Wondering how to care for wood furniture? 

Quality wood furniture can look beautiful for centuries when taken care of properly. If you're looking to protect care for your wood furniture, there are some best practices to follow.

Wood furniture is typically made from kiln-dried lumber and protected with a wood coating or sealant. These coatings are usually some form of polyurethane or acrylic topcoat and are sprayed on the wood. Alternatively, oil finishs can also be used and are typically wiped on a wood surface.

Each type of wood finish will have its own recommended cleaning and care instructions, however, there are some common practices that you should follow when cleaning and caring for wood furniture.

Here are 10 tips for caring for wood furniture so that it will last generations 

1. Use Protection

I can never stress this enough. If you really want to take care of your wooden furniture, the best thing you can do is protect the surface with things like coasters, placemats, table runners and hot plates. 

Putting anything, hot or cold directly on the surface of the table will eventually cause damage to the finish and possibly dent and scratch the finish. Taking the time to put down a placemat can drastically improve the longevity of your furniture.

1. Avoid environmental damage

Wood is considered a living material. This means that it will continue to expand and contract seasonally and based on environmental factors such as humidity, sunlight, moisture, etc. 

Avoid keeping wood furniture in areas with high humidity fluctuations. Using a dehumidifier can also help balance the humidity levels in your home. 

Placing your furniture near a large window can also cause your furniture’s finish to yellow and wear faster. Using sheer curtains can help soften the light and protect the colour and finish.

1. Use microfiber to dust often

Dusting can be a chore and no one really wants to do it but keeping your furniture dust free can help protect the finish from scratches and stains. Using a soft microfiber cloth to gently wipe down your furniture often can prevent abrasive or sticky particles from damaging the surface when items are placed down. 

1. Keep your wood clean

Making sure to keep the surface of your wood clean is a good way to increase the life of your furniture. Never use all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners or products with high wax content advertised as “wood polish”. Yes, there are some great wood polishes, waxes, and butter on the market but you aren’t likely to find them at your local grocery store. These products are highly specialized and should be purchased from a specialty woodworking store like Hobby Hardware or Lee Valley. These retailers are highly experienced with wood furniture and only carry high-quality cleaning products.

If you don’t want to invest in these types of products, you can simply use warm water and a touch of dish soap on a soft damp cloth, or a natural cleaner like orange soap.

Avoid using a paper towel or other products that may leave fine scratches.

1. Use quality protective coatings

If you do happen to choose to add a layer of polish or wax to protect the surface, be sure not to use too much. Polish and wax is meant to be used sparingly and should not collect on the surface. Be sure to use a soft cloth to apply and remove the wax and use a small circular motion to avoid scratches.

1. Treat wear and tear

Small scratches and dents are inimitable but if taken care of properly and right away, can help avoid worse damages in the future. A scratch or dent might not seem too troublesome, however, in these cases, it usually damages the protective finish and can allow things like moisture to reach the wood surface. Addressing damage right away can help prevent additional damages and will keep your furniture looking new. 

Sometimes this can be achieved with wax or polish, sometimes it needs more TLC than you can manage yourself. The beauty of wood furniture is that, in most cases, it can be repaired and refinished quite easily. There are many products on the market that can help repair a damaged piece of furniture but if you’re not experienced in wood finishing, it’s likely best that you take your furniture to a professional to do the repairs.

1. Reapply wood oil to oil-finished furniture

As mentioned before, there are several types of wood finishes and each has its own best practices. Oil finishes have become increasingly popular recently thanks to YouTubers and DIY furniture makers who don’t have the space for professional spray equipment. 

In the case of an oiled finish, you should re-apply some fresh oil every season to ensure the wood doesn’t dry out and start to form cracks or warp. Common products that are finished in oil are charcuterie boards, cutting boards, butcher block countertops, and some dining tables. 

It’s best to consult with the manufacturer of the furniture to determine what type of oil was used and stick to the same brand whenever possible.

