Caring for your natural wood products
Wood is a natural material that has many characteristics that can make it difficult to work with. Wood products can have defects that are perfectly natural, such as knots, cracks, and picketing. These defects can be exacerbated by the way the wood is cut, dried, and manufactured. Wood products should be treated with preservatives to help keep them new and fresh. The care guide below will help you understand these defects and know if it is a natural or needs replacing.
Knots
It is the natural look of wood. Their size and position vary depending on the origin. They do not call into question the strength or durability of the product.
Resins
Contained in the heart of the wood, they can rise to the surface. Naturally or following autoclave treatment. Scrape it gently so as not to scratch the product.
The cracks
Variations in temperature or humidity lead to the appearance of cracks which do not affect the quality of the product.
Salt lifts
They are recognised by light green spots which may appear following autoclave treatment. They can be removed by light sanding.
Picketing
These very small traces, left by insects from exotic woods that come to bite the wood, sometimes remain after cutting but in no way affect the quality of the product.
The molds
Our products are treated against fungi. Nevertheless, microscopic fungi can appear on the surface. Eliminate them by simply brushing.
Blue stain
When natural wood products are pressure treated this can cause the wood to have a tinted blue appearance. This will fade over time.
Twists & warps
Movement and gaps are normal for natural wood products. Over a period of time the wood will settle and revert back once humidity becomes stable.
Greying
Due to exposure to UV rays, this “ash grey” tint can be controlled with a sober and the application of a suitable protective product.
Shade variations
Due to the autoclave treatment or the origin of the wood, these colour differences will fade over time.