Solid wood dining room furniture is built to last a lifetime—or several lifetimes, if you show it the right amount of TLC. Follow this How-To guide on wood furniture care to ensure your pieces remain show-worthy by the time they reach your grandchildren’s homes.

Is the piece really solid wood?   

First things first: make sure your dining room set is the real deal. Solid wood means that all exposed parts of the furniture are made of solid board. Most importantly, it means that no veneers or particleboards are used.

Don’t put too much merit in the words “all wood furniture.” This does not necessarily mean that the piece is solid wood. If you’re unsure of the composition of the dining room set, ask a salesperson.

Furniture Care

Do you want the trestle dining table you’ve hosted hundreds of dinner at to remain a family heirloom? There are a few tenets of solid wood furniture care that you MUST follow if you want your dining room furniture to last.

• Find the right cleaning product. The type of finish on your wood dining table, not the type of wood, determines which cleaning product you should use and how you should care for the item. Finishes fall into the categories of soft, hard, or painted.
• Protect your tabletop. Consider using a tablecloth to guard your dining room table surface from everyday wear and tear and from scratches when keys, etc., are casually tossed onto it. Avoid using tablecloths with vinyl or rubber backing—the chemicals released from these materials can permanently ruin a wood finish. If you don’t like tablecloths, use coasters to protect your dining table from the moisture of drinks. Finally, always use a trivet; never put hot pots and pans directly onto the tabletop.
• Wax your furniture every six months (never more than 3-4 times per year) and dust your dining room furniture often, taking care to wipe in the direction of the grain of the wood whenever possible. Always use a soft, lint-free cotton cloth to avoid scratching. Avoid overpolishing your furniture, which can result in a waxy buildup that dulls the look of the wood.
• Keep your dining room furniture out of direct sunlight. This keeps the wood finish from fading out. Place your dining room furniture away from windows or close your dining room drapes or blinds during the part of each day when the sun is strongest.
• A drier environment is essential…but not too dry. Furniture doesn’t do well in extremes—cold, dry, or wet. Ensure that your solid wood furniture is stored in a place with humidity no higher than 35%, and away from a heat source. If wood gets wet, the finish can peel or fade, and the wood itself can warp. 
• If you didn’t take proper care of your dinette set over the years, there’s still hope.  Most solid wood furniture products can be refinished with a bit of sanding and made to look new again.