1. Re-wax as needed

Antique furniture and more traditional Mennonite furniture tend to be finished with an oil and beeswax coating. If your furniture has a wax finish, you should re-apply some fresh wax (sparingly) every 6 months to a year. 

Although wax finishes are not as common these days, the luster the particular finish creates can be a beautiful addition to a beautiful furniture piece. Even if your furniture isn’t currently waxed, you may want to try adding a wax finish yourself. Just remember that once you add wax, you can’t add any other products over it. 

It is best to avoid wax finishes on high-traffic items such as dining tables or coffee tables. Cold or hot items placed on a wax finish can cause rings in your finish that may require completely stripping the furniture to fix.

1. Don’t use the surface to write

Surprisingly, this is one of the most common ways people damage a furniture surface such as a dining table. Using writing utensils on a wooden surface can cause imprints and leave a relief of your message. Unless it’s your intention to hide a cryptic message on your table, it’s best to have some buffer between your furniture and your paper.

1. Remove tough stains

Despite your best efforts, it’s inevitable that your beautiful wood furniture gets stained. No matter what kind of mess it is, be sure to wipe it up as quickly as possible — the longer it sits, the more likely it will damage your finish.

• For white rings from wet glasses, apply a paste of equal amounts of white toothpaste and baking soda. Gently rub it into the stain until it’s gone. Then, wipe off the furniture and buff it with a soft dry cloth.
• For dark spots from water damage, try gently blotting the stain with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
• For crayon and wax marks, apply mayonnaise over the area. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before rubbing it clean with a soft damp cloth and buffing it with a dry cloth.

Taking proper care of your wood furniture isn’t hard and with a little effort, your furniture will look as beautiful as the day you got it for generations to come. 

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Within another 6 months, we had outgrown the space and were offered the unit beside us. We knocked out the wall and began cleaning out the unit as we slowly moved in. We started purchasing industrial machinery and bringing in bulk inventory to lower our operating costs. ​

We have also begun giving back to the community through various initiatives. We’ve always supported our local community by sourcing many of our materials from the Mennonite community. We purchase fallen trees and old barns to salvage the materials for our products. We use local mills to cut and dry the wood and local transportation services to help us move it. 
 
We’ve also offered to sponsor an award for the Conestoga College woodworking program. The award is for a student who demonstrates a commitment to sustainable building practices. We use this as a way to encourage future woodworkers to consider the environment when deciding what materials. It also allows us to educate on the dangers of the chemicals used in fast furniture production and how they end up in our landfill. ​

Over the past several months, covid has caused supply chain issues with imported furniture products out of Asia. This has affected the furniture store market causing long delays and inflating prices on furniture products. This has opened up a major opportunity to supply furniture stores with our Canadian-made products. We have rebranded our name to be more recognisable and streamlined our manufacturing to be able to produce at scale. We offer competitive pricing and are ready to take on high demand. 
 
Our next step is to set up seller channels and hire b2b sales representatives to approach furniture stores with our product line. We also need an initial marketing budget in order to provide sales support and improve our systems by implementing better technology and sales tools. Our production line is set up for high production, however, there are some key pieces of equipment such as a forklift that would greatly improve productivity and safety. This would reduce the chance of injury and improve the overall working environment which will lead to better employee retention. ​

By now you've probably heard the term, "Reclaimed Wood" but might not be exactally sure what that means. Here is a quick breakdown of the term and what it means in the custom furniture business. 

Reclaimed wood refers to wood that has been salvaged from a previous life. Most custom furniture companies, especially the ones around Kitchener Waterloo area that advertise reclaimed wood tables, accents walls, decor etc. are actually promoting only 1 kind of reclaimed wood and that's barn wood. This would be reclaimed barn board, both interior (Brown Board) and Exterior (Weathered Grey Board), Threshing Floor (Barn Floor) Reclaimed Barn Beams etc. but reclaimed wood can also be from an old house, wood fence, pallets, old scafolding and any other place you can find used wood. 

