An Oak Dining Table Is More Than A Chunk Of Heavy Wood

When my friends Tony and Rachel bought their new solid oak dining room table

, each thought of it in different ways. To Tony, it was just another piece of furniture, much like their sofa and loveseat or entertainment center. Not so with Rachel.

Rachel had lived in poverty most of her life, and what furniture she had she put together herself. You know, the kind that comes in a box with instructions. This table possessed something special. It was solid, and added a presence to their dining room that Rachel had only felt in other homes, not her own.

She explained how, in a very real sense, this table would probably outlive everyone in the house. If cared for properly, her kids would one day own it. Maybe her grand kids as well. She looked at it as a part of the family, not just another object sitting around gathering dust.

You may not be as passionate about your oak dining table as Rachel, but if you want your table to be the site of family gatherings when your grandchildren are grandparents, there are some things you need to know about how to treat and care for it.

When you first buy your oak dining table, the manufacturer will often include instructions on how to care for your particular table. This is because each table requires a different kind of care. If this is the case, you'll need to read these as soon as you get the table home, as delaying might cause damage to the table.

The first line of defense against damage to your table is dusting. As simple as this sounds, dusting does more than just keeps the surface shiny; it actually protects the surface. This is especially true if your table has a varnish or wax finish.

Dust, you see, can contain fine particles of dirt, or even sand. Over time, these can scratch the table's surface, sometimes even digging in to the wood itself.

If moisture gets somehow mixed in with the dust, you then have a mud on your table's surface, which can do much deeper damage than the dust alone. The moisture can penetrate deep into the wood, and a more intense cleaning is necessary. It's far easier to just dust regularly.

If your table gets frequent abuse, you might have to take extra steps to make sure permanent damage doesn't occur. If, for instance, there is constantly food contacting its surface or drinks getting spilled all across it, you may be forced into doing regular, deep cleaning on your table's surface.

Soap and water are called for here, and there are specialized wood soaps on the market just for this job. Don't use a lot of water, however. A damp rag will do nicely, and make sure the table surface is completely dry before placing anything on its surface.

by: Gregory McGuire

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