How to Fix Your Furniture Before it Breaks: Prevention

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Many of home furniture problems can be solved before they happen, with a little something known as "prevention." The home improvement industry places a lot of emphasis on fixing things, but when you know how to prevent something from breaking down, you are essentially "fixing it before it breaks." In this article, we'll explore some popular ways you can keep your furniture protected and out of harm's way. After all, a well-maintained piece of furniture can often be better than a formerly broken one.

Understanding Moisture

Moisture is frequently a problem with furniture - whether you're talking about wicker chairs and tables, leather, or plain old wood, too much moisture can definitely wreak a lot of havoc. Even in very humid environments where there's condensation, wood furniture can be exposed to the possibility of swelling. So how do you prevent this?

Some pieces of furniture can stand to avoid total dryness, too. Remember that some moisture in the air might be good for your furniture, even if too much can cause it to warp. You don't want to micromanage your furniture based on the humidity level each day, but try to keep in mind that if it's too humid or if it's raining outdoors, you should probably move the outdoor furniture inside.

Understanding Sunlight

Now that we've addressed the problems rain can pose to your furniture, it's important to remember that sunshine can also cause problems. At least, too much sunshine. You wouldn't leave yourself out in the sun for an extended period of time without some shade or protection - you'd get a sunburn. Although wood isn't comparable to a human being, it's important to remember that sunlight over time can dry out and damage wood.

Sunshine is easy to protect against - dragging a tarp or large cloth over your furniture on a scorching hot summer day wouldn't be a bad idea. Even keeping your wood in the shade, such as on a porch, can protect against the sun.

Wood and Furniture Maintenance

It's important to regularly dust and clean your furniture, whether you have wicker, leather, wood, or a combination. Keeping your wood free of too much moisture and debris will help keep it clear and strong. To get a lot of life out of your wood, try not to expose it to too much water or sunshine.

Photo Credits: `Nicolas - designer

This post involves:

bad idea, condensation, furniture maintenance, havoc, home furniture, home improvement industry, hot summer day, humid environments, humidity level, micromanage, outdoor furniture, period of time, piece of furniture, porch, sunburn, sunlight, sunshine, warp, wicker chairs, wood furniture

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Furniture, Handyman, How to Fix

Posted by Fix Handyman on August 21, 2009 in Furniture, Handyman, How to Fix