How to Treat Unfinished Pine Wood Furniture

Unfinished Pine Wood Furniture

Pine is a soft wood that can be crafted in variety of designs. It can be easily damaged if not properly cared for. With a few investments and a few efforts, one can already turn an unfinished piece of furniture into something elegant and classy.  Here’s how to treat unfinished pine wood furniture to avoid discoloration, dullness and potential cracking.

1. Pine furniture needs a proper care. Pine wood furniture should be kept away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Select a location or placement for the unfinished pine furniture that keeps the piece away from moisture, too. Place the unfinished pine furniture where environmental conditions are moderate and stable.

2. Pine wood furniture needs a regular dusting. So, dust the unfinished pine wood furniture with a clean duster or cloth at least every week. It will prevent a buildup of dust and dirt from mixing with any moisture.

3. Dirt and dust build-up will be more difficult to remove. Discoloration might happen too and gives the furniture an ugly appearance. Wipe the furniture with clean cotton cloth to remove its dusts and other foreign debris. It should be done every day to keep the furniture clean.

4. A bit of wood soap is also useful in removing difficult spots. Use damp and clean cloth to remove the dirt. But do not use any soap or chemical directly on the pine wood without spot testing. Firstly test in a hidden part.

5. Use good quality protective wood oil with a clean cloth to protect it from future drying. Do not apply the wood oil direct. 

6. To prevent natural damages and cracking, use hard block furniture wax that retains its natural color texture and strength. Prevent the pine wood from tea, coffee and alcohol. Wipe up the spill immediately if such spill occurs.


Photo Credit: http://www.theunfinishedfurniture.com/product/pine-wood-platform-bed-frame 

How to Clean Unfinished Pine Boards

Unfinished Pine Boards

Pine wood can be stained, sealed with a coating or unfinished. Unfinished wood can become discolored due to the use of cleaning products or excess water. A gentle cleaning solution is the best way to clean knotty pine wood. 

Here are some instructions to clean unfinished pine boards.

1. Use vacuum to remove the dust. But do not use the vacuum head on the surface because this will result an unwanted scratches. We can use a clean cloth or duster to clean the pine wood.

2. For cleaning pine wood, use ammonia. Mix ammonia and water in a bucket. This mixture is effective in cleaning soil or stains from the unfinished wood. Dip a soft cleaning cloth into the solution. Use ammonia very carefully because the ammonia method may discolor the wood or make it cloudy if used on finished surfaces. 

3. Use trisodium phosphate with warm water in a bucket. Dip a soft bristle brush in the solution and scrub the wood thoroughly. It will remove mildew, dirt and grime.

4. Use a mixture of oxalic acid and water to remove the dust. Use a clean paintbrush or cloth to neutralize the acid and stop the bleaching action.

5. Spot-clean heavy stains that are not removed by solution. Apply the floor wax with a clean cloth to remove the scratch.

6. Mild dish soap is used to clean the pine furniture. Mix the mild dish shop with water. Wet the cloth and wash the surface of the wood by rubbing gently with the cloth. Allow the surface to dry before placing cushions or other items.

Photo Credit: http://www.allwoodcompany.com/unfinished.php

How to Strip Pine Furniture

Pine is lightweight and typically has a yellow hue and brown knots. Pine wood is used to make both indoor and outdoor furniture. Varnish is used to protect the wood from turning orange. But if it is already orange then there are some ways to fade it. Pine may be stained or painted. It is a common wood for painting. Process of refinishing furniture involves stripping off the old finish, preparing the wood and then applying fresh stain or paint.

Here Are Some Instructions to Strip Pine Furniture:

a) Take the pine furniture outside. To protect the floor from spills spread a trap under the pine furniture

b) Wear protected sunglasses, gloves and fume mask. Use disposable gloves that can be thrown after the use.

c) Dip the brush into a wood stripping agent made especially for pine and spread a thin layer of stripping agent over furniture in single strokes. After five minutes remove the old varnish or paint from the surface using a scraping tool. If the stripping tool did not worked well then use the hit gun to remove the varnish. Hold the heat gun 6-8 inches from the furniture surface and strip away the top layer of the paint. But keep the hit gun away from flammable objects.

d) Take a sanding strip to strip from the top. We can use the wood glue to affix the parts back in place.

e) To Varnish the sanded pine wood furniture use a gloss or pine wood stain and dip a clean paint brush into the stain, and spread over the furniture surface. Allow to dry. If needed, we can apply another coat for protection.

While strip paint from pine, take care to preserve the grain and surface, and whether choose to strip chemically or with sanding.

Photo Credit: http://www.vintagerevivals.com/2012/07/how-to-get-naked-furniture-with-heat.html

Why Pine Furniture is So Popular

The pine furniture is popular among people of all age groups and from varied weather conditions as the pine furniture can be used in its unfinished form and can be polished to give rich look to the place. Also the pine furniture can bear high temperature range, from very high to very low temperatures but not the extreme ones. There are many other reasons for the popularity of the pine furniture.

Pine Furniture has always been popular among the people who prefer to buy an everlasting beauty over an overtime shimmer. Pine furniture has always been considered luxurious ever since pine is being used to make furniture. The reasons for such popularity could be many, like:

1. Pine furniture’s natural knots and strings texture that makes the wood distinguished. This is why; even the unfinished pine furniture is so popular among the youngsters who like to go ‘RAW’ in their approach towards life!
2. Since pine is softwood, the wood can be easily cut into bits and pieces of smallest of the sizes; which can be made into furniture of various shapes and sizes like coffee tables, bed side tables, chest of drawers, etc.
3. Pine furniture blends well with other woods therefore other type of furniture can be mingled with the pine furniture. There is never a need to throw the old furniture out as one can mix and match pieces to give an appealing look.
4. Pine furniture is the cheapest and affordable furniture that anyone would want to buy to decorate the house, workplace, school or hotel. The reason for pine furniture to be affordable is the easy availability of this wood.
5. Pine furniture has natural warmth due to which it is preferred over other furniture in cold countries. It provides coziness in the house which is the biggest requirement of people in cold countries to protect them from cold.
6. Any design can be made from pine wood which is also the reason for its popularity. It can be used for designing outdoor furniture in addition to indoor furniture. Many antique items are also made from pine wood. Pine furniture gives a rustic charm to the house.
7. It is environment-friendly as it is made from renewable and recyclable resource. Everyone should play their part in saving the environment from non-recyclable resources for a better future. One should always keep the environment green and healthy.
8. Pine furniture is sustainable to various moderate climatic conditions like hotness, coldness, moisture and humidity. This also the reason why it is gained so much popularity as it can be used in any place be it cold countries or hot ones.

Photo Credit: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Julian-Bowen-Packed-Furniture-Drawers/dp/B006LZ1MSC