Caring for your furniture

Natural wood is a high quality material with a personality of its own. Most Naan furniture is made from solid pine wood, with its characteristic light colour and soft grain. The furniture you will receive in your home is a handcrafted piece, whose sustainable wood has that unique and warm touch for your home. However, at Naan we always encourage you to give your personal touch to each piece of furniture, taking advantage of the versatility of this material. In this first post, we want to show you the three most common finishes for natural wood. Wax, oil and varnish are three materials that will protect your furniture and that you can easily apply at home yourself. The three options will maintain the most "natural" aspect of the furniture, preserving the grain of the wood without adding big touches of colour, as paints, lacquers, etc. would do.

• Wax:

The most commonly used waxes for furniture finishing are usually beeswax and turpentine. It is a very common material that can be easily found in DIY, fine arts or specialised shops. It is used on solid wood furniture as well as in the restoration of antique furniture.

Features: Very easy to clean, resistant to humidity. Brightens and nourishes the wood on which it is applied. Protects against UV rays.

Usage: It is advisable to clean the surface thoroughly before application to remove all traces of dust or imperfections. Apply with a brush or cotton cloth, rubbing in circular motions. If you want to give your furniture an extra shine, you can apply several coats.

• Oil:

Although this finish is often used on "harder" woods than natural pine, it is another easy and simple option to give a piece of furniture its own personality. The oils enhance the natural grain of the wood as well as giving it a smooth texture to the touch. It absorbs and integrates very well into the material, allowing the wood to breathe and not suffer major changes over time.

Features: Easy to apply, resistant to moisture and sunlight. Gives the colour of the wood a lift and restores its silky feel. Slow drying process.

Usage: It is applied in consecutive coats, allowing a period of time to elapse between each coat. The elapsed time depends on the type of oil and the wood, as it is necessary to wait for the wood to completely absorb the product. A brush or paintbrush will suffice.

• Varnish:

There are many different types and tones of varnish on the market and, although it is a synthetic material, it is perhaps one of the most common and used. It is very easy to apply and offers a very wide range when it comes to giving colour or shine to wood.

Features: They are available in gloss, matt and satin finishes. Their effect lasts longer than wax, for example. UV-resistant varnishes are available in shades ranging from translucent to very dark.

Usage:  It is applied with a brush or small roller thanks to its thick liquid texture. Although it is easy to use, care must be taken to avoid accumulations and small "sticky patches". It is advisable to apply a first coat diluted with water or thinner, let it dry for 8-10 hours and then proceed to apply the final coat.

If you are looking for the most natural finish possible, we recommend that you always use colourless products. Both wax and oil have practically transparent tones and these will best preserve the "original" colour of the solid pine.

We hope this quick guide will help you when choosing a finish for your Naan furniture.

In future posts we will tell you in more detail about each of the materials and the different options they offer, and even how you can prepare some of them at home.