MAINTENANCE: information and procedures (no product sold by this listing)

This listing is to provide helpful information on the maintenance of your furniture. Nothing is for sale with this listing.

Our furniture is designed to be used for more than a lifetime with normal use. The furniture is designed to be able to be moved many times. Moving requires that when the furniture is moved a short distance it is picked up; not slid on the floor. Sliding on a floor can place very large forces on joints that can break the joints. Taking the drawers out of a dresser or cabinet is recommended for moving between rooms. When transporting a dresser long distances you can leave the drawers in position but don't leave items in the drawers. When moving a bed, take the mattress off of the bed before moving even a short distance. Then pick up the bed to move a short distance. When moving a bed longer distances take the bed apart the amount needed to be able to transport the pieces safely protected well. Often it is not necessary disassemble to the smallest parts as was shipped to you initially. But at minimum disconnect the side boards from the ends.

We recommend natural color wood finished with tung oil. Maintenance of wood without stain is easier. On request we do apply stain but the final color depends on many factors so the color match is not accurate.

The wood surface can be cleaned with a cloth dampened with water. If you like, you can use a gentle furniture soap like "Murphy's Oil Soap."

Tung oil is a great furniture finish because:
1. It creates a beautiful natural feeling wood surface
2. It is easiest to maintain
3. It penetrates the wood to provide very good long term protection for the wood.

Tung oil without added drying chemicals (see www.realmilkpaint.com tung oil description) dries slower than tung oil with chemicals added to speed drying. Depending on temperature and humidity, tung oil without added chemicals can require more than two weeks to totally cure. The surface is dry when we ship. But Tung oil can migrate to the surface during shipping due to temperature changes during shipping. Trucks can get to over 140 degrees fahrenheit. If you notice an oily feel to the wood, wipe the wood with a clean cloth. If it does not get wiped it will dry a little rough. The roughness is due to tung oil on the surface; not wood roughness. Also marks from our foam or bubble wrap packing might be seen on the surface. If you notice roughness or marks on the surface, you can buff the surface with 220 grit sand paper or steel wool to remove the roughness and/or marks and then wipe the surface with a clean cloth dampened with tung oil as is described below.

A properly applied tung oil finish provides a matte moisture-resistant finish on wood surfaces. Unlike varnish or shellac or polyurethane, it remains flexible when fully cured and isn't prone to the cracking caused by seasonal environmental changes that cause the wood to expand and contract. Tung oil does not create the surface film that is created by varnish or polyurethane. The surface film of varnish or polyurethane can be easily scratched and repair is difficult requiring intensive sanding and refinishing of the entire surface. Because of these tung oil properties and tung oil's resistance to wear, it is a popular finish for the finest furniture. Examples: www.thosmoser.com www.shackeltonthomas.com

When a tung oil finish becomes worn through normal use, restoration is a simple job.
1. Clean the surface with a water damp cloth. If scratches or gouges are deep you might need to start by sanding with 80 grit then 120 grit sand paper to remove the damage. Always sand in the direction of the grain. Sand most in the center where the gash is and gradually less outward. Sand until there is no roughness from the gash.
2. Sand the surface that needs repair until very smooth with No. 0000 steel wool or 220 grit sand paper. Work in the direction of the grain. Sanding not only smooths any patches of bare wood, it also abrades the finished surfaces and allows the new oil to form a better mechanical bond to the existing surface. You can sand a small area or a larger area. It is not necessary to treat an entire surface of the furniture because the new tung oiled surface will blend with the older surface if the surface is natural color wood. If the surface did have stain added, then you might need to sand a larger area to achieve blending because the sanding might remove some of the color. And if the stain that was added was dark, you might need to apply some color after the sanding to match the color.
3. Clean the sanded area with a tack cloth.
4. If stain had been applied to the wood, apply the same stain color now carefully blending with the adjacent areas. Put on a pair of painting gloves To apply stain put stain on a clean dry cloth and wipe it carefully only on the area that has been sanded that needs the stain color. Carefully blend the stain to the adjacent areas. Wipe the stain carefully to blend and achieve the proper darkness. Let the stain dry for a day and check the color when dry. Adjust color if needed by sanding more and carefully applying stain.
5. Put on a pair of painting gloves. Tung oil is slightly tacky and not water-soluble. Pure tung oil from www.realmilkpaint.com is not caustic.
6. Pour tung oil onto a clean rag. Working in the direction of the grain, rub a thin coat of oil onto the surface. Make the area very wet. Wait 5 minutes, then in 5 minutes wipe it off with a clean dry cloth.
Once you've applied the oil to the entire surface that was sanded, look for dull spots in the finish that indicate areas where the wood is dry. Apply another thin coat to these dry areas until the surface has a uniform appearance. Wipe the surface with a dry cloth.
7. Allow to dry for at least 12 hours.
8. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until the finished surface has a uniform appearance. The number of coats required depends on the state of the finish when you begin but normally 3 coats is sufficient.


