Wood care & finishing: all the guides
Cleaning, oiling, staining and protecting: by species, by piece of furniture and by season, plus cracks, stains and repair. All our care guides. The Wood Guide · Care & finishing
The Wood Guide · Care & finishing
The Wood Guide · sectionCare & finishing
Cleaning, oiling, staining and protecting — by wood species, by piece of furniture and by season. Plus what to do when something does go wrong.
- 28 guides
- 5 topics
- Written from our warehouse in Lebbeke
The core guides of this section
Caring for wooden garden furnitureLess work than you think: a few jobs a year, and above all knowing what not to do. By wood species, by season and by problem.Read the guide →
When Should You Use Stain or Wood Oil?Read the guide →
Impregnating woodThe difference between brushing on a tin of preservative yourself and industrial impregnation is not the product but the…Read the guide →
Caring for pressure-treated woodThe wood of our picnic tables and garden benches — and one of the most misunderstood kinds of wood. What pressure treatment…Read the guide →
Treating and finishing 10 guides
When Should You Use Stain or Wood Oil?
What is the best way to stain wood?
Impregnating woodThe difference between brushing on a tin of preservative yourself and industrial impregnation is not the product but the…
Making wood water-resistantYou can't make wood waterproof. You can treat wood so that water hardly soaks in and can get out again — and that is exactly…
Applying a coat of varnishThree thin coats with light sanding in between always beat one thick coat. That is almost the whole story — the rest is about…
Working with a paint sprayerA sprayer is faster than a brush and leaves a smoother coat. It is far less forgiving, though: any mistake in the settings…
What are some creative ways to color wood with natural…
Painting a wooden doorNine out of ten failed paint jobs go wrong before the first brushstroke. This is the order that does work, with the mistakes…
Shou sugi banProtecting wood by burning it sounds like a contradiction. Yet in Japan there are façades treated this way that have lasted…
What are some new techniques for making wood more…
By wood species 4 guides
Caring for pressure-treated woodThe wood of our picnic tables and garden benches — and one of the most misunderstood kinds of wood. What pressure treatment…
Caring for teakTeak is the lowest-maintenance wood there is. The only real question is one of taste: do you let it turn silver grey, or keep…
Hardwood in the Garden: The Art of Preserving Natural…
Maintenance of Softwoods: Tips for Caring for Your Softwood…
By furniture and place 7 guides
From Boring to Stylish: Creative Ways to Upgrade Your Picnic…
How do you maintain a wooden terrace?
8 practical tips for maintaining a wooden pergola
How do you maintain a wooden house for maximum lifespan?
How do you maintain wooden doors and windows for maximum…
How do you maintain wooden wall cladding indoors and outdoors?
Maintaining a wooden worktopA wooden worktop is the only kitchen surface you can repair instead of replace. That advantage only exists if you oil it…
Problems and repair 4 guides
Cracks and warping in garden furnitureA crack in furniture you've just bought is a shock. Usually it is simply wood being wood. Here is how to tell movement from…
Repairing water damage to woodThere are three kinds of water damage, and each calls for something different. Recognising the difference before you start can…
Filling cracks in woodNot every crack should be filled. A crack that is still moving will sooner or later push any filler back out.
How do you repair scratches and dents in wood?
Seasons 2 guides
Nothing found in this section. Try searching the whole Wood Guide.
Care & finishing
None of the wood species we sell has to be treated to stay outdoors. So maintenance is mostly about how your furniture looks: silver-grey or warm in colour, crisp or with a patina. Here you'll find what to do for each species and each season — and what you're better off leaving alone.
Ready to choose? Here is what we make from it.
The other sections
Wood species100 guides →
Understanding wood17 guides →
Choosing & buying16 guides →
Build it yourself51 guides →
Trees & forests31 guides →
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Wooden table and benches on a patio among potted plants — Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Planed Douglas fir boards with clearly visible growth rings — Philipp Zinger, CC BY-SA 3.0 · End grain of an oak trunk showing growth rings, heartwood and sapwood — Friedrich Böhringer, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT · Hand with hammer and chisel carving letters into a wooden plank — Frédérique Voisin-Demery, CC BY 2.0 · Beech (Fagus sylvatica) in full leaf — Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY 3.0