Antique Way

Antique Wood Furniture--Care and Cleaning

Wood is a natural living product, therefore, wood furniture will "breathe" in response to changes in the atmosphere. Rapid or extreme fluctuation in temperature, humidity or direct sunlight may cause cracking, splitting, and/or warping of the piece.Wood as a plant contains water in its structure. Throughout our manufacturing process, substantial amount of water would have been eliminated from the wood to make it stable. However, wood still expands or contracts as related to the relative humidity in the air. One exception is wood that has undergone chemical treatment.

For antiques with the original finish. Care Avoid extremes of humidity and temperature, which accelerate cracking and checking of finish, and loosen joints and veneer. Do not set beverage glasses, vases of flowers, etc. on surfaces without coaster or mat protection.

Cleaning

Vacuum or dust with a soft cloth. Occasionally use a cloth just barely dampened with solvent-based cleaning wax to wipe the surface to pick up more dust, and immediately wipe with a dry cloth or soft paper towel. Do not use spray waxes and polishes on surfaces as they will leave a higher gloss and some silicone which may make future refinishing more difficult.

Occasionally wax with paste (carnauba) wax. Rub on a very light coat with a soft cloth with the grain of the wood (or put a lump of wax inside a few layers of folded cheesecloth and rub onto wood thus preventing heavy smears); then buff at once with soft cloth, turning often, until wax coating is hard. (Old cotton tee-shirts are good.) Be sure all wax is completely buffed until hard to avoid smears and streaks. Here a small electric polisher is a great "arm-saver" on all smooth surfaces; wipe surface gently with clean soft cloth after applying wax to remove any loosened soil and then let set several minutes (following wax label directions) before power buffing. An occasional re-buffing will renew the soft gloss. Paste wax helps cover small cracks and checks in old finishes, and can easily be removed with solvent when desired.

Method

Matching stain will take testing and trying the product. Choose the lighter of two choices, it is easy to go darker if needed but harder to lighten. Be sure to apply two or three coats over your finish to test results to check for color variance.

Using water-soluble stains will raise the grain, the grain should be raised before staining by sanding first, or it can be sanded after staining. Fast drying stains are alcohol-soluble and are used for touch-ups, by spraying on. Oil-soluble stains are often used to tint varnish or lacquer for the last finish. Oil-soluble varnish will dissolve oil-soluble stains. Seal the stained wood before varnishing to prevent bleeding. Staining is not always called for, an attractive wood can be sealed with an appropriate finish.

Types of Stain

Penetrating stain. This is absorbed into the wood, its color is clear and brings out the beauty of the grain.

Pigmented stain. Leaves a thin film of color on top of the wood leaving an opaque sort of finish and faintly obscures the grain. This is harder to work with because of it quick absorbency. It is however the better choice to highlight the grain. Use pigmented stain on plain wood.

Gel stains. This sort of stain combines the best of penetrating and pigmented. It also works very well allowing the grain to be visible.

NGR

This is non-grain-raising stain; it is premixed penetrating and is water-soluble aniline dye mixed with alcohol. You will notice a clear sharp color because it is water free.

Aniline dye stain

This is classed as penetrating and is a powder that needs to be dissolved in hot water or alcohol before using. Aniline dye stain is available in a good selection of colors. Start with a weak mixture and make more concentrated solution as you work, this is better than one strong coat.

Pigmented wiping stain

This is ground pigment suspended in oil. The particles tend to settle to the bottom consequently needs to be stirred often. These colors are not as intense, although water soluble for easy cleaning, it will not usually raise the grain.

Gel stains

A mixture of both dyes and stains gives uniform staining and clear color. Rubbing in the stain gives more control over the color, hard rubbing gives light color, lightly rubbing leaves a darker stain.

Applying Stain

Chemical stains are toxic and flammable. Read the label and follow safety instructions carefully. Practice first on a scrap to protect your project.

- The Aniline spray on stains will reduce streaking. If you are brushing or wiping follow the grain with long smooth swipes. Overloading the brush will cause blotches.

- Us the same methods for NGR stains, however using a retarder will slow drying and prevent lap marks.

- The pigmented wiping stain will be brushed or wiped across grain first, then along its length. Leave on the recommended time then remove with rag that is lint free.

- Gel stains are wiped along the grain with lint-free cloth, then rubbed in for even color.

Care

The ideal condition for furniture is a stable atmosphere with relative humidity fluctuations of 40 - 70 percent, and a temperature from 60 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit.Operating a humidifier or putting a glass of water inside or underneath the furniture may help to maintain humidity.

Strong sunlight can cause fading or other changes. If you leave objects in a permanent position on the furniture, uneven fading may also occur.Avoid placing furniture next to radiators, hot air vents, air conditioners, or open windows. Do not place hot containers directly onto the surface of the furniture.

Careless handling of the furniture may also cause damage.

Wood is an organic substance, and each species of wood has individual characteristics such as color, texture, and smell. We apply appropriate finishes on each piece with those characteristics in mind, so the finish and the design of the wood enhance one another and work together harmoniously.

Use dry cloth, soft brush or the brush of a vacuum cleaner to remove dust on the furniture. If needed, use a dry or mild damp cloth to wipe away dirt or stains. This is the only cleaning you need for the furniture. Never use too much water to clean the furniture.

There is normally no need to re-wax the furniture very offen . Just wiping with a dry cloth can restore the shimmer. However, if there has been too much stain on the surface, or the furniture has lost its shimmer altogether, re-wax is then needed. Use only a thin layer of soft "paste like" furniture wax. High quality furniture beeswax is easily available in the market. Never use the spray type furniture wax, otherwise you will have to say good-bye to the beautiful furniture color.

For certain finish of our pieces , the paint and color is made very thin to best reveal the wood grains. The furniture surfaces therefore cannot withstand too much scratching. So if objects such as lamps or vases are to be placed on furniture top, it is highly recommended to shield them with soft padding on their bottom surfaces.