Take care of your furniture.
by
Jeff Lakie
Your
furniture is a huge investment! So is your car and
your house. So if you put a lot of work into your car
or your house, like getting oil changes or putting in
new floors, why would you not do the same with your
furniture? Your furniture gets used a lot and you can
help maintain its value by following these ideas.
Keep your furniture clean. If it's cloth furniture,
you should vacuum it regularly. If it is leather
furniture, you should wipe it down and use leather
treatment regularly. And if it's made of wood, you
need to keep it polished. But what if it has already
taken a beating? What can you do then?
If you have wooden furniture you have a few options.
Painting is one idea. In fact, two dressers from
different manufacturers can be made to look like they
are part of a set with a paint job and a new set of
handles!
If you do not want to paint your furniture you still
have other options. If it has been badly abused, you
can sand off the finish, sand out the nicks and
scratches, and then varnish it. Or, if it is not badly
scratched, you can use children's crayons in a color
that matches the wood (like light brown) and color in
the scratch. Scratch filler is available at hardware
stores but children's crayons can work just as well.
Another way to revive your tired furniture, like
couches and chairs, is to get them re-upholstered.
After all, you have probably painted your living room
a couple times, so having furniture that matches again
will make your room look that much better. Instead of
buying brand new furniture, just get your furniture
re-upholstered.
And yet another way to revive tired looking furniture
is to simply move your room around or switch the rooms
that your furniture are in. Take the armchair that has
been in your living room since you bought the house
and move it to the bedroom. Take the unused chair in
the spare room and move it by the front door. Simple
changes like this will help you cycle your furniture
from heavy use areas to light use areas, which will
help maintain their life, and will help you enjoy them
as if they were new.
Jeff
Lakie is the founder of
www.cheap-wicker-furniture.info and
www.cheap-modern-furniture.info websites providing
information on Furniture
Wooden You Like to Know? A Primer to
Wood Outdoor Furnishings.
by
Debbie Rodgers
To many
people, wood is the quintessential building material
for furniture, both indoor and out. There's a wooden
furniture form to suit every budget and décor -- from
rustic twig loveseats to classis cedar Adirondack
chairs to sophisticated teak tables and benches.
In fact, the varieties of wood are dizzying. Which
should you choose? How should you care for it? And is
wood an environmentally-friendly choice for outdoor
furniture?
Types of Wood
First, understand that hardwood is not necessarily
hard and softwood is not always soft. The terms refer
simply to the type of tree from which the wood is
obtained: hardwood from broad-leafed trees, and
softwood from needle-bearing trees.
All wood outdoor furniture may be cleaned with warm
water and mild detergent.
Here are the most common types of wood used in the
construction of outdoor furniture.
* Redwood is a durable hardwood, grown on the west
coast of North America (the Coast redwood) and in
China (the Dawn redwood.) Redwood is straight-grained
with a reddish color, and has a high resistance to
termites and rot. Treated properly, it can last more
than 25 years.
The redwood harvested in North American is cut mainly
from private lands that are zoned for timber use. Over
95% of these areas are previously harvested -- that
is, they are not virgin, old-growth forests. The Coast
redwood can grow to 130 feet in just 30 years.
* Cedar is a North American softwood, light in color
and naturally splinter free. It resists insects, mold,
mildew and decay, and it weathers well. With proper
care, it can last 25 years. Since cedar is a quick
grower, it's a resource that renews relatively
rapidly.
* Teak is perhaps the most coveted of outdoor
furniture woods and with good reason. It's a honey
brown hardwood that is highly resistant to rot and
decay and will last 50 years or longer, even if left
outdoors year-round. Teak is now harvested primarily
from plantations in Southeast Asia. Dwindling stocks
and high consumer demand have combined to make the
price of teak soar.
The high price of teak has made other tropical
hardwoods, such as roble, shorea, jarrah and
eucalyptus popular. All of these woods are dense,
durable, and stand up well to weather.
* Jarrah, which is reddish or pinkish, is harvested in
Australia from government-managed forests to ensure
reforestation.
