A well-made wood table or chest is built to outlast the room it starts in, and the finish is the part that shows its age first. Most of what keeps it looking new is unremarkable: the right room and a few consistent habits.

Start with the room

Environment does more for wood than any product. Keep pieces out of direct sunlight, which fades color unevenly and can crack a finish. Keep them away from HVAC vents, radiators and fireplaces, where steady heat dries the wood out. And hold humidity as steady as you can year-round: dry air cracks wood, damp air swells it, and the slow swing between the two loosens joints over time.

The everyday routine

Dust with the grain using a soft, dry or barely damp lint-free cloth, then buff the surface dry.
Skip household sprays and all-purpose cleaners, which are not made for fine finishes.
Go easy on polish. Many pieces need none. If you use it, choose a non-silicone product and apply it rarely. Silicone and aerosol polishes leave a film that clouds the finish over time.

Put something between the finish and everything else

Coasters under glasses and mugs.
Trivets under anything warm from the kitchen.
Felt pads under lamps, vases and accessories.
Lift objects to move them rather than sliding them across the top.

Spills

Blot spills immediately and never let water or alcohol sit on the surface. Standing moisture is what leaves the pale rings that are hard to reverse. If one appears anyway, see how to remove a white water ring.

Veneer and solid wood

Quality veneer over a stable core is a legitimate construction, not a shortcut, and it takes exactly the same care as solid wood.

Who wrote this

Trade Receiving’s president, Gil Urenda, trained in wood touch-up and repair with Mohawk Finishing Products. For everyday scratches, see how to fix a minor scratch in a wood finish.

Caring for Wood Furniture: Finish, Room and Routine