Wood Furniture Care

Thank you for purchasing custom-designed furniture from Julia West Home. We hope you enjoy your new acquisition and that it delights you and earns its keep for years to come!

We have taken care to craft and finish your furniture by hand. Furniture is an important purchase and proper care will help maintain your furniture’s finish and ensure that it looks great year after year. The following guidelines will help you to understand how best to care for your furniture.

Your furniture is made of a variety of wood products and may include solid wood, MDF board and veneers. Generally speaking, JWH furniture is finished with a protective clear varathane on stained pieces and both stained wood and painted wood are finished with a hand polished wax varnish for added protection and durability.

General Care of Wood Furniture

• All wood should be dusted frequently using a soft, lint-free cloth lightly dampened with a dusting product or water.
• For stained wood pieces a quality furniture polish about once a month, applying with a soft, lint-free cloth.
• Painted furniture may be cleaned with a solution of mild, non-abrasive detergent and warm water and followed with a thorough rinsing. Never use oil, oil polishes or oil-treated cloths on painted furniture. Hand rubbing with polishes may remove painted decorations.
• Clean up spills immediately. Use a blotting action rather than a wiping action.
• Avoid placing furniture in direct sunlight, as sunlight causes fading.
• Avoid extremes in room humidity. Too high or too low humidity can cause wood to warp or the glue lines to fail.
• Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Arrange furniture away from radiators, registers and air conditioning units.
• Rotate accessories on furniture so they do not sit in the same spot all of the time.
• Avoid placing plastic or rubber objects on wood finish as their ingredients can react with those of the finish.
• Use pads, cloth or felt to protect the furniture surface from plastic, rubber, hot dishes, beverages, bookends, flowerpots and vases.
• Use a protective pad when writing with a ballpoint pen.
• Lift and place object, do not drag them across the furniture surface.
• Make minor repairs while they are still small.
• Use the proper materials or call us for advice.
• Avoid silicone polishes. Silicone oil is an ingredient used by many furniture polish makers to create a high degree of shine. Silicone seeps into even the most lacquered finish making it difficult to remove. Should it become necessary to refinish a piece fo furniture, silicone makes it a very difficult process.
• Sit only on structures designed for that purpose.

Metal Hardware

Handles, knobs, brackets, hinges and escutcheons are usually given a clear protective finish at the factory thus eliminating the need for constant polishing. Open and close doors, drawers and lids gently.

Flipper Doors

The mechanisms used have been selected based on the weight of the door. The key to using the flipper door and not damaging the face of the door is to open it all the way before sliding it into position. Likewise when closing, the door must be extended all the way before closing. Also, open and close the doors one at a time, Few people have the arm reach to extend the full width to extend the doors completely prior to opening or closing.

Enjoy your new furniture and if you have any questions or concerns, please call us.