How to care for Hardwood

On your property, you might have all sorts constructed from hardwoods - doors, frames, benches, tables, loungers etc. Without proper care your hardwood furniture can get damaged, especially in the winter months. By following a few simple tips on how to care for hardwood, the life of your wood products will be significantly extended.

Your timber products will usually have been sanded before they are supplied to you. However, wear and tear always occurs during transportation and assembly/fitting. This means that sanding down your furniture, very very lightly, is extremely important. When you are sanding, ensure that the movement of your hand follows the grain of the wood, be it side to side, up and down or diagonal. You can sand the wood with either sandpaper, a sanding block or wire wool. Some people believe the latter gives the best effect and reduces the risk of scratching any glass surface.

Following the light sanding, brush off the dust and apply the first coat of protective paint as a primer. Once dry this is followed by two other undercoats and then a final top coat. Inbetween each coating, lightly sand the wood and brush the dust off. If you are just varnishing the wood, three coats should be enough to finish it. Ensure that you coat the end of the grain, i.e. the tops and bottoms that you might not necessarily see. When you are painting or varnishing, ensure that you follow the grain of the wood.

How often this process needs repeating depends upon the woodcare products, so make sure you're aware of this.