Typically the older the wood and the more exposed to the elements, the more character will be present in the wood. This can range from old milling marks caused by the large sawblades or a boadaxe, or the classic weathered grey and deep groves, nail holes and other beautiful characteristics. Wood with lot's of character may need to be leveled and sealed in order to use it as a suitable surface for most furniture, which is why many reclaimed wood companies will coat the finished product in a clear hard epoxy resin. This not only levels the surface but it also protects the product by incasing it in resin forever.

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Getting lumber to build your deck is easy, run to the hardware store and grab some 2x6's and your on your way. Buying reclaimed wood isn't quite so easy. It's getting harder and harder to find good quality reclaimed wood from salvage companies and the harder it becomes to find, the more expensive it gets. Like a chef protects his best recipies, custom furniture makers protect the source of their materials at all costs. Once they find a reliable source, it becomes the lifeblood of their business.

Most reclaimed wood suppliers store their wood outside and therfore it contains way too much moisture to work with and needs to be properly dried. Some companies will buy loads of the material and will store it for months in order to air dry it to the desired moisture levels. Others will send it to a kiln to be dried faster. This process is good because it also kills any bugs that might be (and probably are) hiding in the cracks of the wood.

Reclaimed wood has been used and abused for sometimes hundreds of years and requires a lot more work than new crisp and clean lumber from the mill. Barn wood especially, is full of nails and other forign objects that are a killer on saw blades and equipment and is usually covered in decades of dirt, bugs and other things I'd rather not identify and requires a lot of prep work before building can even begin. 

When you buy a piece of new wood from the mill, you usually don't have to worry too much about waste as the boards are typically fairly uniform and straight and have been kiln dried and therefore, you will get a pretty good yield out of it. Now go buy some reclaimed barn wood to build a table and you will find that much of the material is too far gone to be used for something such as a reclaimed wood table top and will need to be cut off. You might get some barn board that has had it's share of abuse and bugs that have nearly turned that old wooden plank into dust and it just falls apart in your hand.

Epoxy is expensive..... Have you ever bought a 2 part epoxy glue and the 2 oz tube cost you over $10? Imagine a few gallons of high quality clear epoxy and what that costs. An average reclaimed wood harvest table requires around 2 gallons of epoxy in order to level it. If you were to go to a craft store to buy the same type of epoxy we use, you would be spending around $300 per 2 gal kit. This can get expensive, especially when you factor in the waste and the fact that one mistake and your whole piece of furniture is ruined and you're buying more material.

​Now you have a bit more information about what the term "Reclaimed Wood Table" actually means and if you're looking to buy custom furniture and want the reclaimed wood look, expect to pay a premium and for good reason. If you're in the Kitchener Waterloo area and are looking for a reclaimed wood table, accent wall, sliding barn door, home decor or any other product, why not make an appointment at Grain and Burl, Urban Design and see the samples of wood in person.

When you're looking for that perfect piece of furniture to match your personality, sometimes getting something custom made is the best route to take. With all of the options out there, it is best to do your research before deciding to take that plunge.

Custom furniture is typically more expensive than going to your local big box store and buying something off the floor that was built overseas by the container load. Custom woodwork is very labour intensive and if you're going with a small craft builder like Grain and Burl, you can bet that they aren't using million dollar equipment to make it. Most furniture makers have only a few industrial tools and the rest is done by eye, a few small power tools and years of perfecting the craft. 

People often ask me why our products are more expensive than the big stores and I have to explain that in custom work, I am the salesman, I am the designer, I source and hand pick the materials, do all dressing of the materials, build the product, do the finishing, market the products and deliver and set up. All the materials I use are high quality as opposed to the particle board with thin vaneer found in most mass produced furniture. Our options for customizing are virtually endless and in the end, you're getting a product that was built with pride of workmanship and will last you for decades.

So to help you on your journy of buying custom furniture that will be a part of your family for generations, I have put together a few tips to keep in mind when commisioning your next home furniture purchase.

