Furnishing and decorating plays a big role in transforming your house into a home. 

Along with bringing comfort and functionality, the right furniture can feel inviting and bring warmth to the space—something that timber furniture excels at.  

While timber furniture has beautiful depth and timeless appeal, it is a natural product that can be vulnerable to scratches, staining and other forms of wear and tear if not maintained and cleaned correctly. 

In this article, we will share advice on how to clean, polish and protect your timber furniture to help keep your furniture looking its best for years to come. 

Canyon Dining Table and Aspen Dining Chairs in American Walnut finish.

How to clean your timber furniture

From regular dusting and polishing to immediately cleaning up spills, properly cleaning and caring for your timber furniture helps preserve its texture and appearance, which overall lends to an increased lifespan. 

Whether you have a KING Dining Table, Coffee Table or Bedside Table, follow these few steps to clean your timber furniture: 

• Regularly and gently dust with a clean microfibre cloth. 
• Clean up spills immediately to ensure no lasting damage. 
• Avoid general cleaning products on timber. Simply dampen a microfibre sponge to clean the surface. 
• Do not use any chemicals, detergents or any product containing silicon to clean timber veneer.

The Issho Coffee Table is available in three custom timber finishes.  

How to polish your timber furniture

Regular polishing will help keep your timber furniture in top condition and looking new.  

Along with making dull timber furniture shine again, polishing your furniture once a month also helps clean the wood, conceal minor scratches and offers some scratch protection.   

Before polishing your furniture, test the polish on an inconspicuous area and follow application instructions carefully.  

For best results, follow the steps below:  

• Once a month, use a reputable brand of furniture polish to protect the surfaces and nourish unsealed timber. 
• Before applying, ensure all surfaces are clean and free from dust. 
• Ensure your furniture is dry, or wipe it dry using a microfibres cloth. 
• Do not use polishes containing silicon or products that leave a greasy film and avoid general cleaning products on timber surfaces. 

The Dainelli Roma Sideboard in American Walnut Timber Veneer features subtle lines and soft curves.

How to protect your timber furniture

As a beautiful and elegant natural product, timber has been widely used in furniture design for centuries.  

And, while timber can be very durable, caring for timber is just as important as caring for fabric or leather.  

From being mindful of the products you use to avoiding prolonged exposure to sunlight, take these steps to protect your timber furniture:  

• Avoid exposure to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light, which may cause discolouration or deterioration of the surface. 
• Do not place hot or cold objects like drinks or bottles directly onto the surface as this can leave marks. 
• Use coasters and placemats to provide protective padding between the timber and any objects placed on it. 
• Avoid dragging items across your furniture, particularly heavy and abrasive items, including plates and glassware.  
• Make sure nail polish remover, hair spray, perfume or strong corrosive solvents do not come in contact with your furniture. 
• Do not write directly on top of timber surfaces as pen or pencil marks may show, particularly on timber veneer.  
• Clean regularly, clean spills immediately and polish monthly.  

Timber is also vulnerable to expansion and contraction from changing temperatures and humidity, which can cause the timber to crack or warp.  

Issho Dining Table and Amara Dining Chairs in Congo. 

Taking care of your timber furniture

From Dining Tables to Bedside Tables and Entertainment Units, timber can be used to craft furniture designs for any room in your home. 

With rich colours and the unique patterns of the wood grain, timber furniture brings warmth, sophistication and elegance to your space.  

And, as a naturally beautiful product, you want your furniture to look its best and like new for decades to come.  

For further advice on cleaning and protecting your furniture, you can read our product care advice. 

Shop online or visit your nearest KING Showroom to discover more timber furniture designs by KING.