Caring for your natural wood products

Wood is a natural material that has many characteristics that can make it difficult to work with. Wood products can have defects that are perfectly natural, such as knots, cracks, and picketing. These defects can be exacerbated by the way the wood is cut, dried, and manufactured. Wood products should be treated with preservatives to help keep them new and fresh. The care guide below will help you understand these defects and know if it is a natural or needs replacing.

Knots

It is the natural look of wood. Their size and position vary depending on the origin. They do not call into question the strength or durability of the product.

Resins

Contained in the heart of the wood, they can rise to the surface. Naturally or following autoclave treatment. Scrape it gently so as not to scratch the product.

The cracks

Variations in temperature or humidity lead to the appearance of cracks which do not affect the quality of the product.

Salt lifts

They are recognised by light green spots which may appear following autoclave treatment. They can be removed by light sanding.

Picketing

These very small traces, left by insects from exotic woods that come to bite the wood, sometimes remain after cutting but in no way affect the quality of the product.

The molds

Our products are treated against fungi. Nevertheless, microscopic fungi can appear on the surface. Eliminate them by simply brushing.

Blue stain

When natural wood products are pressure treated this can cause the wood to have a tinted blue appearance. This will fade over time.

Twists & warps

Movement and gaps are normal for natural wood products. Over a period of time the wood will settle and revert back once humidity becomes stable.

Greying

Due to exposure to UV rays, this “ash grey” tint can be controlled with a sober and the application of a suitable protective product.

Shade variations

Due to the autoclave treatment or the origin of the wood, these colour differences will fade over time.