How to Maintain Solid Wood Furniture

Once you’ve invested in a piece of solid wood furniture to beautify your home, you must regularly maintain it.

Neglecting wood maintenance could result in scratched and damaged surfaces or even discolouration, depending on the type of wood your furniture is made of.

At burotic, our standing desks are handmade in Quebec from the finest quality, sustainable hardwood from Canadian forests. As such, you must care for the surface of your desk to ensure its durability.

In this post, we introduce you to a range of ways in which you can maintain solid wood furniture, to help you keep your burotic standing desk in the best possible condition.

The importance of caring for wooden furniture

According to the Smithsonian Institute, there are three major causes of preventable damage to wooden furniture:

1. Poorly controlled ambient environment (light, relative humidity, and temperature).
2. Inadequate packing for transport or shipping.
3. Careless use, handling, and maintenance.

With due care and attention, each of the three causes listed above can easily be avoided. Firstly, we recommend positioning your standing desk in a temperate room, away from direct sunlight that could cause blemishes on the surface.

Secondly, we take the utmost care when packaging and delivering the desk to your home or office to avoid any damage resulting from the transportation process. So that leaves us with care and maintenance of the desk while it’s in your possession. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can keep your wooden standing desk in excellent condition.

How to maintain your wooden standing desk

After investing in a wooden standing desk for your home or office, there are several ways in which you can care for and maintain it, to preserve it long into the future. Below are some tried and tested yet simple methods of keeping your standing desk in excellent condition:

Use coasters for hot drinks

Heat rings caused by hot drinks are among the most common causes of damage to wooden furniture, particularly desks. While nobody will begrudge you a mug of steaming hot coffee first thing in the morning, make sure you rest your mug on a coaster or placemat. This acts as a barrier between your desk and hot drink and prevents heat rings from forming on the surface.

Clean any spills immediately

We’re all human, and spills and accidents happen. Whether it’s a splash of water from your bottle or a drop of hot coffee, you need to clean any spills on your wooden standing desk right away. First, dab the spillage with a clean paper towel and make sure all moisture is soaked up. Then treat the area with warm water and soap to remove any remaining residue. Ignoring spills can cause stains and blemishes, so be sure to treat them as quickly as possible.

Regularly dust the surface of your desk

As well as being unsightly and unhygienic, dust can also cause damage to your wooden furniture. According to NewScientist, dust comprises tiny airborne particles from human skin, wood, sand, and microscopic creatures. When left to rest or if you place objects like books or papers on top of dusty surfaces, the particles can damage the surface of your desk and cause scratches. As such, regularly dust your wooden standing desk with a light, soft cloth and remove dust as soon as you notice it.

Clean the surface with warm water and soap

After dusting the surface of your wooden standing desk, it’s good to treat it further by gently cleaning it with warm water and soap. Be sure to use a paper towel or a soft dishcloth and wipe the surface clean. Avoid using any type of brush or cloth with bristles, as these will cause scratches. Wiping your standing desk clean with warm water and soap is an effective way of removing any residual dust and maintaining the freshness of your furniture.

Treat the surface with wax

According to BHG, applying wax or wooden furniture polish helps to protect the manufacturer’s finish and reduces the likelihood of surface scratches appearing. Wax is also capable of providing a hard finish and long-lasting protection to your wooden furniture and can be an effective way of increasing the durability of your piece. You need to be diligent when applying wax to wooden furniture, though, as the incorrect application can result in a streaky or cloud appearance. For more information about treating your wooden furniture with wax, click here.

Avoid using sharp objects

Wherever possible, avoid using sharp objects on the surface of your wooden standing desk. Sharp points can easily scratch or dent your desk, which ruins the aesthetics of your furniture and can cause irreparable damage. Be mindful of the sharp corners of various electronic gadgets too, as these can also tarnish the surface of your wooden furniture.

Regularly treat wear and tear

Despite your best efforts, you might experience wear and tear of your wooden furniture over time. Minor nicks and scratches can be treated with wood-specific scratch covers, as this will help disguise any blemishes that appear. Prevention is better than cure when it comes to maintaining your wooden furniture, though, so do your level best not to scratch or harm the surface by being mindful of the objects that you use on your desk.

Final thoughts

Investing in a burotic wooden standing desk will undoubtedly beautify your home or office workstation and will help you to be more productive in your professional life. That being said, you need to do everything you can to regularly maintain the quality of your standing desk, so it retains its charm and splendour long into the future.

Hopefully, the tips that we’ve shared in this post will help you care for your standing desk, as well as any other pieces of wooden furniture that you have in your home. To view our stunning collection of hand-crafted wooden standing desks, visit our online store today.