* Shorea, grown in Indonesia and Malaysia, is stronger
and heavier than teak but because of the large
quantity available, is usually priced lower. Both
jarrah wood and shorea will last up for up to 50
years.
* Roble is a golden, relatively lightweight hardwood
harvested mainly from dry tropical forests in South
America. It will last up to 25 years.
* Tropical eucalyptus is a native of Australia and is
prized for its resistance to rot and handsome look. It
also will last decades.
Tropical hardwoods will weather to a silvery finish
over time, unless treated twice a year with teak or
other furniture oil.
* Pine is an affordable softwood that is harvested in
many varieties from various parts of the world, but
especially from American forests. All are yellow color
with brown knots and are excellent for staining.
Pressure-treated pine will last for 20 years but
untreated, pine has low rot-resistance. It should be
painted, stained or sealed and stored indoors during
the winter.
* Willow, cypress, alder and other trees with pliable
branches are used for bent-twig furniture. Willow is
especially renewable as when it is cut, two or more
shoots will grow out of the stump of the cut piece.
Harvested properly, willow will continue to grow
cutting after cutting.
If you use twig furniture outdoors, spray or brush on
a good quality clear exterior varnish and use the
furniture only in a protected area.
Is It Environmentally Friendly?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifies lumber
forests around the world, although only a small
percentage of the lumber produced globally is FSC
certified. If you are extremely concerned about the
future of the world's wood supply, look for an FSC
label on the underside of the furniture piece or on
the hanging tag.
If you are not so stringent in your views, you may
wish to consider furniture made from wood harvested
from responsibly government-managed forests or from
plantations, which grow trees much like farms grow
other crops. In addition, according to the Hardwood
Manufacturers' Association, harvesting levels of
American hardwood are far below the levels of growth,
so that twice as much hardwood grows each year as is
harvested.
Alternatively, you may choose to purchase furniture
made from reclaimed wood - that is, wood that was
previously used for consumer items and that has been
refashioned into new furniture. In addition, some
companies offer recycled wood furniture-furniture made
of recycled pallets or barn wood. You can find a
partial listing here http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/links/recycled_green_furniture_manufacturers.htm
When considering the ecological impact of purchasing
wooden furniture, you should also look at the lifespan
of the wood. Most wooden pieces last decades -- more
than long enough for the wood's source to be renewed.
So, whether you go rustic or elegant, wood may well be
a wise choice for your outdoor furnishings. Take a
seat -- and relax!
Debbie
Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise
Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create
outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them.
Her latest how-to guide “Attracting Butterflies to
Your Home and Garden” is now available on her web
site. Visit her at
www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on
“Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor
space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com debbie@paradiseporch.com
Caring for your Wood Furniture.
by
BatSheva Vaknin
Caring
for your Wood Furniture By BatSheva Vaknin
There is nothing like wood furniture to add elegance
and beauty to a home. Whether it is a thick,
all-natural butchers block table, an Art Deco wooden
dresser, a simple mahogany dining room table or a
sleek, modern coffee table, wood furniture is a staple
in homes across America and the world. Make sure your
wood tables, vanities and dressers stay gorgeous for
generations to come with these simple solutions and
guidelines. Stain, Stain, Go Away! Ever gasped after a
child inadvertently left a giant scratch in the
surface of your dining room table? Or cringed when a
well-meaning adult accidentally knocked over a drink
onto your beautiful wood coffee table? Well, fear not.
One of the best attributes of wood furniture is that
it is simple to touch up or renew its original luster.
Small nicks and scratches can usually be disguised
with the help of a store-bought scratch cover product.
For larger scratches, try using a felt tip pen or shoe
polish in a color closely matched to the finish of the
furniture piece. Shoe polish applicator bottles filled
with the stain work well for the cover-up job, as do
Sharpie markers. Coloring in the scratch is easy and
surprisingly effective.
