Your fine wood can give you decades of faithful and elegant service with just a little care.  You can also destroy it in an amazingly short time with about the same amount of neglect.  Please note:  These recommendations apply to my functional pieces finished with my food quality oil.  Other finishes such as lacquer should not be oiled.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Remember  Wood was alive… with living cells that contained water.  The cells are still there and they still contain water.  They also will also gain and loose moisture depending on their environment.  Controlling that process is the key to the life—long or short—of your heirloom wood.

Humidity  and Temperature  Changes in temperature and humidity have probably the worst potential affects on the life of your wood.  The type of finish can help decrease the potential damage.  Some finishes are quite durable, but almost no common finish can totally prevent the exchange of moisture between the wood and the air around it.  As the temperature increases the moisture in the wood tends to be driven out.  The same is true as the ambient humidity decreases.  When temperature and humidity change the other way, the cells tend to gain moisture.  The changes cause the cells to expand and contract, and if the changes are extreme the wood may crack.  Just being aware of this should be all you need to fully enjoy using it for many many years.

Care and Use

First the DON’Ts…

• Don’t soak it in the wash water.
• Don’t wash it in the dish washer.

 Now for the DOs…

• Wash immediately after you’re finished using it (even if you let the rest go until the morning after).  Mild dish washing detergent is ok if needed.
• Dry immediately after washing.
• Apply walnut oil or mineral oil.  Just a bit on a paper towel is an easy way to do it.
• Remove excess oil after a few minutes.
  

Note.  Common Salad oils are not recommended since they are much more inclined to rancidity than walnut oil which dries and hardens to seal the wood.  Mineral oil does not dry, but it also will not go rancid.

Another Note.  Some assert that walnut oil presents no risk to those with nut allergies because there are no protiens in the oil.  Others argue it could be.  If you have any angst whatsoever about this, just use mineral oil.

Thanks for choosing your fine wood from me.

Rick Urban

Wood You Believe

http://www.urbanwoodworks.com
woodyoubelieve@urbanwoodworks.com