Product Care
On this page, we will discuss a few important steps and product care instructions that will lengthen your furniture's lifespan. NOTE: These are mainly helpful tips that we have learned to work well. Please understand that reclaimed material can react differently in other environments and we can not guarantee the outcome and longevity. Results will vary.
Best place to keep and store
Oak is the gold standard when it comes to making wine barrels. However, not all oak is the same. Most of the wood used to make wine barrels comes from two countries: the United States and France. Due to dramatic climate differences between the two countries, American and French oak trees grow differently. We use French wine barrels for our products.
The material is very durable and rot-resistant, hence why they are used by wineries and distilleries for the past century. However, sticking the furniture outdoors and just forgetting about them just simply won’t do. If you want to protect your investment and keep them around for decades to come they’ll need your help.
The first and most important information you’ll learn is that the sun will do the most damage. The UV rays will age the appearance rapidly turning the wood grey. The constant exposure will also dry the material causing splitting and cracking. It is in your best interest to keep your purchase in shaded areas. If you place the furniture in shaded but non-covered areas, excessive rain can be a problem. Too much moisture is not ideal for any kind of outdoor furniture. But believe it or not a little bit of moisture is okay, it will keep the wood hydrated between maintenance. The bottom line is: the best place would be in covered and shaded areas or indoors away from big bay windows.
Basic Maintenance
When it's time to re-oil be sure to do it when it's sun down or in a shaded place. Oil can and will dry on the top surface when exposed to major heat. If you need to do a light sanding to re-smoothen a certain piece, use 150-grit sandpaper in the direction of the wood grain. Once you wiped or brushed on your product, let it sit for about 15 – 20 minutes allowing it to get absorbed into the wood which protects your item from the inside out. Soon as the 15 – 20 minutes are up, wipe away any excess oil thoroughly. Once this is all done let dry overnight or for a day before use. Re-oiling once a month is ideal or when you notice water droplets not beading up on the surface. Don’t forget to do maintenance indoors as well. It won’t have to be as frequent but still necessary.
What products to use
We at the PURE by The Barrelman use Natural House Eco - Outdoor Furniture Oil, a rich oil impregnation with high resilience and ease of application. Outdoor Furniture Oil penetrates deeply into the grain, protecting the timber from within. Outdoor Furniture Oil has the added protection of zinc to help prolong exposure to the suns UV rays while eucalyptus and pine oils protect against mould and mildew.
One can also use boiled Linseed Oil or Raw Linseed Oil. See what works for you and your location best. For indoor use simple mineral oil with beeswax is great.
Varnish clear coating options
We do not like to use varnish finishes because it takes away from the product in a sort of way. To us, a glossy shiny finish just doesn’t look right when it comes to rustic furniture. However, if you do decide to go this route, be sure to do some research and find out which one will work best for you. If we had to recommend an idea, we would say to use a Marine grade varnish with a Satin finish. But since we don’t work with varnishes unfortunately we can not be more helpful in this matter.
When applying the varnish you must cover every nook and crevice. Leaving certain parts exposed will allow the wood to dry and become weak. A new layer should be applied once a year or when you notice peeling, fading or thinned-out layers.
If any issues should occur after you apply any sort of clear coat please be aware we can NOT be held responsible for the reaction of the material. As varnish drys, it will shrink a bit and cause warping.