Hi everyone, I hope you’ve all had a great year so far. With the holiday season now upon us, guests may be arriving from out of town, or you might finally find a few spare moments to give your handmade furniture some extra attention. Either way, I thought I’d share some tips to ensure your pieces look their absolute best and hold up beautifully during holiday use.
My hand rubbed oil finish
I use a hand rubbed oil/varnish finish on all my furniture. There is no “perfect” finish for fine furniture, but after extensive research, experimentation and advice, I believe this formula offers the best combination of properties for a craftsman made piece. One of its best qualities is that it is easily maintainable.
Let me walk you through how to refresh oil finishes and keep your pieces looking as timeless and elegant as the day they arrived.
Dealing with heat or water rings
Heat and water rings are often caused by moisture vapor trapped in the finish. Fortunately, they can usually be resolved with one of these methods:
Method 1: Time
Your first port of call is to simply do nothing! Because the finish I use is thin, more often than not the ring will evaporate out on its own accord. Leave the piece for a couple of weeks to a month and see if you notice a change.
Method 2: Hairdryer
If time alone doesn’t work, try applying gentle heat to encourage evaporation. Using a hairdryer on a low setting, move it back and forth over the ring until the moisture evaporates.
Method 3: Iron
Empty the water tank of your iron (additional moisture can make things worse).
Place a clean, print-free cotton cloth (like a napkin, towel, or T-shirt) over the stain.
Set the iron to its lowest heat setting, let it warm up, then carefully glide it over the cloth in small passes.
Check your progress frequently and repeat until the ring fades or disappears.
Method 4: Steel wool and fresh oil
I provide a video tutorial on Instagram, link is here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCBb5NKtYYW/
1. Protect surrounding floors with a drop-sheet or newspaper.
2. Wipe entire table down with the grain using a damp cloth, buff dry.
3. Lightly abrade the surface using 0000 steel wool (can be purchased from
Bunnings in the paint department). Use the palm of the hand to establish an even
pressure, rubbing in long strokes with the grain of the timber. 2-3 passes are all
that’s necessary.
4. Wipe off dust with a soft dry cloth.
5. Fold up a tea towel sized cloth to fit palm of the hand. Apply the oil to the cloth.
Apply the oil to the table “as wet as a dog’s nose”. Again, use the palm of the hand to
establish an even pressure, rubbing in long strokes with the grain of the timber.
6. Fold cloth over and wipe down again to remove the excess oil.
7. Buff off with a dry cloth. The timber should feel dry but slightly greasy, similar to a
recently washed frying pan.
8. Let wood dry for 24 hours before placing items on the newly oiled surface.
Cleaning tips
Avoid silicone-based polishes like Mr. Sheen. For regular cleaning, a damp cloth followed by a soft dry cloth is all you need.
A little attention now means your furniture will not only impress during the holidays but will also endure beautifully for years to come.
Thanks everybody, again, wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year. If you have questions or need further advice, I’m just an email away.
Cheers,
Lloyd