Guarding woodwork against Winter – essential tips for homeowners

Winter weather creates some special challenges for the beautiful woodwork in and around your home. Dry Highveld and inland conditions can cause warping and cracking due to extreme moisture loss, the Western Cape’s abundant winter rains create an ideal environment for swelling and wood rot, while KwaZulu-Natal enjoys a unique blend of these conditions.

Well-cared-for woodwork, both indoor and out, is a joy to behold and assures the value of your home, while the opposite is true for dirty, weathered, and neglected wood.

TO ENSURE THAT INTERIOR WOOD REMAINS IN TOP CONDITION, WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING MAINTENANCE:

1. Dust your furniture well and regularly. Dusting and maintenance can be done in one action by wiping the wood with a soft cloth, lightly moistened with Woodoc Interior Maintenance Wax.

2. Regular light applications of a high-quality wax like Woodoc Interior Maintenance Wax or Woodoc Antique Wax will keep the wood in top form.

3. Never use water for cleaning. If you need to clean the wood, use Woodoc Interior Maintenance Wax on a soft cloth. To remove any wax- or oil build-up, use mineral turpentine on a soft cloth.

4. Wooden floors need extra care. To prevent scratching, stick felt wads under the feet of furniture that will be moved regularly. Insist that chairs be lifted if moved and not dragged across the floor.

5. Take care not to allow mud and grit to be carried into the house. Feet should be wiped before entry. Any mud should be cleaned off the wooden floor before it is ground into the wood.

6. Use a soft broom and sweep wooden floors regularly. Never wash a wooden floor with water and soap. The soap will dull the finish and water ingress between the floor planks may cause warping. If the floor needs cleaning, one-part white vinegar in ten parts of luke-warm water may be sparingly used to gently mop the floor. Make sure to wring out the mop before cleaning the floor. Dry the floor as soon as possible after mopping.

7. Apply a high-quality pure wax like Woodoc Antique Wax from time to time and buff the floor gently.

Exterior wood requires some TLC to recover after the winter. As soon as the first signs of spring appear, have a good, critical look at the condition of your exterior wood. If you see any sign of weathering, you should immediately start with maintenance.

Well cared for woodwork, both indoor and out is a joy to behold and assures the value of a home

REGULAR MAINTENANCE IS THE KEY TO LOW-IMPACT, COST-EFFECTIVE CARE:

1. Wood showing signs of weathering and not treated with a Woodoc Exterior Sealer previously, should be sanded down to bare wood before re-sealing. Woodoc Exterior Sealers are formulated to bio-degrade and disappear from wood at the end of their life cycle, so if the wood was sealed with a Woodoc Solvent-Based Sealer, a light but thorough clean with steel wool and mineral turpentine will be sufficient. If a Woodoc Water-Borne Exterior Sealer was used, light sanding will be required.

2. Replace any wood that shows signs of rotting.

3. Seal the wood by applying three liberal coats of the Woodoc Exterior Sealer of your choice. Please follow the application instructions carefully.

4. Woodoc Exterior Maintenance Wax may be applied from time to time as a maintenance treatment to exterior wood.

For information on Woodoc Products, please visit www.woodoc.com. We offer free, professional advice on woodcare matters. Contact us on e-mail at information@ woodoc.com, WhatsApp: +27 66 302 4702 , Call Toll-Free: 0800 411 200 or visit our Facebook page.

1. Weathered patio set.

2. Sanding.

3. Cleaning off dust.

4. Raw wood.

5. Stain and sealer.

6. Mixing in Stain.

7. Stirring thoroughly.

8. Loading the brush.

9. Woodoc Sealer first coat.

10. End grain.

11. Sand lightly between coats.

12. Clean off dust.

13. Woodoc Sealer second coat.

14. Woodoc Sealer third coat.

15. Woodoc Sealer finish.