guide to furniture care

the beauty of solid timber is that with care, its appearance will improve with age. the lustre will develop due to good handling and the natural warmth that timber develops over time. however, given time, any surface will require maintenance or even restoration to some extent, depending on how it is used and cared for.

normal maintenance

warm water with a tiny amount of mild detergent is generally all that is required for day-to-day cleaning. for sticky marks which detergent won’t remove, orange oil cleaners work well. we suggest a product endorsed by planet ark – orange power. never use a silicone based furniture polish (e.g. mr sheen). using silicone products will make restoration difficult, should it ever be required. the silicone builds up on the surface and resists removal, which prevents new lacquers bonding with the timber.  

general care

keep furniture away from direct sunlight, and heaters or air conditioners at all times. direct sunlight and heat is timber’s worst enemy. sunlight will bleach the colour out of wood, cause glue failure and extreme distortion of timber dimensions.

we have used the strongest joints to build our furniture, however dragging items or misusing them may result in structural damage. furniture should always be lifted, not dragged when moved. chairs should always have four legs on the floor.

we now manufacture some furniture in solid engineered spotted gum, especially furniture that may be used with electronic equipment. this means televisions and stereo systems, which generate a little heat, can be used with no adverse effect. despite this, use common sense and keep contact with heat sources to a minimum. any solid timber furniture from planet will be severely damaged by contact with dry heat. 

be particularly aware of the extreme heat of some laptops. the heat from their cooling fans can mark or even scorch timber over time. we recommend using a place mat, magazine or newspaper under a laptop to protect the furniture from heat. when in doubt always seek professional advice. rest assured, if serious damage occurs to solid timber furniture, restoration is almost always possible.

repairing minor scratches:

scratches in the lacquer can be improved. if a scratch does not penetrate the lacquer i.e. if it is only on the surface and not into the timber underneath, a touch up with a tung oil product can help. be particularly careful with large surfaces such as dining table tops and bed heads. it is unlikely that these can be repaired to a perfect condition with small touch ups. it is possible to make the surface worse if you are not careful.

to touch up a minor scratch:

1. cut back gently with steel wool. only use the finest grade steel wool (“0000” is the finest. “000” grade may be used for more marked surfaces. never use any steel wool coarser than “000”.) always rub with the grain of the timber, and use a very light touch.
2. clean out any steel wool particles with a soft cloth.
3. sparingly apply a tung oil product such as “feast watson fine buffing oil”. be sure to use only a small amount of oil. rub in gently with a lint free cotton cloth.
4. wipe off excess oil immediately.
5. rub very gently with “0000” or “000” steel wool between coats. apply a number of very thin coats in preference to one or two thick coats. make sure to leave adequate drying time between coats.
   
   

damage requiring restoration

it is possible that with accidents, constant use, and given our relaxed, contemporary lifestyle, solid timber will require restoration in the future. this may require the surface to be steamed to reconstitute dented timber fibres; filled or patched if timber fibre is broken; then sanding back to raw timber and refinished with lacquer. if silicone polishes have been used, the raw, sanded timber surface will not take lacquer evenly. it will require multiple sanding and refinishing that will be considerably more costly.

if the furniture has been mistreated by being left wet, or in direct sunlight, restoration may not be possible to “as new” standard. if furniture has been dragged or left in extreme heat, joints may need to be rebuilt, and glue in joints replaced. this kind of restoration cannot be done onsite and will require freight to and from cabinet makers.

the standard lacquer on planet furniture is a 30% gloss, acid catalysed lacquer.

guide to mattress care – wool and latex mattress

these mattresses are built from the best components to have every advantage over other mattresses. the outer case is constructed from cotton and is stitched through the mattresses to hold it in place. under this cover is a wool layer, surrounding a core of latex rubber.

each mattress has a ten year warranty; which covers seams, fabrics, and materials.

turn your mattress regularly for maximum ventilation. these mattresses are self-airing, however if they feel damp for any reason, air in direct sunlight. it is important that the mattress have good air circulation around it, you cannot put latex on the floor as the moisture cannot escape. if the mattress becomes soiled or mouldy, use a small amount of bleach and/or soap powder in water and gently rub the area. wipe down and then dry in the sun. if the mattress becomes wet, air it immediately in direct sunlight or dry with a hairdryer.

do not unzip the shell or cut the ties. please contact us if you have any questions regarding mattress care or to enquire about a mattress restoration service.

guide to leather care

• keep your leather away from direct sunlight, direct heat and weather to avoid the leather drying out
• gently vacuum with an upholstery attachment or dust with a clean dry cloth
• wipe occasionally with a clean, damp cloth

 recommend cleaning methods

• treat spills and stains immediately
• ink stains require immediate action, only use ink removal products
• always dust before cleaning
• clean with leather care products only. These products are specifically made to clean and condition leather

caution

• do not dry clean
• do not shampoo or clean by hot water extraction machine
• do not use solvents, dish washing or laundry detergents
• do not use abrasive pastes or cleaners, or scrub with abrasive materials
• do not use shoe polish, shoe cleaner, automotive products or saddle products
• do not wet excessively

the on-going life of planet furniture items

we hope that your furniture has a long life with you, however circumstances sometimes change in life. people move house, move overseas, change relationships, have a change of financial circumstances and even pass away.    sometimes we have been asked to purchase furniture back from clients and usually this is not our practise for the following reasons:

1) its difficult to assess the condition of a piece of furniture from its outwards appearance.   if timber furniture pieces have sat in direct sunlight, or too close to a heat source, glues can fail without warning.  clients are rightly not interested in purchasing furniture without warranty.

2)  removalist expenses and refinishing costs add to second hand furniture.  for heath reasons, many pieces especially beds would need to be fully refinished and have new slats.

3) we aim to design classics, however our pieces on display in the showroom change. if a piece is not on showroom display, its less likely to be ordered.

4) we customise many pieces of our furniture for particular clients, it may be a colour or size alteration, or something more major and this characteristic may reduce the sale-ability of particular pieces.

so we hope that pieces have a long lifespan and there are many options for reselling, but planet doesn't resell our own pieces.  please feel free to contact us anytime. we’d love to hear from you, for any reason.

ph: +612 9211 5959
enquiries@planetfurniture.com.au

again, thank you for choosing planet.