How do I care for my outdoor furniture?
Although all outdoor wood furniture needs to be periodically maintained, we try to keep it as low maintenance as possible for you. Our patio furniture is oiled with a quality deck stain/sealer specifically formulated for hardwoods. Apply a coat of stain when the furniture looks faded (about every 1-3 years), and if anything ever becomes rough to the touch, lightly sand it with 220 grit sandpaper before re-oiling. Applying the stain is as easy as soaking a rag in it and wiping the chair down. You can also use a plastic spray bottle to get into the nooks and crannies.
Recommended Furniture Stains:
Messmers UV Plus for Hardwoods
Penofin Hardwood stain
Penofin Ultra Premium stain
What's it made out of?
Most barrels are either French or American white oak. White oak has a dense and straight-grained cell structure that repels moisture, insects, and rot.
How long will it last outdoors?
With proper care your furniture could turn into a heirloom piece. Even if you don't do anything to it, it will turn grey and should last many years.
Really?! It's THAT awesome?
Yep! The famous American sailing ship USS Constitution, or Old Ironsides, was built with white oak and could repel British cannonballs. Also, old farm equipment and truck beds were made out of white oak because of it’s virtually indestructible nature. It's officially recognized as the America's National Tree because of it's abundance within the country and role in American history. White oak is on par with teak and mahogany as far as hardness, and almost as tough as some Brazilian hardwoods like ipé (ee-pay).
What about the cracks?
The cracking, or checking as it’s called, is totally normal and happens when the wood dries out. Moisture is released faster near the outside of the wood, which causes a contraction and sometimes cracks. There’s no need to be concerned with it and it won’t affect the structural integrity of the furniture. Depending on how recently the barrels held liquid, the wood can continue to dry out for up to two years. Applying a quality stain/sealer can help minimize the checking by taking the space of the moisture that’s lost and conditioning the wood.
What's the difference between barrels?
While each barrel is slightly different from the next, it basically boils down to the color. Wine and champagne barrels are varying shades of brown and red on the inside and usually a tan oak color on the outside. Whiskey, rum, and tequila barrels are charred on the inside and are usually light to dark brown with patches of black left over from the charring process. The staves are generally thinner width-wise than other barrel types. They also have lots of character on the outside of the staves. Beer barrels are almost always old wine or whiskey barrels and tend to have the same characteristics as such.
What if I still have more questions?
Feel free to call or email me, and I’ll try my best to quench your thirst for knowledge.
- Art Hough