GB2317402A

GB2317402A - Preserving wooden furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2317402A
Application number: GB9715919A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Melvyn Richard Baker
Original assignee: HORNSBY ANTIQUE FURNITURE FOOD
Current assignee: HORNSBY ANTIQUE FURNITURE FOOD
Priority date: 1997-07-28
Filing date: 1997-07-28
Publication date: 1998-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 2017-07-28
Also published as: GB2317402B; GB9715919D0

Abstract

Wooden furniture is preserved against shrinkage or cracking by applying a composition comprising one or more penetrating oils such as teak oil to an unvarnished surface of the furniture.

Description

METHODS OF PRESERVING WOODEN FURNITURE The present invention relates to methods of protecting wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking.

The shrinkage or cracking of antique and period wooden furniture over time is a problem that is very familiar to furniture restorers. The problem, which is caused in part by evaporation of volatile components such as water from the wood, is greatly exacerbated by modern central heating. In addition to cracking, differential rates of shrinkage over time can cause warping of wooden panels and delamination of veneers. The only existing methods to prevent such shrinkage problems are to apply varnish-like sealants over the whole surface of the wooden furniture and/or to use humidifiers in the environment where the furniture is kept.

However, it is not normally practicable to seal the entire surface, both internal and external, of a piece of antique furniture, and such sealing is not fully effective.

Moreover, the use of humidifiers is not practicable in many cases.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved methods for protecting wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking over time.

The present invention provides a method of protecting wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking, the method comprising the step of applying a composition comprising one or more penetrating oils to an unvarnished surface of the furniture.

Preferably, the wooden furniture is antique or period furniture. That is to say, furniture manufactured at least 10 years, and preferably at least 50 years before application of the present method. In any case, the method according to the --?Se-' invention is pre.2raW za-- 2d cw after manufacture of the furniture. The expression "wooden furniture" encompasses all kinds of wooden cabinets and cases, including musical instruments such as pianos, in addition to tables, chairs, desks, bureaux and the like.

The present invention is applicable to any kind of wood.

The term "penetrating oil" encompasses oils having low viscosity and low volatility that are absorbed rapidly into unvarnished wooden surfaces. The oils may be of mineral origin, but are preferably of vegetable origin. Preferred oils include linseed oil, Danish oil, teak oil, pure or substitute turpentine, rapeseed oil, or mixtures thereof The composition applied to the unvarnished surfaces of the wooden furniture, preferably comprises 50%, more preferably at least 80%, and most preferably at least 90% of the one or more penetrating oils.

Suitable penetrating oils are available from established commercial sources, such as John Myland Limited of West Norwood, London, UK. The penetrating oils are currently supplied for use in French polishing and cleaning of period and antique furniture. However the penetrating oils have not hitherto been used for protecting antique or period wooden furniture by application to unvarnished surfaces thereof.

The composition may additionally comprise minor amounts of other active components, for example lavender oil to provide a pleasant scent. However, the composition applied to the unvarnished surfaces of the wooden furniture preferably does not include lacquer, paint, varnish or other surface sealants. The composition applied to the unvarnished surface may include a volatile organic solvent such as toiuee as a diluent.

Preferably, in the method of the present invention, the penetrating oil is applied by means of a brush, a cloth or ty sraig. It - ~-iisased that a prcLer~~d method for application will be spraying, for example from an aerosol, since this enables a layer of the penetrating oil to be applied to otherwise inaccessible regions of the furniture.

Preferably, the penetrating oil is applied in an amount of from 10ml to 500ml per square meter of the said unvarnished surface, more preferably from 25ml to 250ml per square meter and most preferably about 100ml per square meter. This refers to the total weight of penetrating oils applied to the surface, and does not include any other components present in the composition applied the unvarnished surface.

The term "unvarnished surface" refers to any surface of the wooden furniture that does not have a layer of varnish, lacquer, paint or similar sealant coated thereon. Such surfaces are usually surfaces that are normally out of sight, for example the underside of tables and interior surfaces such as inside drawers or underneath drawers. Such surfaces are especially prone to loss of water leading to shrinkage and cracking, and are especially suitable for absorption of the penetrating oils to protect against such shrinkage and cracking. Preferably, substantially all panels of a piece of wooden furniture are treated on at least one side in accordance with the invention.

It will be appreciated that repeated applications of penetrating oils in accordance with the present invention may be made at intervals in order to achieve sustained protection of antique or period wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking. The optimum interval between applications will depend on the furniture, and the conditions under which it is being kept. Suitable applications of the penetrating oils in accordance with the presert invention achieve a substantial reduction in the rate of shrinkage and cracking of antique or period wooden furniture.

The present in-w~ -1-so provides the use of 2 penetrating oil for the preparation of a composition for protecting wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking, by application of the composition to an unvarnished surface of the furniture.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described further, by way of example, as follows.

ExamPle A penetrating oil composition was made up by mixing 95% v/v of Durax teak oil obtained from John Myland Ltd. of 80 Norwood High Street, West Norwood, London, SE27 9NW, UK.

This was mixed with 5% v/v of commercial Lavender oil. The mixture was brush coated in an amount of 100ml per square meter onto unvarnished surfaces of an eighteenth century mahogany bureau that had been sent for restoration following shrinkage and cracking. The penetrating oil composition was applied to all of the unvarnished surfaces in the bureau and the drawers, except for the insides of the drawers because of concerns about staining of the contents of the drawers.

The oil was allowed to penetrate into the surface of the wood for 48 hours. The bureau was then returned to the same centrally heated environment as before, and no further shrinkage or cracking problems were experienced for 12 months.

The above embodiment has been described for the purpose of illustration only. Many other embodiments falling within the scope of the accompanying claims will be apparent to the skilled reader.

Claims

1. A method of protecting wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking, said method comprising the step of applying a composition comprising one or more penetrating oils to an unvarnished surface of the furniture.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the wooden furniture is antique furniture.

3. A method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the penetrating oils comprise linseed 6il, Danish oil, teak oil, Turpentine (pure or substitute) or rapeseed oil.

4. A method according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the composition is applied by a brush, a cloth, or by spraying.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the composition is applied in an amount sufficient to provide from 10ml to 500ml of the penetrating oils per square meter of said unvarnished surface.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the composition is applied in an amount sufficient to provide from 251 to 250ml of the penetrating oils per square meter of said unvarnished surface.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the composition comprises at least 50% of the one or more penetrating oils.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the composition comprises at least 80% of the one or more penetrating oils.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the composition is substantially free of lacquer, paint, varnish cr other surface sA~ants.

10. A method of preserving wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the Example.

11. Use of a penetrating oil for the preparation of a composition for protecting wooden furniture against shrinkage or cracking by application to an unvarnished surface of said furniture.