Buying Pine Furniture
Although there are many different types of furniture on the market to include oak, cherry, mahogany, birch, teak, walnut, and more, pine is one of the favourites. Pine is considered softwood, which means it is not as hard-surfaced as oak or walnut. However, pine furniture is still gorgeous, often with a rich, honey colour. One of the benefits of choosing pine furniture is that it is timeless. Therefore, whether you have a traditional look in your home or one more contemporary, the result is magnificent.
In addition to the beauty of pine furniture, it is also practical and durable. Being a completely, natural material, you will enjoy beautiful grain patterns, knots, and variations in colour, which is why each piece of pine furniture is so unique. That means you could purchase a dining room table with four chairs and the surface of the table would be different from each of the chairs yet all made from pine. For this reason, pine furniture is often considered an eclectic choice.
What happens with pine furniture is that as pine ages, the colour will turn from a lighter honey colour to a richer, deeper hue. Another thing to consider when it comes to the colour of pine is that when wood is reached by sun and air, the colour can change. For this reason, if you decide to buy a piece of pine furniture such as a table, make sure you do not leave a centrepiece, statute, fountain, vase, or other item sitting in one place too long. Unfortunately, if you did, you would move the item only to discover a change in colour.
When buying pine furniture, the surface will need to be polished using hard, wearing lacquer to provide the wood the best protection possible. Again, pine is softwood, meaning it will scrape and dent easier than other types of wood. If you happen to notice a scuff or mark, specifically if the protective lacquer seal is busted, use solid wax, rubbing it directly into the dent. You also want to be careful not to place anything hot on pine furniture and if you spill any drink, clean it up immediately. Finally, to protect the surface of pine, you want to keep it away from windows, vents, or other locations where heat or cold could reach it.
Once you apply wax or lacquer to your pine furniture, you will not need to wax it again but every four months. To keep its beautiful colour and lustre, simply dust with a good wax polish. One of the best for pine is beeswax, which is a perfect blend of waxes that have been dispersed in pure turpentine. By applying it with a cloth or brush, leave the wax on the pine furniture for about 12 hours and then buff with a clean cloth. With this, the turpentine evaporates while the wax penetrates deep into the wood.
To keep your pine furniture looking beautiful and new, use a slightly damp cloth, going over the piece quickly, followed by wiping it off with a clean dry cloth. You can also use commercial furniture polish, whether in spray form or wax. If you come across some type of stain that regular polishing does not remove, then mix mild dishwashing detergent with warm water to work through the stain. However, because you are using water, make sure you dry the pine furniture immediately after cleaning. In addition, never use any type of chemical or abrasive cleaner on pine because of the softwood.
By taking care of your pine furniture, it will last you for years and probably be a piece that could be passed down through the family. Pine is indeed beautiful and it works well with all styles. Therefore, when you get ready to buy new furniture, consider pine.