturer.
Repairs
Scratches in wood furniture can be amended if they are only on the surface and have not gone through to the wood. Scratches down to the wood will need professional repair as they can let in moisture.
Before any attempt at repair, first determine what the wood surface has been finished with. For varnish, wax, or shellac, using a watercolour set with a sable brush can get a good result. Test your colour match on an unseen area of wood, bearing in mind that the colour of the paint when wet will be colour of it when waxed. Once the paint is dry, use beeswax and a lint-free cloth to polish.
Always test any new mixture on an unnoticeable part of the wood before applying it fully.
Dark wood/wood stain - choose a shoe polish that matches the lightest shade of the finish. Or, use a crayon or felt tip.
Cherry finishes - use a reddish shoe polish, or try darkened iodine.
Light wood/wood stain - fill with a tan or natural shoe polish, or darkened iodine diluted 50% with denatured alcohol.
Breakages should be left to the professionals unless they are a simple, clean break. Do not attempt a complicated repair on quality wood furniture.
For a simple re-attachment, first ensure that there is no glue residue. If there is, gently scrape it off with a scalpel. Apply some cold scotch glue to the centre of the part to be affixed, and press it carefully into place. Wipe away any oozing glue with your finger. Leave it 24hours to dry completely and then polish with beeswax if required.
Stains can be quite a complicated matter as modern high-performance finishes require special attention and precautions taken not to damage them. If you are unsure about your furniture's finish, contact a professional refinisher or French polisher.
Water marks - in this instance, the stain usually occurs in the wax and not the finish. To clean, press the stain with a thick blotter under a warm iron. Or it can be rubbed with salad oil, mayonnaise or plain toothpaste. Once treated, wipe it dry and apply wax or polish.
White marks - rub the area with a cloth dipped in a mixture combing cigarette ashes and lemon juice. Wipe dry and wax or polish.
Milk or alcohol - rub in liquid or paste wax with your fingers, or you can rub in a paste of linseed oil and rottenstone into the grain. A dab of ammonia on a damp cloth also works. Wipe dry and wax or polish.