Real Oak Dining tables - Yes/No?

R6TTJ

Hi

Was looking at buying a new dining table an am liking the oak ones, but since i have been looking friends and family are telling me how much the real oak tables need to be looked after (table covers need to be used, heat protectors, need to oil them etc)...

I went to oak furniture land on the weekened and the sales guy said that they lacquer there tables so i should be fine but for extra peice of mind take 5 year cover at £100 and it covers most problems faced.

Is it realy that bad to look after a real oak table? is it worth the hastle?

arbrighton

We have a varnished oak dining table. Think we've had it 8 years now. We use slate mats and other than that it's fine.

Bit harder with the waxed oak coffee table- that has had an incident or two and does need sanding back and redoing.

But oak is a hardwood and beautiful and I think it's worth it

Chunks

Love my oak furniture (including dining table) and it doesn't take any more or less work to look after than the furniture it replaced (also wood). Incidentally, I would be very careful with Oak Furniture Land. My eldest son bought a £1000 wardrobe - truly awful build quality.

R6TTJ

Thanks for the replies, made me feel abit better just found a nice one in debhnems made by willis and gambier - any good sites you can recommend? I want a small extending one with 6 cream leather chairs... like below

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_326004034799MISC_-1

pinkteapot

There's a difference between raw/oiled oak and varnished/lacquered oak. The former needs a lot of care. The latter is absolutely fine. We have two, one in our kitchen and one in our dining room and both have been spilt on, had hot mugs and plates put on them, etc. They wipe down and just need a spray with normal furniture polish to clean them.

Raw/oiled wood needs wax working into it every so often and can absorb stains.

Most of the ones you see in furniture show-rooms will wipe-clean fine. Ask the staff if in doubt.

The one you've linked to is lacquered so will be maintenance-free.

sinizterguy

pinkteapot wrote: »

. Ask the staff if in doubt.

I wouldn't bother. They are likely to tell you anything you want to hear to get the sale done. Sometimes, it is backed up by knowledge. And other times, backed up by nothing buy avarice.

R6TTJ

pinkteapot wrote: »

There's a difference between raw/oiled oak and varnished/lacquered oak. The former needs a lot of care. The latter is absolutely fine. We have two, one in our kitchen and one in our dining room and both have been spilt on, had hot mugs and plates put on them, etc. They wipe down and just need a spray with normal furniture polish to clean them.

Raw/oiled wood needs wax working into it every so often and can absorb stains.

Most of the ones you see in furniture show-rooms will wipe-clean fine. Ask the staff if in doubt.

The one you've linked to is lacquered so will be maintenance-free.

Great advice now my mind is at ease

Only thing wih the Debhnams one is that it was £715.00 lastnite and now its gone to £1000.00 as the blue cross sale endded at midnight - i tried to order it lastnite but for some reason there site didnt seem to work... they are not having it though looks like ill have to pay the whole £1k

pinkteapot

Try looking at other shops in case they sell it. We like a particular range of oak furniture. It's sold in quite a few shops, and each gives it a different name. Shops choose their own name for ranges as it makes it really hard to price-compare!

As the one you like lists a manufacturer name, try googling that and the name Debenhams use first, as it may be used by others. If not, browse furniture sites and spot any suspiciously identical product photos and descriptions.

R6TTJ

Thanks pinkteapot

paddyrg

Marks are all part of it building up character through actually being used. No point having an enduring quality hardwood table and treating it like cheap chipboard that will be wobbly in a few years. Let it get marks, sand them out, re-oil, let the wood take a patina. I do, anyway, I love to see old furniture that looks like it's had a life, yet is still tough enough to hand down through the generations ;-)

Chunks

Hi again - I found a small family run business that specialized in pine and oak furniture. I will try and look up the website and post here again if I find it.

Wanting furniture to last (and look great) was my starting position. I know a lot of people don't have a choice but I had spent a fortune over the years on cheap and cheerful; no more.

Oak furniture, if well made, doesn't come cheap and offers/sales made be uneasy when I was buying. I picked out some furniture I liked and set off to a tiny 'showroom' in Hertford to view it. On seeing an example of the kit I was interested in (in the flesh so to say) it put me off immediately. Fortunately they had some other (more expensive) furniture on view that was exactly what I was looking for (so I bought that instead)!

I spent a more than I intended but got a product I am delighted with. The wood is aging and changing colour but that's part of the charm (in my opinion). I like contemporary furniture and would not go out of my way to add ‘patina‘ by not being careful. I figure this furniture will still be around when I am not, so the next person will no doubt will read the history of what will be vintage pieces by then.