Care & Maintenance

• Furniture care

Wooden furniture care and maintenance is generally similar across different types of wood, but different finishes do need different approaches. Almost all contract furniture made of wood has either a lacquer or a seal applied to it knowing which is extremely important before you begin cleaning.

• Furniture care

Stone is durable, but also porous. The more porous it is, the more likely it is to stain. Here are our guidelines for stone, concrete & marble furniture care. Learn about acid etching which is hard to prevent, though applying sealants regularly will delay the formation of a patina.

• Tables
• Furniture care

Brass, copper & zinc table tops have surfaces which quickly tarnish, forming a distinctive layer, or patina. Here are the best cleaning methods. The patina increases over time and reacts with liquids and other materials to create a distinct aesthetic. Brass will tarnish quicker if exposed to heat.

• Outdoor furniture
• Furniture care

Cast iron furniture is heavy, durable, and resilient so it's often specified for outdoors, but it can have a rough surface that's difficult to clean & can rust. Protect iron furniture by applying a suitable proprietary wax such as spray-on 'North Woods - One Touch Wonder Wax' once in a while.

• Contract upholstery
• Furniture care

Because leather is vulnerable to staining, finished leather is usually coated with both a colouring pigment and a clear protective layer. These provide significant extra protection making leather suitable for contract furnishing. Leather upholstery can have natural scars and is susceptible to stretching and bagging.

• Contract upholstery
• Furniture care

Contrary to popular belief velvet is not a high-maintenance fabric. Despite its delicate appearance, the fabric is well suited to contract use with regular cleaning. The biggest problem with velvet is that it is a dust magnet and that is can crease or 'bruise' but this is easily fixed, find out how.

• Specification tips
• Furniture care

Hard plastic or nylon glides are generally the best choice for chairs in hospitality environments but felt glides may sometimes be more appropriate. Find when to use which & watch our video on how to change chair glides.