Caring for your solid wood productsA little effort is required in living with solid wood tables. They won't behave like plastic or Formica. Solid wood tables naturally respond to changes in temperature and humidity by swelling and shrinking. These natural responses are not defects and do not affect the strength of the table.
Every effort should be made to keep your solid wood table away from direct heat sources such as radiators, hot air outlets, wood stoves, and direct sunlight. Never set tables near heat sources, as this may cause the wood to split.
We don’t have a problem with humidity in the UK but it is worth thinking about. Keep in mind that one reason so many 200-year old antiques have survived is that they were in homes without central heating for the first 175 years. Extremes in temperature and humidity can wreak havoc on solid wood tables.
By followings these guidelines you can ensure that the hand-crafted table you purchase today will become tomorrow's treasured heirloom!
If cared for properly your solid hardwood table can give you a lifetime of service and beauty.
Here are several care tips that will enhance your solid hardwood table investment:
* Place your table away from radiators, fireplaces, and heating ducts.
* Position table out of direct sunlight or adjust blinds to avoid hour after hour of direct sunlight.
* Use coasters with non-scratching bottoms.
* Use padding under all sharp, hot, or cold objects.
* Store table leaves in close proximity to table or in the same humidity, avoid storing leaves in damp sheds / garages where the leaves may swell.
* Avoid using nail polish remover, alcohol, and other solvents near or on table.
Routine Cleaning and Care
DUST CAREFULLY with a soft cloth, following the grain pattern of the wood. Use an old T-shirt or cotton cloth.
DUST OFTEN to remove everyday abrasive particles from wood surfaces.
CONSIDER CLEANING with mild non-alkaline soap and water. Use the suds in a damp sponge or cloth, but be sure to pre-test the solution on an out-of-sight section to make sure it doesn't damage the finish. Dry immediately with a soft cloth and buff lightly, following the grain.
DON'T WAX or use any polish that contains any silicones!
We recommend regular applications of a high quality Danish oil or alternatively, beeswax to help protect your table against spillages and keep it always looking at its best. It is important that spillages are wiped off immediately as wood is a natural product and will mark if liquids are left on the surface.
Table First Aid
Here are some common problems and ways for you to correct them. With all of these solutions try a small area first to assure that the remedy doesn't damage the finish. These are only meant as a guide and in no way do we recommend these guidelines as standard.
* WATER MARK RINGS, Rings are often in the wax, not the finish. Cover the stain with a clean, thick blotter, press down with a warm iron, and repeat. Or try rubbing with vegetable oil, mayonnaise, or white toothpaste. Then wipe dry.
* WHITE MARKS, Rub with cloth dipped in a mixture of cigarette ashes and lemon juice or vegetable oil. Wipe dry.
* CIGARETTE BURNS, Minor burns can be remedied by rubbing with scratch-concealing polish or with a paste of linseed oil and rottenstone (pumice), working with the grain until the burn mark disappears.
* HEAT MARKS, Rub gently along the grain using a dry steel wool soap pad, extra-fine (0000) steel wool, or a cloth dampened with camphorated oil white spirit.
* NAIL POLISH, Blot the spill immediately, and then rub with fine steel wool (0) dipped in beeswax. Wipe dry.
* PAINT MARKS, If fresh, remove latex paint with water and oil-based paint with white spirit. If dry, soak spot in boiled linseed oil, wait until paint softens, then lift carefully with a putty knife or wipe with cloth dampened with boiled linseed oil. Residue can be removed by rubbing along the grain with a paste of boiled linseed oil and rottenstone (pumice). Wipe dry.
* STICKING PAPER, Dampen the paper thoroughly with vegetable oil, wait five minutes and rub along the grain with extra-fine (0000) steel wool. Wipe dry.
* WAX OR GUM, Harden the substance by holding an ice cube wrapped in cloth against it. Pry off with a fingernail. Rub the area with extra-fine (0000) steel wool dipped in white spirits. Wipe dry. |
Caring for your leatherLeather is a natural material and over time expands and, if properly cared for, will maintain its beauty and patina for many years. Direct exposure to sunlight can cause leather to fade, so always protect leather from sunlight and do not put your leather product close to direct heat.
Some of our lighter shades may need more attention than the darker ones. Regular care of your leather will ensure its lasting quality.