Tung oil is a penetrating oil that is used in finishing furniture. It comes from a deciduous tree that grows heart-shaped leaves and fruits called Tung fruit. When these fruits are dried and compressed they can produce around 20% or their weight in Tung oil. Tung oil is an effective finish because it is applied as a liquid and then turns into a solid when it dries.
Advantages:
– Seals and hardens the wood, giving it a tough coating.
– Penetrates the wood’s fibers
– Provides a semi-clear coating with a minor amber color. This enhances the wood’s sheen.
– Coating is water resistant so it is suitable for use outdoors.
– Possibly the most durable of the clear finishes.
– Elastic, so no cracking will occur when the wood expands and contracts due to differing temperatures.
– Easy application, maintenance, and repair
– Creates a matte-like finish
– Better resistance to moisture than linseed oil
– Drying time can be quickened by adding solvents
– Readily available
– Affordable
Disadvantages:
– Time-consuming since sanding has to be done between every coat (there needs to be at least three) and the drying time for each is three to four days.
– Slow drying time
– Finish isn’t as smooth as varnish since it sometimes doesn’t totally fill the wood’s surface grains
– Too thick application may lead to softness and wrinkling
– Should be applied after a few years during the life of the furniture to maintain original finish.

Given its many advantages, it is safe to say that Tung oil is a better choice in finishing than linseed or Danish oil or polyurethane or varnish. Tung oil is the only natural finish that can give the best results. This is a perfect choice if you like to feel the wood’s natural grains instead of making it smooth like a plastic surface. Tung oil is in fact one of the most used oil finishes for furniture and is used for the finest furniture such as ThosMoser.com and http://shackeltonthomas.com/.

Some people like to apply furniture wax to surfaces to create a higher gloss appearance. This can be done if you like but it is not necessary. Choose a furniture wax that will create the amount of gloss that you want. Apply uniformly in thin amounts without creating a thick wax layer.

Tung oil creates a matte finish that looks like natural wood. If you would like more gloss you can have that by applying a good furniture wax over the tung oiled surface. There are many good furniture waxes available. Some can produce a high gloss and others satin and others a matte finish. So in choosing the wax be sure to look for one that produces the amount of gloss that you want. Here are links to three of the many options available:
- https://smile.amazon.com/Johnson-Fine-Wood-Paste-00203/dp/B0000DIWIM/ref=pd_lutyp_simh_3_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0000DIWIM&pd_rd_r=5ab98783-01d8-40dc-8fd8-dc23f4703015&pd_rd_w=RjN4y&pd_rd_wg=jpZJD&psc=1&refRID=5Z08H9CQ26BQTWB1PZ00
- https://smile.amazon.com/Minwax-785004444-Finishing-1-Pound-Natural/dp/B000LNOZAW/ref=pd_lutyp_simh_3_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000LNOZAW&pd_rd_r=8aa3c393-350c-4b8a-a2f4-e7d81f1e4bf6&pd_rd_w=KSHlv&pd_rd_wg=FSvNj&psc=1&refRID=N0HJZE04TEJT4PGERMPF
- https://smile.amazon.com/Briwax-Furniture-Polish-Cleans-polishes/dp/B000PSVTAM/ref=pd_lutyp_simh_3_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000PSVTAM&pd_rd_r=0fe06b04-a54f-4fc5-ab2c-90ac8c26eaf0&pd_rd_w=waLUa&pd_rd_wg=UhxEE&psc=1&refRID=9A3W20H9S12STB0XJWHY
- Daddy Van's All Natural Unscented Beeswax Furniture Polish - Food Safe Wood Conditioning Salve Nourishes and Protects Furniture, Cabinets, Antiques and Butcher Block https://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Vans-Unscented-Conditioner-Protectant/dp/B0046VZG30/ref=sr_1_9?crid=14FWL4ZLTC670&keywords=Dad%27s+bee+furniture+wax&qid=1693882004&sprefix=dad%27s+bee+furniture+wax%2Caps%2C137&sr=8-9
I like the last one (Daddy Vans) because it is very natural. But remember that applying a wax creates a wax layer on the surface and after several years of application the layer builds up and eventually needs to be stripped off to start over with wax. It works fine but eventually stripping work will be needed.

If you liked the appearance of your furniture when you received it I recommend that you simply wipe on tung oil from time to time to restore that appearance.


Can a finished not painted wood surface be made darker?
A customer might want to darken the color of the furniture. Here is a process for doing that.
The wood of completed furniture is sealed with tung oil so added stain will not darken the wood the same as with unsealed wood. But oil based stain is very small drops of "paint" suspended in the oil medium. So the drops can adhere to a surface.

Purchase an oil based stain that is a little darker than the final color you want to achieve. Any good oil based furniture stain can work. We use MinWax Wood Finish Oil Based Penetrating Stain.

Here is the process: Use good safety practices described by the stain manufacturer.
1. Take your furniture apart as much as conveniently possible and put it in a place where your floor will not be damaged.
2. Choose a place on your furniture that is not normally seen to do a color test. I recommend the lower part of the back of the head posts or the inside back of the head posts for a bed. Or you can order test blocks from us finished the same as your furniture.
3. Buff that area IN THE DIRECTION OF THE GRAIN with medium fine sand paper like 180 grit. This is not to sand down to the wood surface. More buffing permits the stain to darken more but don't buff the test area more than you will be willing to uniformly buff the entire furniture. This buffing is to create fine scratches in the direction of the grain in the finish on the surface (not in the wood). The stain adheres better to these scratches than to fresh finished surfaces.
4. Apply stain to a small test area with a cloth wet with stain. Apply a good uniform coat to make the surface quite wet. Wait about 10 minutes then wipe the surface to make it uniform looking good to you. Then wait about 10 hours or more to see what the final looks like.
5. Repeat this to achieve the color you want.
6. After you have achieved a good result, then buff the entire furniture the same amount of buffing that you did in the test area you like.
7. Then apply stain the same as you did to achieve the result you like.
8. Let the surfaces dry for at least 3 days before any use of the furniture. It is crucial that the stain totally dry on the surface; not just feel dry to the touch.
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