Simple Steps To Care For Your Oak Table And Chairs

With just a few simple steps, your oak table and chairs will last a lifetime. Oak is often chosen for wooden tables and chairs because of its natural strength. Even though it is strong, there are some basic things you can do to keep it looking its best for years to come. Wood swells or shrink when the temperature and humidity of the room they are in changes. While you will rarely see a dramatic change, a few extra precautions will keep them to a minimum.

Heat vents and radiators, direct sunlight and stoves are all enemies of wood furniture and you should take care to keep yours as far away as possible. Constant sunshine or hot air on your table and chairs can cause them to dry out and crack or split. A low humidity level caused by central heating units will also dry out your wooden furniture. An ideal humidity level for your furniture is around 45%. You can purchase an inexpensive hygrometer that will help you monitor the humidity level in your home. In the winter, you can add more by using a humidifier. In the summer, running an air conditioner or dehumidifier will keep the humidity down to the preferred levels.

Follow these additional steps to keep your wood table and chairs looking their best:

• Re-arrange the room so that your wood furniture is not close to heat sources.
• Use blinds to block the direct sunlight.
• Always use coaster under your cold drinks.
• Protect your table from hot serving dishes with hot pads.
• Never use alcohol or nail polish remover where it could spill on the wood surface.
• Keep your table and chairs free from abrasive particles by dusting on a regular basis.
• Use a high quality furniture polish and soft cloth to polish the wood.
• Use a tablecloth and table pad to protect the surface of your table.
• Decorative place mats will provide a cushion between your wood table and your dishes.
• Follow the same guidelines for the extra leaves for your table.

These guidelines will keep your oak dining table and chairs looking like new. Well built wood furniture can last a lifetime and can go on to be used for generations to come.