LEATHER CARE & MAINTENANCE
For normal maintenance over the years, we suggest the following:
Dust your leather product weekly with a dry clean towel.
Once a month clean your leather chairs or bed with a soft damp cloth taking care not to soak the leather.
If the leather requires a more thorough treatment use a soft damp cloth and a light soapy solution. Apply the solution in circular
motions until the dirt is removed. Repeat this process using clean water if necessary. Do NOT use a hair dryer or any other domestic appliance to
dry your leather.
Every six to twelve months, depending on use, clean your leather product with a leather conditioner. Only use an approved leather conditioner on your leather.
Do not use domestic products, polishes, wax polishes or saddle soap to clean your leather as this can damage the product.
Do not use any other product or method of cleaning that is not recommended by The Leather Chair Company.
Do not let belts, buckles, studs, zips or any sharp object come into direct contact with the Leather as this can damage the product.
Avoid drying out the leather by taking care not to position it next to an open fire or next to another source of direct heat. Modern leathers are treated so that they resist heat and flames. DO NOT hold a naked flame against your leather.
Note: All leather will stain from liquids, body oils, and perspiration. We recommend you clean any stains immediately. For stubborn spots and stains, blot excess liquid immediately with a clean, absorbent sponge or cloth. If necessary, use a slightly dampened white cloth and wipe the entire affected area gently two or three times by blotting dry with a soft cloth. Do not use a hair dryer to accelerate drying time. Repeat this process as needed and let air dry naturally.
Always test-clean on a hidden area of leather to confirm results before you attempt to apply a treatment. On any leather, there can be some transfer of colour when applying a slightly dampened white cloth to stubborn stains. So do not rub it hard, just gentle smooth strokes. |
A little about leatherWhen leather comes into the factory it is fairly thick. So it’s usually cut down into 3 layers. The top layer is called a top grain, the second layer is called a split hide and the third is usually scrapped.
The top grain is the best cut of leather. It is toughest and most durable. It is mainly used for clothing, handbags, shoes etc. Within the top grains is usually a grading system. The highest grade leathers come in the most pure with the fewest imperfections so they do not have to be touched up. Therefore they feel the nicest or they have the best hand. This is not to say that you will not find any markings. High grade leather will still have markings like stretch marks, small bug bites or barbed wire fence scratches because this is considered the beauty of leather. Some markings are just too big to deal with and may compromise the leather, so in this case the leather will need to be fixed. The more imperfections the leather has, the more correcting it will need. The more correcting required, the lower the grade. To correct the leather the imperfections are shaved out smoothed, stamped with a gaining pattern and then a protective coating is applied. The lower grades of the top grain leathers could be corrected up to as much as 80%. When you get into the lower grades the leather will begin to feel more like plastic because of all the correcting they have had to do.
Split hides are the second layer of leather. So in the beginning they will have no graining and appear to be suede. As in the lower grades of the top grain the leather will have to be ironed flat and stamped with a grain. After stamping a protective coating is also applied. These will be easy to pick out because the graining will be very uniform.
In addition to top grain and split hides there are leathers that will sometimes be called Newbuck leather or Bycast leather. Newbuck leather is simply top grain leather that has been brushed or abraded with a steel brush to pull up a nap or a soft fuzzy texture. Bycast can be a top grain or split hide but in either case it is ironed very smooth to remove most of the natural graining and a protective coating is then applied. This leather is usually used on more contemporary frames. Newbuck leathers are very difficult to clean. Bycast leathers are very easily cleaned.
There is one more thing to know about leathers. Some leathers will be called waxed leathers. This is just a wax finish that is applied to the top or the leather to give it a more rustic or weathered look. This finish is easy to test for. Just scratch the surface of the leather with you nail and the leather will change to a lighter colour. These marking will go away by rubbing the leather with your hands the natural oils in your hand will rub the scratch out again. If the scratch does not come out, don’t worry, a little waxed leather conditioner will restore the leather to the original colour.
Now comes the difficult part. What leather is right for me? If your household has children may I recommend leather with a little protection? Anything that is not a Newbuck or the highest of the top grains because this leather will absorb stains and be difficult to remove. Bycast is perfect. If your household can handle something more expensive then the previously mentioned leathers will be great.
The Leather Chair company manufacturers chairs using Bycast and Top Grain leather. This enables us to cater for the vast majority of the market at the best prices. |
