How to Care for Your Furniture

 

At Jarrah Works Fine Furniture, we think of the furniture we craft as being our ambassadors. A large percentage of our business comes from repeat customers and from word of mouth. So it is important to us that you like the piece we have created for you.

 

Here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions concerning the finish and care of your piece. While there are many methods of caring for furniture, we have found the methods below work best for us.

 

 

Furniture Placement

 

Never place the piece in direct sunlight as this will cause fading and maybe checking (splits) to appear.  Also if placing things on the surface of a table or desk etc. be sure to move them around every few weeks or so to prevent color shading under the object.  Different timbers will shade faster than others will.

 

Try to avoid placing furniture directly in-line of the outlet of an air conditioner as this may cause variations in the moisture of the wood and could result in checking (splits) occurring.

 

If you are placing objects on the top of the piece, make sure the object has felt pads to help prevent scratching.

 

 

How should I care for my Furniture

 

Our furniture is completely finished and ready for use. The furniture we supply may come with a Lacquer finish or an oil finish. The care of each is a bit different.

 

 

General Care

 

Work surfaces such as desk and table tops can accumulate smudges and dirty areas. These are best cleaned with a mild solution of soap and warm water. After cleaning, dry and buff with a soft lint free cloth.

 

Cleaning of Oil Based Finishes should be avoided for at least the first four weeks after delivery from the workshop.  This will allow time for the oil to reach an acceptable hardness and penetration levels.

 

 

Care for Lacquer Finished Pieces

 

To enhance the appearance of your furniture, we recommend the use of bee’s wax polish.  This is a natural product that will give a nice soft luster to the piece.  It will also help to protect the surface from stains and general wear and tear.  You should aim to apply this at least twice a year and more often in harsher environments.

 

Never polish furniture that is dirty or dusty.

 

First, wipe off all the surfaces that are going to be polished with a slightly damp rag.

 

If the wood has picked up what we call hand traffic (smudges or dirt that won’t lift with a damp rag), mix up a weak solution of warm soapy water and wipe these areas clean.

 

The wood must completely dry before applying any furniture wax or polish.

 

Apply the bees wax in a circular motion over a surface.  Spend a bit of time on this and try to rub it into the surface.  This process should be done in small sections so the wax does not dry before buffing.  Buff each section before proceeding to apply polish to the next section.

 

After applying, buff the remaining wax off with a soft cloth. The more effort here, the better the luster you will achieve.

 

The use of a clear (non-colored) lightweight furniture polishing oil is acceptable. For this, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

If unclear or uncertain, then put a small portion of the polish directly onto one of the horizontal surfaces at the back of the piece.  This will then tell you if the finish is what you are trying to achieve without damaging the top or showing parts of the piece.

 

Take care not to get the polish on any metal hardware as it may react with the metal surfaces. It is best to remove the drawers and polish the top edge of the drawer and about an inch or two into the drawer opening.

 

At least once per year you should also wax under a table top etc.  This then keeps the seal on the tops similar to the top part.  This then allows moisture that enters the timber to enter equally.  When this happens, it helps to prevent warping or cupping of the timber top.  This wax applied underneath the top does not need to be buffed to a luster like the top.  It is only for sealing.

 

Do not use any product that has silicone in it. Silicone is contained in most pressure pack furniture polishes.

 

 

Care for Oil Finished Pieces

 

Note: The following section applies only to furniture that has our Finishing Oil finish.  See next section for counter tops.

 

As we noted earlier, when you received a new piece of Jarrah Works Fine Furniture, the Finishing Oil may not have entirely set. So for the first four weeks, don’t apply any furniture wax or polish.

 

During this time, as the oil finish hardens, the oil will be pulled deeper and deeper into the wood cell structure. This is called "Wicking".  (In old oil lanterns, the fuel would be drawn up into the flame through the wick by what is known as capillary attraction.  This is where the term "Wicking" came from.)

 

You will also need several small clean lint free rags and possibly some four “0” steel wool.

 

There is, strictly speaking, no “right” or “wrong” way to go about this. However, you will be rewarded for your efforts with a piece of furniture that seems to glow. This build of finish is called a "Patina" (from Latin ‘shallow pan’ refers to the crud that forms with use on a pan that was thought to enhance the taste of the food).

 

Never polish furniture that is dirty or dusty.

 

First, wipe off all the surfaces that are going to be polished with a slightly damp rag.

 

If the piece has picked up what we call hand traffic (smudges or dirt that won’t lift with a damp rag), mix up a weak solution of warm soapy water and wipe these areas clean.

 

The wood must completely dry before applying any furniture wax or polish.

 

Apply the bees wax in a circular motion over a surface.  Spend a bit of time on this and try to rub it into the surface.  This process should be done in small sections so the wax does not dry before buffing.  Buff each section before proceeding to apply polish to the next section.  The more effort here, the better the luster you will achieve.

 

If you notice that an area being waxed is rough or has small scratches, use the 0000 steel wool lightly on this area while the surface is still damp with the wax. Use lots of wax when doing this.  In other words, use the wax as a lubricant. This will prevent the area from being dulled by the steel wool. Only a small patch of steel wool needs to be used and this small piece can be used over and over.

 

When you have finished waxing the piece, go back over all the surfaces buffing them again until they are completely dry and you have an even and consistent luster.

 

 

If you are going to use a liquid polish, apply as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

 

If using a liquid polish on some open grained woods they may tend to bleed black (small droplets of polish re-appear) five or ten minutes after the buffing is complete. If this happens, rebuff. It is best not put anything on the surfaces for at least an hour or two after the final buffing is complete.

 

 

Care for Oil Finished Counter Tops

 

For those of you who have our oiled wooden counter tops in your Kitchen, we recommend the use of a high quality Grape Seed Oil.  This oil is not expensive and does not go rancid like Linseed or Olive oil etc.

 

This oil should be applied whenever the top is looking dry or tired.  Use a small cloth to rub the oil over the surface taking care to get the edges and the underneath exposed parts.  Leave for about 30 minutes and then wipe dry.  After a few hours, give it a vigorous buffing with a clean soft cloth which will bring up the luster of the top.  Do not use the top for at least 24 hours to allow the oil to harden.