Is there anything that you can do to preserve antiques made out of wood? How to protect wood antiques, like furniture, from drying out or becoming brittle. 2nd Time Around Antique Mall owner Claudia Reese...
2nd Time Around Antique Mall owner Claudia Reese of Twin Falls, Idaho, who has been studying, buying, and selling antiques for two decades, advises using high quality wax to preserve wood antiques. "This will preserve old wood and keep it from drying out," she explains.
Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Hardwood Information Center is a service of the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, which is an industry trade group. It provides consumers with valuable information on caring for wood furniture.
The center's website advises antique owners to carefully choose wood care products. Changes in relative humidity, not a lack of oil, cause wood to crack. Paste wax, which has been used for centuries as a finishing material and a furniture care product, typically lasts six months to two years, depending on how often the furniture is used and how many coats are applied. If used properly, paste wax will provide a thick, hard, lasting finish. Liquid wax is similar, but typically provides a thinner coating. Waxes dry hard and they do not smear or attract dust and dirt. Paste wax will help delay the formation of water rings, giving you a little extra time to wipe up the moisture. Some people, especially antique lovers, prefer the soft sheen provided by waxes. Wax will not interfere with future refinishing.
"Care entails understanding the nature of wood as well as knowing how to prolong the life of the finish film that protects the wood,'' says Charles Sutton, president of Sutton House Furniture, a designer and consultant for fine furniture manufacturers. Sutton says changes in relative humidity are wood's number one enemy.
"As weather changes, so does the relative humidity in your home and the moisture content of the wood in your furniture," adds Susan Regan of the Hardwood Information Center. "This change in wood's moisture content means that your furniture is in a constant state of expansion and contraction."
Sutton suggests trying to keep your home's temperature at 70 to 72 degrees with relative humidity between 50% and 55%. Specific levels, however, are not as important as avoiding radical swings in the temperature and the amount of moisture in the air.
Other tips from Sutton on dealing with expansion and contraction include:
1. If furniture is to be stored, it generally does better in an unheated environment because the relative humidity will fluctuate within a much narrower range. Air can hold more moisture at a high temperature than at a low one.
2. Wood can best handle temperature changes and relative humidity if they occur gradually. Abrupt changes (closing or opening a vacation home, for example) can stress your furniture.
3. When air conditioning your home, keep the intake of outside humid air to a minimum.
4. Add humidifiers or vaporizing units to a heating/air conditioning central system to help stabilize the humidity level.
5. Use dehumidifiers during wet, rainy times and in damp rooms to remove excess moisture from the air.
Sutton's tips for caring for your furniture's finish include:
--Dust regularly with a clean, cotton cloth slightly dampened.
--Do not use a feather duster.
--Clean only when needed. Use water and liquid cleansers with caution.
--Do not place hot, cold, or wet objects directly onto the finish.
--Make sure all items displayed on your furniture have felt, not plastic, pads under them.
--Limit exposure to sunlight with the use of shades, drapes, blinds, shrubs, or window tinting.
--Avoid placing furniture near air ducts or vents.
