Have you recently decided to add a wood table to your outdoor area? This is a good choice. It is possible to spruce up your home’s appearance by decorating the yard. Just remember that a lot of decorative items require maintenance. If you do not care for your outdoor wood table, you can guarantee something will go awry. The elements will destroy the wood, and all of your money will be wasted. Within this guide, you’ll find out how to protect your table to ensure it lasts as long as possible.
Choose An Outdoor Table
First and foremost, you should know that some tables are built for indoor use and some for outdoor use. If you attempt to place an indoor table outside, you can almost guarantee that something will go wrong. A table that has been specifically designed for outdoor use will already be protected with a special coat. This will probably be enough to protect the table from the sun and whatever else Mother Nature can throw its way.
Go With Hardwood
While you’re at it, you’ll want to choose hardwood. Softwood is fine for some things, but not everything. This is definitely the case if you’re going to be placing the wood decoration outside. You need to ensure that the wood will last and that the hardwood will do just that. However, you may need to protect it. It is generally advisable that you apply a new coat of finish every single. Hardwood tends to be a better choice, though, because it can withstand Mother Nature much better. It resists decay and insects and will last much longer in general. The only downside is that it is slightly more expensive.
Use Covers
If you bought a table, you’d want it to last. The good news is that there are plenty of great ways to protect your furniture. One of the best ways to do this is by using furniture covers. These covers are designed to protect the furniture from UV rays and other elements. Just remember to buy a cover that fits your furniture perfectly. Otherwise, it might be blown away by the wind, resulting in your furniture getting destroyed anyway. The cover will slip over the chair, making it very easy to use.
Clean Often
It is pertinent to understand that your furniture will get dirtier outside. This is true for wood tables. Therefore, you’ll need to clean the table much more frequently. The good news is that cleaning it won’t be too difficult. You just need a mild, soapy solution. Apply this to the table and wipe it down with a cloth. This should remove all of the pollen and other residues. If you haven’t cleaned the table in a little while, you’ll need to perform a deeper cleaning. You should do this every year anyway. You just need to use a soft scrub brush and some dishwashing detergent.
Be sure to scrub with the grain. If you cannot remove a stain, you may need to use a sanding block or an electric sander. Either way, you must ensure that you sand carefully and do not permanently damage the wood.
Applying Oil
Most people don’t consider applying oil to wood furniture to preserve it, but a little lubrication can go a long way. This is especially true when it comes to outdoor wood tables. Once the table is completely dry, apply the wood oil to the table’s surface. Make sure you take the extra time to get the oil deep in the cracks. Once you have applied an ample amount of exterior wood oil to
the table, you can let it soak in for several hours and the table will be
given an extra layer of protection.
Proper Location
Location is also key when you are placing your table. You want to make sure that you are not placing the table where it will be overexposed to the elements. The table will already be in direct sunlight, wind, rain, snow, and sleet; you don’t want to expose it to any more dangers than you have to. Keeping the table away from the grass is an excellent place to start because the moisture from the ground can rot and erode untreated wood when exposed for prolonged periods.