How Do I Protect and Care for My Amish Furniture

Congratulations on your investment in the quality of Amish furniture! After you have finished admiring your piece, if that ever happens, you might find yourself wondering how you protect this solid wood work of art so that it lasts you for years to come. One of the benefits of Amish furniture is the durability and strength of the finished product. Also key is the ease of upkeep, it takes very little to routinely care for solid wood furniture. Another lasting benefit is the ease in repairing everyday wear on your Amish furniture.

Trust Your Craftsman

The Amish have been perfecting their hand manufacture of furniture for generations. They source only the best products, using old growth hardwoods that are perfectly seasoned and hand finished with all natural products for a lasting sheen. The materials are almost always all locally sourced, grown by Amish farmers, milled by Amish millers, each family along the way with generations of experience under their collective suspenders. The patterns most commonly used by the Amish have been tested and refined for centuries, these traditional patterns have made the cut and been tweaked for better performance by seasoned professionals. They use solid joinery such as dovetailed joints to join their pieces and the wood is quarter sawn or plain sawn which makes for a sturdier finished product.

Get into A Routine

One of the natural benefits of the materials used in Amish furniture manufacturing is that they lend some water resistance to the finished product. No natural wood product is completely impervious to water, especially if left sitting but Amish furniture does resist most common spills. Simply wipe them clean with a soft rag making sure to get all of the spills. A damp rag dusted over the wood at least weekly is the majority of the upkeep you will need to keep your furniture looking its best. Regular wipe downs with a natural oil will lend shine to your furniture while also cleaning it and adding a bit more moisture resistance.

Repairs

The best way to avoid having to do detailed repairs to your furniture is to prevent them. But as with all of life, accidents do happen. To maintain the integrity of your pieces, it is important that repairs are handled as quickly as possible. Anything that cuts into the finish of your furniture, scratches, nicks, some types of dents, should be handled with natural waxes and oils to restore the wholeness of the finish and protect from moisture digging deeper into your piece. For longer marks and broken parts, it would be best to consult with a local woodworker or Amish craftsman. With the minimum of care and upkeep, your Amish furniture should last long enough to be handed down to future generations.