The darker color does have a lacquer so Im wondering what the wax would do to that? Because glass can be slippery, you should use placemats on the glass surface to keep plates in place. Decorative pieces such as vases or centerpieces can also be a threat as they could potentially scratch the surface of your wooden table. It is important to regularly clean your dining table, especially since this is a place where you and your family will regularly eat. This damage is usually irreversible depending on how deep the discolouration has penetrated the solid wood. Your content goes here. If you have an extending dining table and you have removable eaves, it is important to store the eaves flat to avoid any warping of the eaves. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Wait for the filler to dry drying times can vary so ensure you read the packaging for accurate drying times. The furnitures final appearance will also depend on which products are used. Wiping down the glass is easy; I dont have to worry about creating any permanent stains on the wood, and should guests eventually come over, I can always throw a fun tablecloth on top to spruce up its overall look (or even carefully remove and store the glass top in another room while entertaining). See what Makers Woodshop has in stock today for your patios, porches, and beyond. We would recommend a microfiber cloth to achieve the best result. For now though, I have a sturdy, totally custom workspace that meets my everyday needs, and I dont have to be anxious about my table getting ruined. I just bought a dining table form Costco and wanted to protect the piece. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. No hot dinner plates, coffee or tea mugs, or ice-filled drink glasses directly on the table. It is the tightly packed fibres in solid wood that make it so structurally strong. I hope this answers most of the questions that you guys have about sealing our table but if not, ask away in the comments! I used a waxing brush to apply the wax, which was perfect to get into all of the grooves in the wood planks. Kris, thank you for this great tip. HI Kris, Varnishes create a hard barrier that acts as a first line of defense. Tables made with cheaper materials such as plywood, particleboard and MDF are likely to sag over time, whereas solid wood will remain strong and can last a lifetime if cared for correctly. Thanks! By following the preventive measures, cleaning techniques, and maintenance tips mentioned in this article, you can extend its lifespan and keep it looking stunning for years to come. We dont have young kids like you so it isnt getting as much daily abuse as yours probably will so I cant make any guarantees I can just tell you that Ive been really happy with how ours has held up! Thank you. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. To further protect the finish of your dining table, you can make sure there are limited objects in contact with the tabletop. In the event your tabletop does end up with a heat mark, its not necessarily the end of the world for the table. It makes so much sense that it would work for these tables, too, and I have one in a condo that could use protecting. Do you have any insight with Polycrylic? Places like laundry rooms and bathrooms are not ideal for your wooden table due to high levels of moisture and humidity in the air. I knew I needed to use something to protect the top, but wasnt sure what to use. You can use your finger to work it into the scratch, making sure there are no gaps of air. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The acetic acid will work into the existing finish around the scratch to help fill it. I was ecstatic, because the piece was free and also had a 40-inch diameter that would fit my table perfectly. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Thanks! Will the Crystal Wax approach still work on an already finished surface? Am I doing this in big swoops all over the table as a whole or just in spots? Advice? Yes, weve had our table for over a year and have had our fair share of spills and still dont have any stains on it. Thank you! I love it but I cant decipher whether it is the seadrift color or gray wash. Thank you! Let the wax dry completely (I let it dry overnight) and then apply a second thin coat in the same way as the first coat, again wiping off the excess and allowing it to dry. Pottery Barns Toscana Dining Table available {here}, https://www.drivenbydecor.com/diy-upholstered-kitchen-banquette-nailhead-trim/, https://rh.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1596003&categoryId=cat10310014. Another simple way to prevent mildew is to ensure that everyone dries off before sitting. When your table is wood you have to be extremely careful when choosing off the shelf cleaning products as many of these products contain harsh chemicals and/or abrasives that will break down the top finish of your wooden dining table and could cause irreversible damage. You can find a variety of exterior paint colors and clear finish coatings that will suit your style. Honestly I never got around to it with our first kitchen table and its been fine but its definitely something to consider, especially if your table gets a bit more abuse than ours. For most of us, this means running a humidifier in the winter and an a/c or de-humidifier in the summer. Typically, they do not provide additional protection for it. If possible, move them to a covered area while you arent using them. If you've found yourself in a similar situation and want to keep your table looking pristine for as long as possible, I have the design hack for you: a cut glass tabletop! I have the Banks Pottery Barn Table and it has many grooves in the wood veneer. Thank you for posting this! Cut glass pieces can be heavy to transport, so keep that in mind if you find something secondhand in your area or work with a fabricator to make a custom cover. I ended up putting a matte water based poly on the top which obviously darkened it way to much and then removed that finish by sanding. I will share them as soon as I come across them its driving me nuts not being able to figure out where they are! Ive been reading for days on how to seal it. