A Guide to the Aftercare and Maintenance of Your Wenge Bathroom Furniture
Wenge, pronounced weng-gay, a dark hardwood of tropical origin, is one of many rich, distinctive woods used in the construction of bathroom furniture.
If you've decided that dark wood furniture is for you, then wenge may be the wood to complete your bathroom redesign.
Wenge bathroom furniture can be bought in a range of wall hung, floor standing fitted or entirely freestanding designs, and in a variety of traditional and contemporary styles.
Solid wood wenge furniture has a different kind of aesthetic appeal from veneered wenge: it's up to you to weigh up the look of each type as well as their respective constructs and costs, and decide which is more appropriate for you.
Aftercare and maintenance may well be an important part of this decision.
All wooden bathroom furniture, wenge included, will suffer if brought into daily contact with water without being looked after properly.
Wooden bathroom furniture, designed as it is for use in a moisture-filled environment, generally has its surfaces coated with some form of sealant, be that wax, oil, woodstain, polyurethane, or something else.
These coatings help the wood to withstand water.
You can help to prolong the life and condition of both solid and veneered wooden bathroom furniture by mopping up standing water and trying and keep surfaces as dry as possible each day, cleaning the furniture regularly with a damp cloth to ensure that dust and dirt don't get ground into its surfaces, and finally polishing it every three to four months with a polish appropriate to its particular protective coating.
Using the wrong kind of polish could result over time in a filmy build-up on the surface, which will detract from the appearance of the piece.
Protect your bathroom furniture from bumps, knocks and scrapes as best you can.
Deep gouges will not be particularly helpful for the appearance of solid wenge furniture, but on a wenge veneer they can be disastrous.
Wood veneers are thin by nature and scratches to the surface cannot be sanded down much before the sandpaper goes through the veneer down to the less attractive composite material underneath.
So while solid wenge furniture can be sanded back and refinished to restore an unharmed appearance, wenge veneer is not as treatable.
In addition to taking care of the wooden finish of your new bathroom furniture, keep drawer runners and hinges clean and well oiled so that they move smoothly.
A prime cause of drawers not opening easily is a build up of dirt on the drawer runners, and doors will begin to squeak and creak annoyingly in time, if they're not cared for.
A sensible and thorough approach to cleanliness as well as an adherence to specific manufacturer aftercare instructions should mean the looks of your new wenge bathroom furniture stand the test of time.
If you've decided that dark wood furniture is for you, then wenge may be the wood to complete your bathroom redesign.
Wenge bathroom furniture can be bought in a range of wall hung, floor standing fitted or entirely freestanding designs, and in a variety of traditional and contemporary styles.
Solid wood wenge furniture has a different kind of aesthetic appeal from veneered wenge: it's up to you to weigh up the look of each type as well as their respective constructs and costs, and decide which is more appropriate for you.
Aftercare and maintenance may well be an important part of this decision.
All wooden bathroom furniture, wenge included, will suffer if brought into daily contact with water without being looked after properly.
Wooden bathroom furniture, designed as it is for use in a moisture-filled environment, generally has its surfaces coated with some form of sealant, be that wax, oil, woodstain, polyurethane, or something else.
These coatings help the wood to withstand water.
You can help to prolong the life and condition of both solid and veneered wooden bathroom furniture by mopping up standing water and trying and keep surfaces as dry as possible each day, cleaning the furniture regularly with a damp cloth to ensure that dust and dirt don't get ground into its surfaces, and finally polishing it every three to four months with a polish appropriate to its particular protective coating.
Using the wrong kind of polish could result over time in a filmy build-up on the surface, which will detract from the appearance of the piece.
Protect your bathroom furniture from bumps, knocks and scrapes as best you can.
Deep gouges will not be particularly helpful for the appearance of solid wenge furniture, but on a wenge veneer they can be disastrous.
Wood veneers are thin by nature and scratches to the surface cannot be sanded down much before the sandpaper goes through the veneer down to the less attractive composite material underneath.
So while solid wenge furniture can be sanded back and refinished to restore an unharmed appearance, wenge veneer is not as treatable.
In addition to taking care of the wooden finish of your new bathroom furniture, keep drawer runners and hinges clean and well oiled so that they move smoothly.
A prime cause of drawers not opening easily is a build up of dirt on the drawer runners, and doors will begin to squeak and creak annoyingly in time, if they're not cared for.
A sensible and thorough approach to cleanliness as well as an adherence to specific manufacturer aftercare instructions should mean the looks of your new wenge bathroom furniture stand the test of time.
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