Care for Unsealed Finish
Make sure you read the “Materials & Construction” section above where we explain why our tables are delivered unsealed. For those who wish to retain this unsealed finish, we encourage you to use great care with what liquids you place on and around the table. Liquids will be your kryptonite to an unsealed finish, as those unsealed wood pores are there with open arms, waiting to absorb whatever liquid comes their way. If you place a glass on the table without a coaster, it will leave a watermark. If you spill some red wine on it, it will look like it belongs on a Dateline True Crime episode.
As long as it’s not a liquid, these tables will take everything that comes at them like a champ. If a stain does occur, as long as you quickly wipe it up so it doesn’t soak too deep, you can use a very light grit sandpaper to easily sand it out.
Also heat! When the hubby learns how to make an omelet and excitedly comes over to show you his creation, don’t let him place it down on the table. It will leave a mark that will need to be sanded out.
As long as you are careful with the liquids, we’d encourage you to keep the unsealed finish to experience the full beauty of this wood. However, we understand that this isn’t always possible, and thus do our best to provide you all available options to care for your new table.NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!!! All of our coffee tables are delivered to you fully assembled.
Alternative #1
For those who can’t help but bring the red wine around, or those with well-intentioned, but rambunctious two and four-leggers known to keep life exciting, you can apply a variety of finishes to protect the surface for some peace of mind. The first are a variety of waxes and oils, which will provide a temporary layer of protection that would need to be reapplied every few months. For anyone with a butcher block countertop, the process is very similar to maintaining. Please note that waxes and oils DO change the color of the wood. The extent to which depends on which oil or wax you use.
When the kids finally leave the nest and the pup settles down, waxes and oils can usually be easily removed to restore the wood to its original finish and color. In this way, you don’t have to feel as guilty using waxes or oils, knowing you can easily remove them down the road.
Alternative #2
A permanent protective finish like a polyurethane, can also be applied, which will permanently seal and protect the wood. A water-based poly shouldn’t change the color too much, while an oil-based poly will likely darken everything some. Polyurethanes have a variety of sheens too.
While you can remove a polyurethane finish, it would require a good deal of time and effort. The other thing with poly finishes, especially if they are a higher sheen (semi-gloss, etc), they are going to leave a perfect finish. The more perfect the finish, the more noticeable any scuffs or scrapes will be. Thing of it like paint gloss. Those high gloss sheens look gorgeous, but gosh forbid anything scuffs or scrapes it, you’ll see that mark from a mile away.