1. Old furniture is not afraid of cracking and damage.
Mahogany wood is mostly produced in tropical areas, and the material has high water content. In addition, after the old furniture is made, the material is hard and dense, and it takes a long time to completely eliminate the internal force of the plate. Therefore, in the case of dry climate, furniture often cracks, which is a normal phenomenon. There is no need to make a fuss, so we should gradually adapt and accept it.
Furniture cracks generally do not need maintenance as long as they do not affect the appearance. Because with the passage of time, wood will naturally change and these cracks will gradually disappear. Even if it really needs to be repaired, most merchants will provide free warranty, not to mention the furniture is cracked because it was not completely dry when it was made. Generally speaking, reputable businesses will do a good job in drying wood. On the contrary, if the material of furniture is too dry, it will not shrink in winter, but it will be seriously deformed or even broken in wet summer. It is normal that old furniture not only cracks when it is dry, but also creaks when it changes seasons.
As long as the old furniture is not maliciously destroyed, it will not rot for hundreds of years, especially its tenon-mortise structure is difficult to collapse completely. Even if it's broken, once it's repaired, it's as good as ever. The surface panels of furniture, such as desktops and chairs, are generally fragile, easy to be bruised and cracked, which will affect the appearance. Therefore, when moving as a whole, we should pay attention to raising them on the ground to prevent them from being dragged and collided.
2, there is no need to deliberately take care of the old furniture with carvings.
The ornamental value of carved old furniture is greatly improved because of the exquisite carving technology, but many consumers are afraid of the difficulty of daily cleaning, which is superfluous. When cleaning the surface, just brush it with a long brush. If there is dust in the gap, it doesn't matter if it can't be cleaned. The patina formed by dust under the action of time is a high realm pursued by many collectors. Old furniture is bound to get wetter and wetter with use. The humanistic atmosphere brought by this life atmosphere also greatly increases the charm of old furniture.
3. Old furniture with waxing technology does not need to be waxed frequently.
As we all know, after the surface of old furniture is waxed, the furniture not only reflects the exquisite patterns of wood itself, but also presents a sense of luster and brightness. When furniture is worn or even scratched, the best treatment is to repair it with wax. Jiang Huaqiao said that although beeswax is green and environmentally friendly, there is not much need for frequent waxing maintenance in the daily maintenance of old furniture. This is because an old piece of furniture has been polished and waxed repeatedly by countless skilled workers when it leaves the factory. If waxing is too frequent in daily maintenance, it will destroy the wood, feel too oily, and lose the warmth in normal state.
Maintenance methods and skills of old furniture;
1, dry humidity
Old furniture should avoid being exposed to the sun for a long time, which is easy to make the moisture inside the wood lose balance and produce cracks. Don't put old furniture in too humid place, it will make the furniture grow insects and accelerate the corrosion rate. In the wet season, attention should be paid to concealment and ventilation; Keep old furniture in good humidity to prevent structural changes, that is, warping of furniture. If you use the air conditioner for a long time, you can put a basin of water next to it.
2. Temperature
Don't put hot things directly on the surface of old furniture, it will destroy the protective paint and wax on the surface. Old furniture should not be too close to the fire, which will make the old furniture dry and wet inside and outside, affect the appearance and structure of the furniture, and prevent fire. Don't put the old furniture directly under the air conditioner, so as to avoid the air conditioner turning on and off suddenly, resulting in drastic temperature changes, thus making the furniture warp due to uneven heating.
3, the whole
Old furniture should be protected against moths, which will eat wood and shorten the service life of furniture. At ordinary times, we should regularly prevent insects and put some moth-eaten items such as mothballs. If the protective measures are not done well, insects will breed. Once found, they must be eliminated with drugs in time. When the surface of old furniture is stained with oil, clean it with light soapy water and wax it.
When cleaning old furniture at ordinary times, wipe it with soft cotton cloth or soft brush to avoid using hard materials and scratching the surface of old furniture. Wax every few times, but don't wax too closely. Too much waxing will clog the pores of wood. Avoid old furniture, but also pay attention to the collision or scraping of hard objects with it, which will make the surface of old furniture uneven.
4, conform to the wood
People's health care should conform to human nature, and furniture maintenance should also conform to wood nature, that is, the "temper" of furniture;
Every household in the north has heating in winter, so it is comfortable for people to be close to the heating, but the furniture should be far away from the heating to avoid excessive shrinkage and cracking of wood due to excessive temperature.
When summer comes, it often rains, so furniture should be avoided by the window to avoid getting wet in rainy days and damaging the surface and mortise.
Many furniture are also afraid of the wind, especially furniture with surfaces, such as tables, boxes and cabinets, which are prone to crack and warp after being blown at the tuyere for a long time due to the influence of "dry shrinkage and wet expansion".
Furniture is no better than a camp bed, so you can toss it around. Therefore, furniture should not be moved violently, so it must be handled with care, not too often, otherwise it will easily fall apart.
Furniture can't be kept in one place all the time. As the saying goes, "running water doesn't rot, and the walls of the family don't rot." With the change of seasons, the placement of furniture should be adjusted appropriately. If you keep it in one place, it will rot easily. I often see such ancient furniture: the front and side are exquisite, and the side against the wall is terrible, just like a stunning beauty burned half of her face, which makes people feel infinite regret.
In short, for people, the temper of furniture is "diligent and easy to disperse, long quiet and easy to rot"; For the weather, the temper of furniture is "only gradual change, no sudden change". Collectors must suit their own interests and conform to the nature of wood, and exquisite ancient furniture can last for a long time.