BLOG →SUPPLIERS GUIDE: CARE & MAINTENANCE GUIDE
How to Take Care of Wooden Furniture
By Kirkdale Studios
Caring For Contract Wooden Furniture
Wooden furniture brings warmth, character, and durability to contract interiors, making it a popular choice across hospitality, workplace, and public spaces. At Kirkdale Studios, we supply a broad range of contract wooden furniture, each piece crafted from materials with their own distinct qualities, finishes, and aesthetic appeal.
How to take care of wooden furniture
This guide is designed to help you care for your contract wooden furniture properly. It covers everyday maintenance, practical steps to prevent damage and simple ways to extend the lifespan of your furniture, ensuring it continues to perform well and look its best in demanding environments.
The below key graphically demonstrates the advised cleaning methods, along with the type of woods used in contact furniture.
Soft Cloth
Soapy Water
Sanding
Wood Oil
Vacuum
Polish
Caring for Indoor Timber Furniture
What is Timber used for?
Solid timber is widely used in the furniture industry, mainly due to its appearance and resilience.
It is a strong and versatile material that will most often be used for table tops and chair frames.
There are various treatments that can be applied to timber to enhance its life span, such as staining, lacquering, painting, and veneering. We recommend regular cleaning and maintenance to keep the timber’s quality.
How to Take Care of Timber Furniture:
To wipe down surfaces, always use a soft cloth with warm soapy water.
Wipe in the direction of grain and dry the surface after cleaning.
Never use a D10 detergent cleanser as the chemicals will damage the protective lacquers used on your timber furniture.
Apply furniture polish to increase shine.
If the timber is scratched, sand down the surface and oil the wood.
Do you want to explore wood furniture for your next hospitality project? Explore our full selection.
Kirkdale Pro Tip:
For best results, re-oil your timber furniture every seasons.
Caring for Outdoor Timber Furniture
Caring for Outdoor Timber Furniture
Can Timber be Used Outdoor?
Only certain timbers are suitable for outdoor use as they need to be waterproof, durable and resistant to sunlight to withstand outdoor conditions.
Teak, Robina and Iroko are all suitable for outdoor use.
Due to the external conditions and especially UV exposure, the timber will turn to silvery grey colour.
Outdoor timber should be regularly treated and maintained to ensure its good condition for as long as possible. We recommend oiling outdoor timber every six months for best results.
How to Take Care of Outdoor Timber Furniture:
For daily maintenance, use a soft cloth to wipe down surfaces.
Clean it gently using warm soapy water and allow it to dry completely before applying any treatment.
For deep chips in the timber, sand down the entire surface and re-oil every six months for best results.
Refreshing a hotel rooftop terrace or designing an al fresco dining area? Find here our outdoor furniture options.
Kirkdale Pro Tip:
You can delay the greying process by applying UV-resistant wood oils.
Caring for Laminates
Caring for Laminates
What is Laminate?
Laminate is a synthetic material which is adhered to flat surfaces like table tops and edges to add colour, pattern and protection.
Laminate is highly durable and with good care will retain its appearance unlike natural materials, which can change over time.
Compact laminates like HPL can be used outdoors and offers durable and lightweight options for flip-top tables with a range of designs. However laminate needs proper care to ensure that it is suitable for outdoor use and will not fade in the sunlight.
How to Take Care of Laminate Furniture:
For a daily clean, you can wipe down the surface with a soft cloth. Wipe in the direction of grain and dry the surface after cleaning.
Spills and stains should be wiped as soon as possible with warm, soapy water.
Avoid putting hot dishes or pans directly onto the surface.
Kirkdale Pro Tip:
Never use a D10 detergent cleanser as the chemicals will damage the protective lacquers used on your timber furniture.
Caring for Veneers
Caring for Veneers
What is a veneer?
Veneers are thin sheets of timber which are laid onto an additional substrate like MDF or plywood. While being cheaper than solid timber they also look the part with intricate grain pattens and realistic stain finishes.
Veneers are most often used on table tops, chair backs and large case goods.
How to Take Care of Veneered Furniture:
For a daily clean, you can wipe down the surface with a soft cloth.
Spills and stains should be wiped as soon as possible with warm, soapy water.
Avoid putting hot dishes or pans directly onto the surface.
Kirkdale Pro Tip:
In order to prevent scratches, wipe in the direction of the wood grain.
Caring for Wicker and Cane
Caring for Wicker and Cane
What are wicker and cane used for?
Wicker and cane have been a staple in furniture manufacture for many years.
Naturally they come with an uneven appearance and can present defects, inconsistent colours and textures.
As they are flexible, lightweight and have weather resistance, they are a popular choice for both indoor and outdoor furniture.
Despite the woven appearance, wicker and cane are easy to care for with regular maintenance. The fraying bits can just be trimmed with scissors and a professional upholsterer can replace weaves if weak or broken.
How to Take Care of Wicker and Cane Furniture:
Wipe down the surfaces with a soft cloth and use warm soapy water.
You can use the brush nozzle on a vacuum to remove dust from small crevices.
Did you know that classic Parisian Bistro Chairs are made of canned rattan? Discover our full selection of cane chairs.
Kirkdale Pro Tip:
Cane and wicker tend to fray and sag over repeated use.
We recommend using it only for the backrest of the seating because, although it’s used for contract furniture, wicker and cane are not as strong as other contract materials.
Caring For Cork
Caring For Cork
What is Cork?
Cork is a natural material which is sustainably harvested from the bark of a rapidly growing cork tree. The tree is then left for nine years to regrow before it can be harvested again.
Cork is a brilliant material for its natural properties: lightweight and fire retardant means that it is suitable for a range of uses. Furthermore it does not conduct noise, vibration or heat.
Cork table tops are supplied with a hard wax coating which protects against liquid damage.
However, because the material is porous, it is susceptible to age, mark and stain over use. We recommend oiling cork tops every six months.
How to Take Care of Cork Furniture:
Always use a gentle, non abrasive detergent and a soft damp cloth to wipe down the surface.
To prevent damage and liquid stains, re-apply oil to your cork every six months.
If the cork becomes chipped, it will need to be replaced.
Kirkdale Pro Tip:
Do not put hot dishes or pans directly onto the surface, as it could burn the wax coating. However, hot cups or tableware can be placed directly.
For Great Furniture That Lasts.
As suppliers of contract furniture, from concept to supply (and everything in between) we will be here to assist at every stage of your project. We recommend downloading and following this guide for information on the best ways to care for your contract furniture.
Our guide covers the most common materials used in contract furniture. It gives instruction and tips on cleaning and maintenance that will keep your furniture looking better for longer.
If you have any further questions on the care and maintenance of your furniture please contact a member of our team or at hello@kirkdalestudios.com