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FURNITURE CARE INSTRUCTIONS
ROOM CLIMATE CONTROL:
• Wood, when first cut contains more than 50 percent water. When it is prepared for
furniture construction it is placed in a Kiln and the moisture content is brought
down to 8 to 10 percent. Wood is porous and responds to its environment. If the
room has high humidity it will absorb it and expand and if the humidity is low it will
lose moisture and shrink.
• It is important that the humidity levels in the room be controlled from extremes of
too much humidity or too little. Furniture should not be placed close to the
air-conditioning outlets, fire places, radiators, space heaters, humidifiers or
dehumidifiers. Exposure to extreme variations of temperature and humidity can
damage any fine wood product.
THE IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR FINE FURNITURE:
• Fine wood furniture will have fewer problems when its environment is controlled at
a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees and a relative humidity between 35 and
40 percent. Wood placed in an environment outside of those limits can and will
shrink or expand and may develop some small cracks which are not material or
structural defects.
STICKING DOORS AND DRAWERS:
• With the minor changes in temperature and humidity, doors and drawers may swell
and be difficult to open or close. Tolerances have been built into the units but
extreme conditions may still cause sticking. This will adjust back to normal over
time but until it does consider using a dehumidifier or rub candle wax or paraffin
on sides that stick.
AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT:
• Keep the furniture out of direct sunlight. Ultraviolet rays will fade colors and in
some cases darken them. It can also cause crazing or hair line cracks in the finish.
White finishes will yellow naturally over time and exposure to direct sunlight will
hasten this natural process along with some woods darkening naturally over time;
this is not considered to be a quality defect.
PROPER STORAGE:
• If you need to put your furniture in storage for any period of time do not store
them in a damp basement or hot dry attic. Allow air movement around the furniture
and do not stack anything on it.
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