Care for your new piece of furniture:

 Congrats on your new Philadelphia Table Company piece of furniture! All of our pieces are crafted with heirloom quality and with the proper care these items can be passed down through many generations. We have outlined some basic care instructions below with even more specific instructions based on your finish.

General Care

The majority of our items are crafted with solid wood. Solid wood pieces have a few unique characteristics you should be aware of.

Expansion:

Wood is a living organism and will react to environmental changes such as humidity. As humidity rises, wood has a tendency to expand perpendicular to the grain pattern. In general, we craft our tables to account for this movement however it is difficult to do so with some design details such as extension tables and breadboards. If you have purchased a table with leaves you may notice that although the leaves fit they may be slightly longer or shorter than the width of the table by about 1/8,” this is 100% normal. In the shop, we take the average width to craft the leaves to minimize the difference. If you purchased a table with breadboards, you may notice that as the seasons change the breadboards may be slightly longer or shorter than the width of the table, this is 100% normal. In the shop, we account for the movement by taking the calculated average to minimize its effects. Additionally, sudden changes in humidity can cause checking and cracking.

To combat expansion and the possibility of checks & cracks, it is important to maintain a consistsent climate in the room your table is in. We highly recommend humidifiers in the winter months and dehumidifiers in the summer months. Woods that are particularly susceptible to cracks and checks are White Oak, Red Oak and Hard Maple.

Coasters:

Although our finishes are very durable, we highly recommend using coasters. Coasters will help extend the longevity of your tables finish over time.

Heat:

One of the most damaging things to wood furniture is direct heat (or cold). Direct heat can cause, staining, warping, splitting, cracking and other damage. We recommend ALWAYS using trivets for hot plates, dishes, candles, Ice glasses etc..

Damage Control:

Since most of our furniture is crafted using solid hardwoods we are often able to repair damaged surfaces. This may require a full sanding in our workshop or maybe just a spot treatment on site. If your table is damaged feel free to reach out to us to see how we can best repair the item.

Specific Care

All of our pieces are sealed with a unique finish specific to the items’ design and function. We have outlined care and general information about our most common finishes below. However, we highly recommend using just a damp cloth and only when needed. The more times you wipe the quicker you will wear through a finish.

Odie's Oil / Teddy’s Paste

Odie's Super Penetrating Oil and Sutherland Welles Teddy’s Paste are environmentally friendly, contain no harmful chemicals, and create a strong resilient finish.

There are three different ways to clean things that are finished with Odie’s Oil and Teddy’s Paste:

  1. You can mix 1 part vinegar with 10 parts water and clean with a terry cotton cloth

  2. You can use soapy water (like Dawn dish soap), but remember to rinse all the suds off, and then wipe it dry

  3. Or you can make your own cleaner using Odie’s cleaning concentrate. To do this you can make a mixture, mix 2% of Odie's Cleaner Concentrate with 98% water in a spray bottle. Just spray and wipe. This will clean, refresh your finish. Start using this mixture after is fully cured.

*Or you can make your own rejuvenating cleaner using Odie’s cleaning concentrate. To do this you can make a mixture that is 50% Odie’s Oil 9oz and 50% Odie’s cleaning concentrate 32oz, then mix 5% of this with 95% water in a spray bottle. Just spray and wipe. This will clean, refresh, and rejuvenate your finish. This formula is recommended for projects that show some heavy wear and exposure, do not use it when the finish is freshly applied.

When should I refresh my finish?

You should refresh your finish when you notice it is getting dull. Many customers do not have this happen for many years, but it depends on the use of the piece as to how long it will be before it needs to be refreshed. For instance, in most common settings will not need to be refreshed for many years. To bring back your sheen you simply need to add one thin layer of original Odie’s oil, buff it in, let it set for about 45 minutes and buff it off completely.

Osmo Poly-x

Osmo provides a professional, clear satin wood finish, which combines all the advantages of oils and waxes in one product. It is resistant to water and dirt, very durable, and smooths wood surfaces. It is a general Product made with natural vegetable oils and waxes and complies with strict Euro Standards. When dry, the finish is safe for humans, animals and plants and is suitable for children’s toys.

To care for your item:

  • Wipe with a fairly dry damp cloth to remove grit as needed. Make sure to wipe the surface dry to prevent water from sitting on the table surface. You can also use Osmo Wash and Care for regular cleaning.

  • Refreshing/Repairing the finish as needed. Dull marks in high use areas are normal with wax as part of the finish and can be easily refreshed. In order to refresh high use areas, clean the surface thoroughly and allow to dry, then use liquid wax cleaner to spot sheen yearly or as needed. Use a lint free cloth such as a cotton T-shirt and apply a small amount of OSMO Liquid Wax Cleaner to the cloth. Rub this into the surface. Allow to dry for 30 to 60 minutes, until the material dries to a haze then buff lightly with a dry cloth. To repair superficial scratches, stains or ground-in dirt, use a white abrasive pad or #000 steel wool to rub a small amount of liquid wax cleaner into the affected area. Wipe up immediately with a cotton cloth to remove residue so that no excess material is left on the repair area.

Wash and Care is made with soaps based on coconut oils (5 to 15 percent), plus anionic and nonionic surfactants (each 1 to 5 percent). Surfactants are cleaning agents that help dislodge stubborn dirt and grime by allowing water molecules to link up with contaminants on a surface. The anionic surfactants have a negative charge; the nonionic surfactants have none. The surfactants in Wash and Care are modified fatty acids of natural vegetable oils. They are not phthalates or other ingredients that can interfere with hormone activity in people or wildlife.

Liquid Wax Cleaner contains carnauba and candillila wax, the same two natural waxes used in Polyx-Oil. These are both plant-based waxes that regrow rapidly. Liquid Wax Cleaner also contains medical-quality paraffins and odor-free mineral spirits, both of which are petroleum products. See our Thinners section for more information about mineral spirits. The cleaner does not include biocides or preservatives.

Polyurethane

We normally use Polyurethane when finishing items that have been stained. Essentially a plastic in the form of a liquid until it dries, polyurethane is available in both water- and oil-based options, and comes in a variety of finishes from satin to glossy.

Our most common poly finish is Water-based and is popular because of its low odor and low toxicity. It goes on clear without adding a slight color that oil-based versions can, and it dries much faster. We more specifically use polycrylic water based, a formula that provides more durability than basic water base polyurethane.

To Care for your item:

  • We recommend wiping with a damp cloth, either using soap and water or a natural based cleaning solution. Most standard cleaning solutions contain either an alcohol or ammonia base, which over an extended period of time, can eat through the finish. We recommend: Method Daily Wood Cleaner.

  • Common furniture cleaners such as Pledge furniture polish, may actually damage the topcoat of your furniture. Furniture polish will leave a glossy, often uneven residue over your tables surface. The low sheen finish we all desire will be difficult to recover. We recommend avoiding furniture polish on our custom furniture pieces.

Rubio Monocoat oil

Rubio Oil is a natural and environmentally friendly oil. It creates an extremely durable finish and enhances the natural beauty and grain of wood furniture. Caring for your Rubio finished surface is simple, and when done properly, keeps your furniture looking beautiful for a lifetime. 

To Care for your item:

  • We recommend using a damp rag with clean water for the regular cleaning of your oiled furniture. Remember that wood and water do not mix, so using a damp rag means your rag should not be “dripping wet” when cleaning a wood surface.

  • Rubio Surface Care Spray or properly diluted Rubio Monocoat Soap  are the only recommended cleaners for your Rubio finished furniture. These cleaners will remove all dirt and grease thoroughly, without leaving a film or affecting the matte natural look of the wood.