Tips To Protect Your Wooden Furniture

There is nothing as frustrating as ruined furniture or old looking furniture. Though most furniture are built to last long and remain in a good state, they are prone to damage. Replacing furniture can be expensive and frustrating. However, with proper care, wood furniture can last a long time and still maintain the new look.

Wet wooden furniture

The following information will equip you with all the best tips to protect your wooden furniture.

  1. Know the conditions of where you reside

This is based on where the owner of the furniture is going to place the furniture. Furniture can be affected by different surroundings. Mostly avoid placing the furniture where there is direct sunlight. If unavoidable, use curtains especially blinds to regulate the sunlight. If you reside in a wet area, it’s advisable you get the water sealant. Water sealants can be used for outdoor furniture too. Also do not place your furniture near any heating or air conditioning as they destroy it as time proceeds.

2. Painting

Painting furniture is among the topmost ways of protecting your furniture. This is because paint reflects UV rays from the sun and keeps the wood beneath from rotting. Latex paint is the best preferred to oil-based paints because it lasts longer and takes less effort to apply. Any time you notice any chipping or fading, repaint the furniture. Remember the key important thing is to choose the right kind of paint and repaint often.

3. Furniture Paint Stripping

This is a process through which paint is removed from furniture, then dried and a finishing service is performed on it. First the furniture is dipped in a hot caustic soda which is a chemical, thereafter it is removed dried until the desired finish is realised. Depending on who offers this furniture paint stripping service, they might carry out any necessary repairs on the furniture. The finishing may be done using oil or wax depending on the choice of the customer. This whole process gives an almost new look.

4. Cover your furniture

There is a wide range of covers for your furniture, but patio furniture covers are the best because they can protect furniture from the weather and other harmful features. Although covers best protect outdoor furniture, you can also purchase some for the indoor furniture. When choosing these covers, ensure to pick the right sizes and shape according to your furniture.

5. Additional tips to expand the lifespan of your furniture

These tips include: dust the furniture often and avoid using a wet cloth, instead use a damp one, when placing hard items on the wooden furniture, remember to use padded feet under the item. Avoid placing bottles with liquids that can spill and ruin the outlook of your furniture, when moving, ensure that all the furniture is safely wrapped and moved carefully to prevent any damages.

Having a professional paint stripping is one of the best actions to take. In need of the best service, look no further, Premium Doors and Furniture provide the best furniture paint stripping services at affordable prices and the customer gets to make their own choices.

The Dangers of Paint Stripping

Introduction

Paint stripping

When it comes to removal of old paints, paint strippers are fast acting, easy to use and versatile. Compared to sanding, paint stripping is the most readily considered method since it’s the least harmful removal process of lead-based paints. Despite this benefit, paint strippers contain chemicals that can pose serious health risks, if not properly used. Since some of this chemicals are readily absorbed via the skin and are easily inhaled, they can irritate both the skin and eyes, cause headache, nausea and loss of coordination, dizziness and even drowsiness. The hazards of paint stripping greatly vary depending on the stripping product used since different types of paint strippers contain different chemicals. Other hazards include:

Isocyanate paint strippers

Paint stripping, as a necessary part of Bathtub refinishing, has a lot of threats that it poses from the bathtub refinishing products. It has been identified that most bathtub refinishing products contain Isocyanates. Isocyanates are cancer-causing chemicals and were commonly used in the traditional bathtub refinishing process. Chemical off-gassing occurs long after the surface, i.e., the door surface, has been refinished, and poses health risks and severe illness to the end user or the applicator. The centre of diseases and control says that Isocyanates are usually irritating to the skin, the respiratory tract and the mucous membrane. This results in complications such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

Strippers containing Toluene

Some paint strippers contain Toluene, as an active organic ingredient. Toluene is flammable and is commonly associated with epidemics such as dermatitis, narcosis, muscular weaknesses, and even heart arrhythmia at high levels. Its chronic exposure can cause brain damage, kidney and liver-related problems, due to this solvent vapour produced during the paint stripping process. They as well cause internal organs injury when absorbed via the skin.

Strippers containing Methanol

Other paint strippers contain Methanol. Methanol is known to be highly flammable and hence during paint stripping process, if the applicator is not careful, the Methyl Alcohol vapour may result in a fire breakout. The vapour also poses threats to health since, when inhaled, it enters the bloodstream and once absorbed, it acts on the central nervous system causing blurred vision, or even optic nerve damage, which may eventually lead to permanent loss of eyesight. The vapour is also dangerous if ingested.

Strippers containing Methylene Chloride

Paint strippers contain Methylene Chloride as a solvent. This solvent is non-flammable, and whose hazards include; irritation of the skin, causes pulmonary edema, irregular heartbeats, and can eventually cause a heart attack. Methylene Chloride is metabolized to carbon monoxide within the bloodstream, hence interfering with oxygen efficiency. Methylene Chloride is as well linked with cancer. Research conducted by OSHA proves that this solvent causes cancer in animals. Also, it posses characteristics of decomposition in the presence of heat and flames, or even UV lights, hence producing the highly toxic phosgene gas. OSHA has put up measures for ensuring that all paint strippers labels carry a warning against smoking while working, and the importance of keeping away vapours from hot surfaces such as metallic doors, water heaters, furnaces, and other electrical appliers.

Conclusion

Paint strippers have been observed to pose potential threats to human and animals if not properly used, under the manufacturer’s guideline. Hence, it’s advisable that before use, one should make an effort to go through the safety guidelines first and ensure that every step is observed during the stripping process.