How to Care for a Solid Oak Dining Table
Featured Image: Mission Style Dining Table, Burnished Oak Solid Hardwood
Solid oak dining tables can dominate a room and impose its magnificent presence upon all those who enter it. The only problem with a solid oak dining table (and most other wooden tables) is that they require occasional care and attention to keep them fresh and healthy (unlike plastic or metal which only require cleaning).
Imagine you’ve just bought an oak dining table (or perhaps you actually just have). No doubt you see this fine piece of dining room furniture as an investment that will stay in your family and household for a long time. Do you know how to care for it and how to keep it looking like new for years to come? If not, read on…
For a Full Guide on Oak Furniture Care Read this.
Doing these things will give you the best chance of keeping your solid oak dining table in good condition, and will put you well ahead of 99% of other people who aren’t as clued up on looking after dining room furniture.
Keep Away From Heat and Humidity
While you might not realize it, the most deadly (and unexpected) killers of your solid oak dining table is heat and warm air (i.e. humidity). The effects of this on your dining room table are that it will start to crack and become disjointed. It may also cause your table to look slightly more pale than usual.
This shouldn’t be a problem as long as your home is air conditioned (you want to have your dining room constantly at around 65-75 degrees). Dealing with low humidity is a slightly harder problem (as this is the real stealth killer). If you feel like your wooden dining room table may be suffering go out and buy a humidifier machine which sprays out water into the air and leaves the room feeling fresh.
Try and Avoid Sunlight Exposure
While it may not be always possible for some people, try to keep your solid oak dining table in the shade as much as you can, since exposure to direct sunlight will wear it down (and fade the coloring) over time.
Regular Cleaning Is Key
In addition to this, be sure to keep your solid oak dining table clean from dirt and grime (this can be done by regularly running a damp cloth over it) and from dust (which can be removed via a duster or with static towels). Many people think that dust on their dining table is nothing to worry about, but that dust attracts bacteria that can quickly get to work eating into your precious table.
Above all remember that whenever cleaning your oak table that you wipe it dry, since surface moisture can cause long term problems.
Consider the Occasional Waxing
Oak Tables don’t need regular waxing, but applying a good foodsafe wax is not a bad idea from time to time.
