The general “health” of your wooden furniture is a basic one , no matter if you are an amateur woodworker , a more experienced one , or just a “common” person who owns wooden furniture.

You spend money to buy your furniture and of course you need to identify their condition during time .

Generally , we have 2 types of furniture :

A) Wooden furniture you buy from wooden Stores .

B) Wooden furniture you made yourself .

These are their “health’s” criteria for inspection :

1) Inspect the quality of the varnish if they have .

If it’s peeled or half-peeled , it needs care . The varnish which makes crust , should be totally removed and revarnished again . The varnish which makes a protecting film on your wooden furniture , needs rubbing with a light sandpaper and coat again .

2) See if they have blue spots(blue stain) on their surface .

Blue spots on your furniture are bad signs , and they are caused by a fungi , which make blue the wood .

It’s mostly a problem of the “soft” types of wood .

Rub and clean them completely till the appearance of the healthy wood .

Make some layers with oils ( linseed – teak – danish – tung ) and then finish them with the material you want . Wax , varnish , oil-based colors , shellac , wood dyes , et.c .

The wax should be the last layer , always . It “shields” the wood .

I have some top oil and waxes and other natural finishing suggestions for you to buy , in HERE .

3) See if they have Grey spots – areas .

The UV radiation destroys the natural oils of the wood and its inside resin . So the wood becomes grey and stiff . Rub it with a light sandpaper , paint it with oils ( linseed – teak – danish – tung ) to rectify the loosen oils and then give your finish you like .

4) See if they have Dark spots on them .

The dark spots on your wood furniture are signs or rotten pieces or the beginning of rot . Rub and clean it very meticulously . Proceed to your oil layers and then to your favorite finish .

5) Check if they have Green spots – areas .

The green spots on your furniture is a sign of mold . Rub and clean it again meticulously , continue with your oils and then your finish .

6) Check your furniture Smell .

Bad smell is a clear sign of bad condition for your furniture . The wooden furniture should smell like fresh cut wood and healthy . The fresh wood , has a unique healthy smell anyone knows and other smells like rot , mold , et.c are bad signs .

The more “mature” older wood , has also this healthy smell and this smell is a sign that its inner fluids are well and have no issues .

Even if they’re varnished and the varnish overtakes the wood’s smell , you can identify the bad smell .

Varnish isn’t a “bulletproof” protection for your furniture . It has advantages , but it has also big disadvantages .

Identify the cause of the small and act immediatelly . Moisture , wood bugs , fungi , mold , rot , are causing bad smell .

7) Check their “Wobble” state .

If your furniture wobbles , their joints are loose . Mostly from the “hard” daily use and the several throwings to several spots inside your house .

The wooden furniture if good quality have very careful made joins , screwed or doweled and not the basic ones , as i’ve written in THIS post .

The proffesional cabinet maker is your solution .

8) Check for serious Scratches – Gaps – Cuts – Hits .

The daily use leaves marks on your furniture . See their “wounds” from plates , knives , glasses , et.c and act to corrrect them .

If the scratches are small you an fix them with repairing wood’s sticks . If not you’ll need wood putty to cover the big gaps . Then , rub – smoothen then – oil them – finish them with the finish they had firstly .

If you need the best wood fillers to buy , see in HERE .

9) Check their “Stiffness” .

The “stiffness” sign is a sign that your furniture are “empty” of their natural oils . This is caused by the UV radiation and weather .

If their finish isn’t with a varnish which makes crust , re-oil them after a little rubbing . If you have a crust varnish , you’ll need to totally remove , re-oil them and re-varnish them .

10) Check if they are Twisted .

The twisted sign isn’t a good sign . Wood is an “alive” material and it changes shapes continuously , even it it has varnish or other protection .

The intense signs of twisted wood parts , is a sign of big shape’s changes , caused by moisture . This happens mostly in the self made furniture ,if you’ve done a drying process mistake , or something .

It needs solution and a cabinet’s maker opinion would be helpful .

Some of the best winding sticks to supply in , HERE .

11) Check if they are Awry or straight , to all of their wooden mass .

This is the same problem as the twisted wood is . It’s usually appeared to the self made furniture and it needs solution for sure .

You winding sticks are great helpers in here .

12) Check for Bug holes .

If you see bug holes( they’re characteristic) , the situation needs immediate solution .

Your wood furniture needs direct care with the appropriate wood medicine , fungicide , before you continue to do anything to it .

Certainly , you’ll need the help of the professionals to guide you , to what wood medicine – chemicals you’ll need .

After this treatment , use a couple of oil layers to deeply re-hydrate your wood and you can proceed to your favorite finish , as a last coat .

This applies in general for your wooden furniture and wood .

If you have bug – fungi problems , first you solve them and then you proceed to the finishing – varnishing – polishing – waxing , et.c .

Keep and “treat” yourself with enormous happiness .