Care & Maintenance

Tobin Creek Wood Designs
American Crafted Hardwood Furniture

Solid Hardwood Furniture made in the USA. You’ve made a good choice!

Thank you for your purchase. We trust that with proper care it will bring long-term satisfaction and become an heirloom for many years. A little care to your furniture periodically will assist greatly in keeping it in excellent condition. We highly recommend the following:

Cleaning

• Use water, or water with a mild detergent, such as dawn dish soap. Always use a soft cotton or microfiber cloth. Never use anything abrasive.

• Do not use bleach or ammonia on finished surfaces. Using these may appear safe in the short term, but they will break down finish and the varnish will eventually become soft and gummy.

Polishing and Wax

• Use only high-quality polishes and waxes without silicone and follow the manufacturer’s directions.

• Periodic waxing is still one of the finest ways to protect a finish. Eventually, depending on use, a tabletop may appear dull and then you can wax it. Furniture paste wax, such as Minwax™ paste finishing wax, is great to use on tabletops. The idea is to quickly build up protection on heavily used surfaces. This will enhance and help maintain the surface condition.

• Polishing your furniture helps to preserve the beautiful luster of the finish without leaving any build up. Polish such as Guardsman Clean and Polish™ which is different than wax, is easier to apply and may be used on all the finished surfaces of your furniture.

In Your Home

• Avoid exposure to sunlight day after day. Moderate, indirect sunlight is acceptable and will not damage your furniture.

• Avoid placing furniture in front of direct heat sources.

• Table leaves that are unused for long periods of time may not exactly match a tabletop that has been exposed to sunlight, daily use and cleaning.

• Use a humidifier in the winter and an air conditioner in the summer for the best results on humidity control. Solid wood will always seek to balance with its surroundings. In the home, all wood furniture will lose moisture to extremely dry air and contracts. As a result table tops may part slightly. Conversely, when humidity is too high, wood absorbs moisture from the air and expands slightly. In either case it typically regains its original dimensions as humidity stabilizes.

• It is normal for new furniture to have an odor. Stain and varnish all have distinctive odors which remain with the furniture until they dissipate. This is the same thing that happens when a new car is built. The best method to speed along the dissipation of the odor is to place the furniture in a well-ventilated room and open any doors and drawers. To facilitate odor dispersion, place baking soda in small bowls inside drawers and open compartments. The odor should dissipate in 3-4 days.

Using Your Furniture

Sharp objects and some place settings that are rough on the bottom edge can scratch a tabletop or any flat surface. Using placemats or a tablecloth during use will help prevent and slow this process. It is important to understand that small scratches and nicks of normal use do not harm your furniture. A fine antique is expected to bear the characteristic evidence of time and use. If furniture loses its value, it’s because of neglect and misuse. We trust that the care you give your furniture will result in generations of use.

Real Hardwood

Each piece of Tobin Creek Wood Designs furniture is made from natural, solid northern hardwoods. Just as the trees in our forest are not identical, each individual piece of furniture has its own unique markings. It is not uncommon to find several grain variations in the same piece of furniture. These variations and natural markings have absolutely no effect on the furniture’s durability or structural integrity and serve to give your Tobin Creek furniture its unique identity.

Enjoy the warmth and beauty of real wood,

North America’s renewable resource!

Built by American craftsmen and craftswomen in Memphis, MO.
Questions? Call 877-376-7977 to speak with our knowledgeable product information team.