Caring for solid wood furniture
With proper care and treatment, your National Rustic handcrafted furniture will be enjoyed by your family for generations to come.
The swirls, small knots, grains and color variations are natural characteristics of the wood. Since no two trees are exactly alike, each piece has its own unique characteristic and natural expression. These do not impede the structural integrity of the piece, but serve to enhance the natural beauty of the wood.
Our furniture is solid wood! It's created with a beautiful blend of meticulous hand labor and hand finishing.
Our furniture, if cared for properly, will provide you with a lifetime of enjoyment!
As with all real wood furniture, you WILL want to use coasters, heat pads and take special care when placing hot items on the surface.
WE STAND BEHIND OUR WORK!
Though we handcraft hundreds of items each year, our small team is like a family. That means you won’t get stuck behind call centers and big company policies, The same person who answered the call to help you place the order will be there if you need any help after. Just give us a call 615.981.1071 I promise a real person will answer!
LIFETIME WARRANTY
We offer a lifetime limited structural warranty on all of our custom solid wood handcrafted furniture!
WHAT IS COVERED:
We warrant to you, the original purchaser, with the exceptions stated below, the furniture you have ordered will be free from defects structurally for the entire time you own it. If at anytime during your ownership you experience a structural failure, simply return it to us and we will replace or repair it at absolutely no cost to you! We simply ask that you drop off and pickup your repair when it is complete. Depending on the repair please allow up to 4 weeks or more. We can also help arrange a pickup and delivery through a 3rd party delivery company we work with, you would be responsible for the delivery cost that is quoted based on mileage.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED:
This warranty does not cover commercial use, and is void if damage is a result of unreasonable or abusive use, acts of God, improper care, mildew or other outdoor damage, normal wear, fading, natural movement of wood. Improper humidity in your home can cause separation and splitting of wood! This warranty does NOT cover movement or splitting of wood. Please read and follow the care and cleaning section below and also provided as part of your sign-off sheet when your furniture is delivered or picked up. The warranty is void if customer fails to provide reasonable and necessary care as outlined in the care and maintenance instructions. National Rustic shall not be held responsible for loss of use, time, inconvenience, packing, travel, personal injury, or other consequential or incidental damages resulting from any defect in the product.
Care and Cleaning of Solid Wood Furniture
Proper cleaning of your furniture ensures its beauty and longevity. We recommend simply using a damp cloth to clean. Steer clear of abrasives and harmful chemicals and thinners such as dish soaps, degreasers and other harsh chemicals that may remove the surface wax finish.
When spills occur, they should be wiped up quickly. Prolonged exposure to moisture may cause damage to the finish.
Extreme temperature and humidity changes will ruin wood. Solid wood furniture naturally responds to changes in temperature and humidity by swelling and shrinking. Every effort should be made to keep your furniture out of direct sunlight and heat sources such as radiators, hot air outlets or wood stoves. These conditions will cause the wood to dry out and subsequently split. Do not place hot items, such as pots and pans, on the surface without protection.
Maintain a level of relative humidity in your home between 35% and 45%. This range of humidity guards against shrinking and cracking or expansion. If the humidity moves out of this ideal range, solid wood table tops could expand or contract, causing a gap in the center or at the ends where the two halves meet. It can also cause splits or cracks in the grain pattern and joints of the wood panels. These are not abnormal - the table is not considered defective. Areas with high humidity such as basements should be avoided as well as being cautious during the wintertime months when temperatures drop, and we heat our homes causing the air to become dry, lowering the humidity causing the wood to crack, split, or warp. You may choose to humidify or dehumidify depending upon your environment.
*For uneven areas, please use our included custom leg levelers on the bottom of each table and bench leg to adjust for evenness. (leg levelers are not installed on chairs and are simply not needed due to the close leg positioning.
*For items going on hardwood floors, solid surfaces, especially benches & chairs, we recommend using felt or other material pad to ensure that regular movement across your floor does not scratch the floor surface.
*For items going on carpet, please refrain from using felt or other stick on pads.
*Be extremely mindful of humidity in the wintertime months, the heating inside our living spaces will dry the air and starve the wood of moisture causing cracks, splits, or warping. (wintertime instructions below)
To help protect your wood furniture from the effects of winter's desiccating dryness, take these steps:
- Rub it thoroughly with a good-quality furniture wax described below to help protect it. We recommend once every six months or so.
- To help retain moisture, Avoid silicone-based products (such as Pledge). Silicone-based products do not penetrate and condition the wood; instead, they can build up on the surface and remove the piece's luster.
- Many furniture stores and some home-improvement stores sell good-quality furniture waxes. We also sell our custom tinted National Rustic wax that matches your original luster perfectly.
- Use a humidifier, preferably one with an automatic control system that can sense the humidity level and adjust itself accordingly.
- Keep furniture out of direct sunlight, which can cause it to dry out, crack and warp.
- If you can avoid it, don't put furniture near heating vents. If you must, keep the piece 3 to 4 inches away from the wall, giving the heat and air space to circulate.
- Don't over-humidify; that can damage wood by causing it to expand and contract.
Following these guidelines, along with common sense, will ensure that this fine solid wood piece that you have purchased will become an heirloom for future generations.
OOPS AND ACCIDENTS
Most of the time keeping your new furniture looking great is simple, but if you make a mistake and leave a coasterless cup hanging around for too long, or a hot dish of food, We've got the cure! A rewax!
to keep your table tops looking fresh we recommend re-waxing your new furniture at least
once a year.
It’s easy and takes only about 15 minutes to complete.
You will need
National Rustic Custom Tinted Hard Wax (the original wax on your furniture available for sale below and includes the following)
Enough wax for several applications (we recommend every 6 months)
Buffing cloth
Latex Gloves
Directions
Wearing gloves, apply a generous amount of wax using a swirling motion. (swirl lines are okay at this point, concentrate that you’ve applied a thick and even amount of wax to the surface.
Allow Wax to dry for 24 hours then using the t-shirt, aggressively buff in a straight and linear motion until desired finish is reached.
Carefully following these suggestions will keep your table looking like brand new!
We appreciate your business and are blessed to serve you and your families!