How to care for wood furniture: solid wood and veneer

Wooden furniture doesn't ask for much — but the little it asks for makes the difference between a piece that ages beautifully and one that just ages. Here is a simple routine, plus the difference between caring for solid wood and veneer.

The quick answer

Dust with a soft, dry cloth; wipe marks with a lightly damp cloth and dry straight after; keep pieces out of direct sunlight and away from heat; use coasters and placemats; avoid harsh chemical cleaners. That routine covers almost everything below.

First, know what you own

Furniture ranges honestly mix two constructions, and each has its own logic. Solid wood — like the acacia of our Baltic range or the mango wood of the Malmo — is timber through and through: it shows real grain variation and develops character with age. Engineered wood with a veneer — used in tables like the Bishop — bonds a wood-finish surface to a stable core, which keeps large tops flat and affordable. Both live long lives with the same gentle routine; veneer simply has less material to forgive aggressive scrubbing or standing water, so treat its surface as a finish, not a workbench.

The everyday routine

• Dust with a soft, dry cloth — dust is mildly abrasive when rubbed in.
• Clean marks with a lightly damp (not wet) cloth, then dry immediately.
• Skip harsh chemicals — all-purpose sprays and solvents can dull or strip finishes.
• Blot spills as they happen rather than letting them stand.

Sun, heat and water — the three things wood remembers

Direct sunlight fades and dries finishes unevenly, so keep wooden pieces out of harsh all-day sun where you can. Heat sources — direct sun through glass, hot dishes straight from the oven — can mark finishes, which is what trivets and placemats are for. And standing water is the one genuine enemy: coasters under glasses, and a quick wipe-up of anything that spills, cost nothing and prevent the most common damage there is.

A note on glass tops

Tables with glass surfaces, like our Tropez coffee table with its tempered glass top, are the easy ones: ordinary glass cleaner on the glass, and the same gentle routine as above on the wood and metal below.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need furniture polish?

For modern finished furniture, generally no — regular dusting and an occasional wipe with a lightly damp cloth is the routine most finishes want. Silicone-heavy polishes can build up over time.

How do I deal with a spill on wood?

Blot it immediately with a dry cloth rather than wiping it around, then dry the area. The faster liquid comes off, the less chance it has to mark the finish.

Is veneer lower quality than solid wood?

It's different, not lesser. Veneer over an engineered core keeps large surfaces flat and stable at an accessible price; solid wood offers depth and repairability over decades. The honest answer is that each suits different pieces — which is why furniture makers use both.