Get rid of pesky water spots on your wood furniture by
allowing the spots to dry completely, then rubbing
real mayonnaise onto it with a soft cloth, until the
spots disappear. Erase color rings left on tables by
cups and glasses with a homemade mixture of cigarette
ashes and cooking oil. Prep the stain first by
scrubbing it with an abrasive pad or sandpaper. Then,
rub the oil and ash concoction into the wood.
And what about candle wax, marring the beautiful
finish of your wood dining room table? Wait until the
wax cools, then apply ice. Once the wax becomes
extremely hard and brittle, gently scrape it off with
a plastic spatula. Finally, polish the table with a
rich cream polish, and buff away any residue.
Remove or Disguise Scratches and Stains
Problem: Solution: Nicks, Scratches Magic Marker or
Shoe Polish Water Spots Mayonnaise Color Rings
Sandpaper, Ashes and Oil Wax Ice
An Ounce of Prevention, a Lifetime of Protection
Prevent serious damage to your wood furniture by
taking care not to position it in direct sunlight.
Unless you are going for the weathered picnic table
look, shield all wood furniture from the drying
influence of the sun. Also, protect your dining room
tables finish using an inexpensive table pad when the
table is not in use.
When eating a meal or entertaining guests, use a
tablecloth or placemats to protect the finish of a
wood table, especially when serving hot food. Place
hot serving dishes atop a hot pad and candle holders
over a large felt protector with a plastic top, since
plastic prevents wax from running.
Use coasters beneath all glasses and mugs to protect
your coffee table, dining room table and wood dressers
from unsightly rings and water spots. Beware, because
not all coasters are created equal. Metal coasters can
sweat onto the wood, and plastic coasters can react
with certain finishes on some wood furniture pieces.
So consider choosing wooden coasters with felt backing
and a waterproof material on top to further ensure the
longevity of your wood table tops. The best coasters
are those that taper up on the sides, preventing
leakage.
Protect Your Wood Tables from Damage
Protect From: With: General Harm Table Pad (when not
in use) Sun Damage Location out of Direct line of Sun
Heat Damage Tablecloths, Placemats, Hot Pads Wax Felt
Protector with Plastic Top Water Damage Wood Coasters
with Felt Bottom and Waterproof top
Proper Care and Cleaning Polishing wood furniture
every week goes a long way toward protecting the
finish from damage and helping your wood tables,
chairs and dressers look their best. Beware, though,
of cheap polishes, or any polish that contains
silicone or alcohol. Alcohol can do permanent damage
to a wood surface, as can any household cleaner that
contains ammonia. An excellent polish can be easily
made at home, by combining lemon oil with 3 parts
olive oil.
Now that you know about polishes, dont forget to clean
your wood furniture as well. Regular cleaning is
especially important for coffee tables and dining room
tables where food and drink are daily staples. Use a
very mild soap, such as a diluted mixture of hand soap
and water, as a cleaning agent for your wood
furniture. And if you really want to ensure your
dining room table or heirloom wood desk stays
beautiful, have your wood furniture buffed and
polished by a professional service once or twice a
year.
Make Your Own Polish and Cleaning Agents
Type: Mixture: Homemade Wood Furniture Polish = 1 part
Lemon Oil + 3 parts Olive Oil Homemade Wood Furniture
Cleaner = Hand Soap + Water
*Stay away from Alcohols and Ammonias
Now you are fully armed to properly care for your wood
furniture. And dont be disheartened if you are unable
to make a nick or small stain disappear completely.
Signs of use can add character to a piece of wood
furniture, and are often barely noticeable. Whether it
is a dresser, coffee table, bookshelf, desk, or dining
room table, wood furniture is the perfect addition to
any home.
Please find the original article and more information
about this subject at
http://www.homeandliving.com/DesignAdvice.aspx?Category=WoodCare
If you would like to publish this article on your own
site, please feel free to do so. Please let us know
the url of the posted article by emailing the url to
batsheva@homeandliving.com. All we ask is that you
include the whole article, without changes, including
the link to the original article location, author
information, this disclaimer and the following link.
Find great home furniture online at
www.homeandliving.com.
A Yale graduate, BatSheva Vaknin writes plays,
screenplays and short stories. She has just completed
her first novel.
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