1. Figure out how much space you have - If you have a small dining area, a large dining table might not be the best idea. If you only want the bigger table for your holiday gatherings, consider getting a leaf extension to add the space to your table only when it's needed. Having the option to increase the size is much better than bumping into your table every time you walk passed it on the way to the kitchen.                                                                                                                                       
2. Ask about the different materials available - Most custom shops have a variety of materials to offer and can aslo source unique materials by request. The type of material can make a considerable difference in price as well. Specialty materials such as Reclaimed Wood or Live Edge are expensive to buy and require much more work and specialized equipment and therfore are guaranteed to cost you a premium however the character you get from such materials are definitely worth the little extra.                                     
3. A quote is never final - Ask if there are any ways to get the price down or if you can get a deal if you buy more items. Most companies are willing to go the extra mile to ensure their customers are happy. This means that they are almost always willing to give you a deal, especially if you promote their business on social media. It never hurts to play a little, let's make a deal!                     
4. Have an idea of what you're looking for - It's always a good idea to look around online for designs and products that you like and send them to the builder so that they can start to visualize your ideas. Believe it or not, "something kinda vintage" might not get the point across as well as a few photos.                                                                             
5. Get it how you want it - Ideally, if you went with the right builder, this piece of furniture will last you for a very long time so settling on something that isn't exactally what you want isn't worth the couple hundred you saved by not getting that unique touch that made you originally decide on custom in the first place. Spend a little extra and get something that you will be bragging about for years to come.​ 

Now that you have a few tips on buying your next piece of furniture, why not check out some of the great options Grain and Burl, Urban Design has to offer?

Share this post with your friends so that they can learn why custom is so much better than the box stores.

Well this company has been open long enough, I figured it was about time that I posted my first blog. We all have our back story and in most cases, it's our past that defines who we become.

I haven't always felt as if I knew which path was the right one for me. I've tried my hand at more that one career, starting as a fine dining chef, taking a shot in the high pressure sales world and countless jobs in between. Growing up, my family was a mixture of hard working people, trying to make their place in the typical 9-5 job but over time, there seemed to be a pattern. Most of my family took a leap of faith and decided that working for other people just wasn't in the cards for them. My uncles were the first I remember to take the road of entrepreneurship , followed later in life by my father and eventually by brother. Not all of them became wood workers but the gene ran deep in my immediate family with my dad opening up a cabinet shop which eventually became my brothers business and home away from home.

I too tried my hand in cabinetry, working along side my dad and brother but not until after I attempted my own path as a chef. Although cooking was a huge passion for me and I did exceptionally well for myself, the hours and stress took it's toll on my own family. After having a child, the hours in the restaurants were affecting my home life and I made a decision to leave the restaurant industry and attempt to find my new path that would allow me to be a better father.

After many failed attempts to find my place in the workforce, I went to my family for a job. Working along side my brother, I learned what it meant to be a perfectionist wood worker. No detail was ever over looked and the quality that he and my father demanded took it's toll on me as I always felt as if I couldn't be good enough. I learned many skills there including wood finishing, which would end up playing a huge roll in the formation of my future business. After deciding that working for family wasn't what I wanted to do with my life and knowing that I would always be holding the level for my brother as long as I worked for him and my father, I decided that I too wanted to try my hand at entrepreneurship and naturally thought that something in the food industry would be my natural fit.

After many different food and hospitality related startup attempts, I needed something more financially stable and now with two new mouths to feed, I decided to put the skills and knowledge that I learned from my brother to good use. I started working for a couple wood shops as a builder and due to my experience with wood finishing, I worked my way up to being a highly skilled finisher. I always loved the look of reclaimed wood tables as so when I noticed that a local reclaimed wood company was looking for a finisher, I jumped on board. I learned so much in the time I worked there and most of that knowledge came from my supervisor and now friend Adam. After some time, we had joked around about how we could open our own company doing reclaimed wood furniture and I guess the idea stuck.

Even after this point, I still thought my path was going to be in the hospitality industry and after some unwelcome changes in my work and home situation, I decided to take one more shot at the food industry but I also started a little hobby shop out of my garage. I built my personal dining table, coffee and end tables, mirror and more using reclaimed wood and materials and during this time, I really enjoyed the creative freedom of building things that I designed and wanted to build.