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. It feels like a picnic table ! What To Do with a Heat Mark On Your Wooden Table. Matt's passion for woodworking began at a young age when he would watch his grandfather in his woodworking shop. Make sure to use heat resistant placemats for hot pans or serving dishes to prevent burn marks and heat damage to the solid wood. Gently wipe the table in the direction of the wood grain and avoid using abrasive cleaners or harsh chemicals. Hi Kris, I would try seeing if theres any excess you can wipe off with a clean cloth, then buff, and give it another day or so. Then dab your waxing brush on the wax to very lightly cover the end of the bristles and offload any excess by dabbing it on a clean section of the plate: You do NOT want too much wax on your brush/cloth applying sparingly to create a thin coat is key! If liquid is left on the table surface it will first start to breakdown the finish and then find its way into the wood. Where you place your wooden table in your home or office is more important than you might think and can impact its appearance and condition over time. Its time to play some defense and shield that new table from the evils of water stains and heat marks. You can also protect your wood tables even more with a removable cloth cover. Apply the soaked rag to your tabletop over the scratched area. To clean mine, I mix a drop of clear dishwashing liquid into a bowl of warm water, dampen a microfiber cloth with it, wring out any excess, and wipe down the entire table. I sanded it down, so its just raw wood, and it is currently that RH look. Use a clean cotton rag to buff the wax infill- this will help blend the wax into the tabletop. Stay away from specialized dust polishes, as they contain silicones that can soak into the grain of the wood and damage it for good. I just purchased the aaron chairs in seadrift and toscana table (which im waiting for ) . Obviously, heat is going to be involved. We build custom tables, bar tops, desks and more all of which are individually made to order by skilled craftsmen right here in Maryland. This opens your wooden table up to a wide range of potential damages, there are many tips and tricks that you can use to ensure your table maintains good health. When planning the location of your dining table it is important to consider how close the nearest heat source will be to the table. The answer is yes and the way that I chose to seal them is actually something I spent a lot of time researching and experimenting with before figuring out the best way to go about it. There are several different products you can successfully use to seal wood tables but one of the most important things to me was finding something that didnt significantly darken the natural color of my table or make it shiny. The wax sounds great, but I just want to wipe it down with a very thin mix of white paint and water. In this case, once the last coat of wax is dry, buff your table with a clean cloth the more you buff, the shinier the finish. To clean mine, I mix a drop of clear dishwashing liquid into a bowl of warm water, dampen a microfiber cloth with it, wring out any excess, and wipe down the entire table. When he's not in his workshop, Matt loves spending time with his family. That's an easy one. After 2-3 minutes you should start to see the stain start to fade. Always sand by following the direction of the woods grain. Click here if youre after a guide to maintaining and caring for oak furniture more generally. I follow up by wiping the table down with plain warm water, using a dry microfiber cloth to remove any excess water, and then allowing it to completely dry. I just purchased the same table from Pottery Barn and was wondering about the best way to care for it. We mention this because the cure we wrote about was something far less drastic than a complete refinish job. Any thoughts? I have The Dakota table that is solid European white oak from crate and barrel and its gorgeous but I have to cover it with a tablecloth anytime someone comes over for fear they set down a glass of water for too long. Be extremely careful not to opt for a silicone-based wax, as these build a residue on the top surface of solid wood that is extremely difficult to remove. Use fine sandpaper (180 grit or 240 grit) on the dried area around the scratch. Learn the dos and donts of caring for oak furniture in this article. Im noticing it feels splintery and actually got a splintering when cleaning the chairs. I was wondering if you also treated the legs? All Rights Reserved. Direct heat can cause the fibres in the wood to shrink which may result in the wood splitting or cracking along the grain, or where there are joins across the tabletop. If thats the case, then keep reading. Get a separate dry, soft cloth and ensure the table is as dry as possible. Here, youll definitely want to test a small out-of-sight spot. It may save you a lot of time and effort. Before COVID-19, I maybe ate one meal at home per day, so this is a major ramp up. You can sometimes find products that also include a stain blocker for longer-lasting colors. Protective covers are a great way to protect your wooden dining table from damage when not in use. Learn how your comment data is processed. Prep for waxing by taking a scoop of wax out of the can and putting it on a plastic/paper plate. To keep your table protected, its recommended that you reapply a layer of wax every year or two. In some cases, it may be necessary to remove old treatments before applying new coats. Squeeze the rag so that there is no excess moisture dripping off it. However, the downside of this option is that it might not be enough to cover a large spill.