Tips on Taking Care of Your Rustic Tables

Who would disagree that a well-crafted rustic table is a great compliment to any country home, log cabin, or even a city home, if you prefer an informal lifestyle?  A country house will never be complete without being furnished with furniture made of wood.  Not only do rustic furnishings complete the interior design, these also give the house a homely and calm ambience.

Rustic furniture gained its popularity in America in the nineteenth century when the belief that living close to nature produces relaxing and healing effects.  During this time, spending time in summer camps in the mountains became widespread as a therapeutic option against the stress of living the fast-paced urban existence. 

Later on, the people learned to bring the soothing effects of nature to their own homes by building furnishings made from native materials.  The industry thrived because it provided employment to the local villagers and the crafts continue to charm more and more people.

Now that you have decided to get a wooden furnishing for your home, you have to be aware of different types available in the market.  Whether you are building the table yourself or you are purchasing the furniture, you have to carefully select the type of wood, the design and the finish to make sure that it would last long.

And even after choosing high-quality wood, durable design and the proper finish, your sleek rustic table may not retain its original qualities if its not well-maintained.  In that case, here is a compilation of tips that would make your rustic table last years and years after it was built that it might even be past of one's antique collection:

* For most furniture, cleaning the finish only requires a standard furniture polish which can be purchased over-the-counter from most do-it-yourself or home care shops.  Heads up, though.  Chlorine-based cleaners can harm certain types of wood, pets and plants.  So, check the label before applying it to your furniture.

* Oxygenated bleach products are now the commonly used wood cleaners.  These contain sodium percarbonate, which, unlike chlorine containing products, clean using oxygen molecules released into the water.  Because of this chemical property, these products are considered safe and environment-friendly.

* If your table is made from Redwood or Cedar, you also need to use wood brighteners made from oxalic-based products.  This is because oxygenated bleach products darken certain types of Cedar and Redwood.

* Also, choose a furniture polish that has water repellent properties that would protect your rustic tables from sunlight, ultra-violet and water damage.

* When applying the polish, you may use a nylon or polyester brush.  Sponge pads also work well for cleaning the smooth surface of your

* If there are fabric accents, these should to be vacuumed regularly to eliminate dust.  Fabric shampoo may be used occasionally as fabrics tend to acquire a mild stench over time.  Just be careful to read and follow the instructions.

* Check for rots or conditions that would facilitate rotting like water spills that are left to dry, discoloration or uneven finish.

* Apply borates.  For over forty years, borate products are being used to protect the wood against decay caused by molds and insects such as termites, ants and beetles.  Borates may be applied by brush or spraying onto bare wood.  If the wood is spongy,  you can also inject it into the wood.  Borates can stay in the wood for several decades, thus, giving it long-term protection.

NOTE: Be careful, though, when handling these cleaning products.  Even if the products may not be health hazards when in contact with skin, some of the products result to a slippery surface, particularly, when spilled on floors and ladders.

* If the wood has acquired some structural failure, like hollowing, chipping or cracking, these may be repaired without having to replace the wood.  In the rare instance that this happens, you may use wood epoxies to repair the damage.

Keeping these tips in mind after you purchased or built those sleek rustic tables will definitely save you money as you maintain your home's cozy appeal.