Treatment and Care
Here at Dining Chairs 2U, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your purchase of this solid wood product. We believe that not only have you made a monetary investment in a piece of solid wood furniture but, that with proper care, your investment will continue to enhance your home and style, from traditional to modern day living, taking your furniture with you on your journey through life.
Assembly
Most of our oak furniture is supplied fully assembled, although certain items will require minimal assembly. This is mainly for logistic purposes, and to ensure the wellbeing and protection of your items against any damage in transit. Although assembly may be required on selected items, we ensure this is kept to a minimum and that it in no way reduces the quality and integrity of our products.
Manufacturing Process
Please read this information carefully as it will help you understand the product you have purchased. Due to its many attractive properties, wood has been a material of choice for furniture all over the world. Each tree is an individual; a piece of nature which after being felled keeps its own character in its strength, structure and sensitivity to light and moisture. Knots are not faults but part of the character, coming about as a natural consequence of branches growing. Our oak furniture is handmade, meaning every piece is unique, therefore leading to varying degrees of marks, filling, knots, and depending on the style, purposely implemented distress. These differing appearances are normal and part of the general manufacturing process.
Choosing A Location For Your Furniture
Wood is a natural product and as such is susceptible to expansion and contraction. This is generally caused by the climate and surroundings the product is placed in, and as a result, small splits may appear. Splits are not a manufacturing fault and are mostly caused by atmospheric conditions, for example, a warm house or humidity. If a split does appear it can be easily filled using products/coloured wood filler/coloured wax sticks which are available from almost all high street hardware stores (following the wax manufacturer’s instructions). To try and avoid cracks and splits, please observe the following; do not place furniture directly against a heater or radiator; direct sunlight should be avoided as much as possible; try to avoid locations where there are extremes of temperature.
Spillages
Moisture is the worst enemy of wooden furniture, so all spillages should be wiped away at once. When cleaning, water should only be used in small quantities – preferably just a damp cloth should be used, and it should always be wiped afterwards to ensure it is left dry. This also applies to the use of soap solutions. No moisture should ever be left on the furniture and you should never use any chemicals, abrasive materials or strong cleaners on your furniture as this will damage the lacquered finish. Always protect surfaces from hot objects, so the use of high quality place mats and coasters are strongly advised.
General Care Instructions
Your furniture is finished with a durable satin lacquer, which means that it only requires buffing with a cloth (polishes are optional). If using a spray polish, use one that has a high content of natural Beeswax. Do not spray directly onto the furniture, but spray onto a cloth then buff up using a dry cloth (the use of quality cloths will achieve the best results).
Every now and then, approximately 2-3 months (or maybe you would like to do this when you want to show off your furniture to guests on that special occasion), treat your furniture to a good polish using a traditional natural Beeswax (soft) following the wax manufacturer’s instructions. This will enhance your furniture and help give you a deep and lasting protecting of your furniture over the many years to come.
Natural Wood Movement
In certain rare cases you may for instance find that drawers and doors may stick, making them difficult to open. This is generally due to extremes of temperature and humidity during the shipping and storage of the furniture which can cause expansion to the wood. The furniture will naturally adjust to the climate of its new environment and should be allowed approximately seven days to achieve this. In the very rare possibility that the oak has not adjusted over time, a small amount of sanding may be required on the drawer or door in question. If this is the case it is advisable to sand from the bottom of the door/drawer front or side as any changes in appearances that may occur will be hidden from view. Applying a small amount of Danish Oil (following the oil manufacturer’s instructions) to the bare oak will protect it from any adjustments you may have made. A simple case of swapping the drawers around may be a quicker solution to this problem.
Although the expansion and contraction of natural wood is very rare, please understand that this is a small possibility and as it is a natural occurrence, it shall not be deemed to be a faulty product.
Disclaimer
Dining Chairs 2U accept no responsibility or liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred as a result of any use or reliance upon the information and material contained within this document and that contained within or downloaded from its website.