When ultimately my last attempt in the food industry didn't pan out, I searched for another reclaimed wood business and started working there as a finisher/builder and had a great time working with those materials again. This position was short lived as due to a family crisis, I had to take a couple weeks off work to be the best father I could be to my 3 children. During this time, finances became a real struggle and I had to make some decisions in order to provide for my family. I started advertising for custom tables and wood work on the side and even set up a website to better promote my products. I wasn't looking to start a business but rather wanted to make enough to provide for my children until things were back to normal and I could start working again.

After a couple weeks, things seemed to be settling down and I returned to my position at the reclaimed wood shop. My first day back seemed to go great but on my second day back, my boss pulled me into his office to give me the bad news.... I was being let go. In his diligent efforts to grow his business, he kept up on the competition in the area and low and behold, he found my ads. Needless to say, he wasn't impressed that I was building furniture on the side, regardless of my reasons and in combination with my missed time for the family matter, he decided that I should not be employed there. This was actually very devastating to me as I have never been fired from a job and have an excellent record of recommendations from my past employers.

Having been off for the past few weeks, this put me in panic mode after a couple days of searching online for a position where I could be creative and have a job I was passionate about, all I could find were factories and temp agencies. That was when I decided once again that I could not go back to working for someone else and needed to follow in the entrepreneur footsteps of my family. I knew that cabinetry was not my passion and that I wanted to create beautiful things from materials that others would be more likely to toss away and find the treasure in other peoples trash. I was already set up with my website and had a decent catalog of furniture that I have built in the past so I decided to put 100% into my side hobby and turn it into a business. I started by building affordable dining tables using rustic materials and offering custom reclaimed products.

Once the first few orders started coming in, it quickly turned into a bit of an animal. I found myself answering quotes until early hours of the morning and realized that if I was going to keep up with my customers, i needed to find a sales manager. It took me all of 5 minutes before it hit me. My friend Haley has a eye and love for the same modern industrial and rustic look as I do and she had commented many times on loving my work. Her husband and my long time friend is a successful sales expert and would be able to offer her help and advice along the way. I also decided that in order to truly realize my design goals of using sustainable materials, that meant that I needed a welder. It just so happens that when my now sales manager, Haley and her husband Ben were married, I was among the wedding party where I met one of Ben's other groomsmen, Cameron who just so happened to be an expert welder. I sent the two a message and after seeing the quality of the products I was building, they promptly jumped on board.

No one ever made promises that it would be easy and it definitely hasn't been. I started with a detached, leaky garage with no power, 200 ft of extension cords, a few cheap tools, some old wood and even used a camping tent to do my finishing in so that I could prevent dust in my finishes. Space became very tight and I had to utilize space wherever I could find it but still make due with what I have.

Not having a showroom has proven to be quite the roadblock as many of my prospective customers have requested to come see our showroom display and unfortunately I've had to turn them down. Being as my shop is spread out to whatever space I can find, I didn't really have a suitable place to bring clients to show them the work in progress. Although this bump was a difficult one to overcome, it did provide me with a bit of an edge as I don't have nearly the same high overhead that my competitors (and former employers) have and therefore I have been able to offer my same high quality products as a fraction of their prices. I decided to use my own home as a showroom and displayed my various work throughout the house and customers seemed to love it as they could then envision the furniture in an actual living space and well.. it gave me an excuse to furnish my home in beautiful products. 

I know that the way things are going, it's only a short time before I am announcing the opening of our new shop and showroom but I must say that I love the fact that we've been able to produce such high quality and amazing work in some of the most challenging of situations and it continues to inspire me to continue to work within my means so that I can still offer such amazing value to my customers. The other beauty of working within modest means, it gives a new perspective to my original idea of doing up-cycled furniture and decor and now, I am looking forward to finding new and exciting products to make  utilizing what is around me and bringing that same passion that brought me here into my customers home.

I don't know where life will take me but there's one thing I do know, Grain and Burl is born and from humble beginnings come beautiful things.

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