Caring for oiled oak
The pieces are finished with linseed oil and beeswax, not varnish. That makes them easy to look after and easy to repair: the wood can always take another coat.
Every day
Wipe with a damp cloth and dry with a clean one. Avoid sprays and polishes with silicone, which leave a film the oil cannot get through.
Keep pieces out of direct sun for the first months while the colour settles, and a metre away from radiators.
Once a year
- Clean the surface and let it dry for an hour.
- Rub in a thin coat of the oil we send with the piece, along the grain, with a lint-free cloth.
- Leave it for twenty minutes.
- Buff off everything the wood has not taken up. Any oil left on top turns sticky.
- Leave it a day before putting anything on it.
Oily cloths can catch fire as they dry. Lay them flat outside or soak them in water before throwing them away.
Marks and stains
Water rings usually fade by themselves within a day. For a stubborn mark, rub it gently with fine steel wool (0000) along the grain, then oil that spot.
Old nail holes and checks are part of the beam. We leave them open, and they may move a little with the seasons.
Linen and leather
Linen covers unzip and wash at 30°C. Dry them flat and put them back on slightly damp so they shape to the cushion.
Vegetable-tanned leather darkens with use. Wipe it with a dry cloth; once a year, a little neutral leather balm keeps it supple.