Four habits and you'll never think about it again.
Wipe spills when they happen
Not immediately-immediately, but the same hour. Hardwax oil handles a splash fine. What it doesn't like is a wet glass left sitting for an evening, which is long enough for moisture to work past the finish and lift the grain.
Use a coaster on oiled surfaces
We're aware of the irony of a coaster maker saying this. But a cold glass sweats, and a ring is moisture damage rather than a stain — the fix is the same either way and it's easier to avoid than repair.
Keep it out of direct sun
UV changes wood color faster than time does, and it does it unevenly. A runner or a bowl left in one spot for six months will leave a shadow. Rotate what sits on the piece occasionally.
Don't let the room get too dry
Wood swells in humid months and shrinks in dry ones — that's designed for, and it's why tabletops are attached the way they are. But a house held below about 30% humidity all winter will open joints and check end grain. A humidifier near the piece is enough.
Most marks come out.
Hardwax oil was chosen partly because it's repairable in place. You do not need to send a table back to fix a scratch.
Water ring
A white ring is moisture in the finish, not in the wood. Rub along the grain with a soft cloth and a little of the oil we sent with the piece. If it's still there after a day, sand that spot lightly with 400 grit and re-oil.
Light scratch
Sand with 320 then 400 grit, always with the grain, feathering past the edges of the scratch. Wipe clean, apply oil, wipe off the excess after fifteen minutes. It'll blend within a week.
Dull patch
Usually the finish has worn thin from use, which is expected on a hard-use surface. Clean, dry, and re-oil the whole top rather than the patch — it'll come back even.
What not to use
- No silicone furniture polish. It builds a film that makes future re-oiling impossible and it's very hard to remove.
- No ammonia or all-purpose spray cleaner. It strips oil finishes and clouds catalyzed ones.
- Nothing abrasive. A scrubbing pad will cut through the finish faster than it removes the mark.
- Never put a board or tray in the dishwasher. Heat and standing water will split it, and this is the one kind of damage that isn't fixable.
These need feeding.
Food-safe oil is meant to be reapplied. Hand wash with warm water and mild soap, dry it standing on edge rather than flat, and re-oil whenever the surface starts looking pale or thirsty — roughly monthly with regular use.
Use mineral oil, or the board conditioner sold anywhere kitchen goods are. Flood the surface, let it sit half an hour, wipe off what didn't soak in. A board that's kept oiled will outlive the person who bought it.
Coasters get wet. That's their job. Ours are finished to take it, and if yours are marking or lifting, that's a finish problem on our end and we want to hear about it.
If it fails, we fix it.
Craftsmanship, for as long as you own it
Joints that fail, glue lines that open, finishes that don't hold up to normal use, hardware that gives out — that's ours. Tell us and we'll repair it or rebuild it. There's no registration and no receipt requirement; we know what came out of this shop.
Small goods, no questions
If a coaster set, tray, or board isn't right when it arrives — wrong look, wrong feel, damaged in transit, or just not what you expected from the photos — message us. Replacement or full refund, your choice, and you don't need to send the original back.
What isn't covered
Damage from standing water left for days, heat marks from a pan set directly on a finished surface, sun bleaching, dishwasher damage, and the ordinary dents and color shift that come from a piece being used. Those are wear, not failure. We'll still help you address them, usually for the cost of materials.
Normal wood behavior
Color change over time, seasonal movement, small checks in end grain, and grain that looks different from the listing photo because it came from a different board — these are what solid wood does. We photograph honestly and we'll tell you up front what to expect from your species.