Care and Maintenance – Outdoor Furniture

Each piece of Black Dog furniture has been crafted with care. It has had a thorough quality check and has been pre-oiled before you receive it.
Simply by following a few easy maintenance steps, your timber furniture will be protected and will stay looking great.
Black Dog recommend that during winter months steel stools and chairs are stored away out of the weather to prevent excessive rusting.

Natural Reaction

Being a natural product, you may expect to see cracks and movement, adding to the rustic character. These are not to be considered a fault or flaw and do not compromise the strength or construction of your furniture.

Cracks, as below are not considered a fault or flaw:

Where possible we recommend keeping out of intense heat and pop under cover in the winter.

Prevention

Do NOT leave your furniture sitting on grass/dirt/ loose stones for any extended period of time or the base will rot.
Do NOT leave spills to sit on surfaces.

Oiling

We recommend re-oiling with Black Dog oil when the timber appears to be dry.  This largely depends on the environment but before summer and winter is a good guide.  Always read and follow instructions on the tin.  The more you oil your outdoor furniture the greater the protection from the elements.

The domes are designed to rust. Dabbing with oil will seal them and prevent excessive rusting.

Cleaning

Use a well wrung out damp cloth to remove dust and dirt.
To clean your timber furniture, use warm water and mild dish soap. Cleaning furniture with water won’t hurt it – just be careful not to soak it. Dry off any moisture with a soft cloth. Abrasive cleaning products are not recommended.

Restoration
If your furniture has already changed colour to silver grey, it is recommended that you lightly sand the surface, then coat with Black Dog outdoor furniture oil. Always read and follow instructions on the tin.

We also provide a restoration service for Black Dog furniture. Price on application.

Care and Maintenance – Oiled Indoor Furniture

Your table has been oiled with either hard burnishing oil and/or Black Dog Oil.
Burnishing oil products are designed to set within the timber’s structure, rather than build a film on the surface like a varnish.
Treat your furniture with respect especially for the first 4-8 weeks, to allow the oil to fully cure.

If finished with Black Dog oil only, you can use Black Dog oil to maintain your table.
If burnished, then Woodsheen is best for maintainance, not Black Dog oil.

Note: Curing can take up to 8 weeks to occur depending on weather conditions. Dry warm conditions cure faster than damp wet conditions.
We recommend Woodsheen by ‘OrganOil’ or Black Dog Oil to maintain your furniture.

Always use coasters, placemats and tablecloths

We recommend the use of coasters, placemats or tablecloths with minimal liquid and heat directly on the table at all times. Ideally avoid water contact as watermarking may occur.

It’s best to take precautions; prevention is better than cure.

Wipe up spills with a soft, damp cloth straight away

Timber is a naturally porous material that quickly absorbs moisture and is therefore prone to stains from spillages. By ensuring spills are wiped up immediately and with the correct material, stains and moisture damage can be prevented.

Keep your furniture out of direct sunlight

Strong rays of sunshine can bleach timber and defect or ruin the original colour. To avoid this, try to position your furniture away from spots in the room that are particularly prone to direct sunlight or right by the window.

Avoid placing furniture next to heating sources or air-conditioning units

When timber gets too hot or too cold, it can warp, so it is generally advised not to place your furniture beside radiators, heaters, fires or air conditioning units. Position your pieces where temperature is relatively consistent.

Being a natural product, you may expect to see cracks and movement, adding to the rustic character. These are not to be considered a fault or flaw and do not compromise the strength or construction of your furniture.

Spider cracks as below are not considered a fault or flaw:

Furniture will leave our factory dried to 12-14%, however wood moisture content is always varying and will interact with environmental moisture.  Your furniture will continue to absorb and release moisture until it balances with the surrounding air. With modern homes being so well insulated and heated, timber products will likely dry to less than 12-14%, this results in the timber opening up.  If extensive cracking appears due to environmental adjustments, once movement has settled we suggest using an epoxy filler, re sand then a re-oil.

Individuality and Uniqueness

Due to the total individuality of each and every one of our products, it’s to be expected that there can be some variation between different products in the same range.

We see this as a good thing, as you can enjoy a piece of furniture that is completely individual and unique to your home.

Caring For Leather Furniture

We use NZ Tasman natural and waxed leathers.  This full grain leather has transparent dyes to allow the hide’s natural scars, marks and imperfections. Natural aniline leathers are designed to age, wear and fade to develop character and a patina over time.

It is important to ensure that your leather furniture is well cared for and frequently treated with a purpose-made leather cleaner in order to optimise the life of the leather. Making sure the cleaner is made specifically for leather is important as ordinary/non-specified cleaners can cause permanent stains and damage.

We recommend Pelle Leather care system is used 3-4 times per year.

Direct heat and sunlight can dramatically affect your leather. Try to place your leather furniture away from spots in the room that are particularly prone to avoid these situations.

Care and Maintenance – Outdoor Furniture

Each piece of Black Dog furniture has been crafted with care. It has had a thorough quality check and has been pre-oiled before you receive it.
Simply by following a few easy maintenance steps, your timber furniture will be protected and will stay looking great.
Black Dog recommend that during winter months steel stools and chairs are stored away out of the weather to prevent excessive rusting.

Natural Reaction

Being a natural product, you may expect to see cracks and movement, adding to the rustic character. These are not to be considered a fault or flaw and do not compromise the strength or construction of your furniture.

Cracks, as below are not considered a fault or flaw:

Where possible we reccommend keeping out of intense heat and pop under cover in the winter.

Prevention

Do NOT leave your furniture sitting on grass/dirt/ loose stones for any extended period of time or the base will rot.
Do NOT leave spills to sit on surfaces.

Oiling

We recommend re-oiling with Black Dog oil when the timber appears to be dry.  This largely depends on the environment but before summer and winter is a good guide.  Always read and follow instructions on the tin.  The more you oil your outdoor furniture the greater the protection from the elements.

The domes are designed to rust. Dabbing with oil will seal them and prevent excessive rusting.

Cleaning

Use a well wrung out damp cloth to remove dust and dirt.
To clean your timber furniture, use warm water and mild dish soap. Cleaning furniture with water won’t hurt it – just be careful not to soak it. Dry off any moisture with a soft cloth. Abrasive cleaning products are not recommended.

Restoration
If your furniture has already changed colour to silver grey, it is recommended that you lightly sand the surface, then coat with Black Dog outdoor furniture oil. Always read and follow instructions on the tin.

We also provide a restoration service for Black Dog furniture. Price on application.

Care and Maintenance – Oiled Indoor Furniture

Your table has been oiled with either hard burnishing oil and/or Black Dog Oil.
Burnishing oil products are designed to set within the timber’s structure, rather than build a film on the surface like a varnish.
Treat your furniture with respect especially for the first 4-8 weeks, to allow the oil to fully cure.

If finished with Black Dog oil only, you can use Black Dog oil to maintain your table.
If burnished, then Woodsheen is best for maintainance, not Black Dog oil.

Note: Curing can take up to 8 weeks to occur depending on weather conditions. Dry warm conditions cure faster than damp wet conditions.
We recommend Woodsheen by ‘OrganOil’ or Black Dog Oil to maintain your furniture.

Always use coasters, placemats and tablecloths

We recommend the use of coasters, placemats or tablecloths with minimal liquid and heat directly on the table at all times. Ideally avoid water contact as watermarking may occur.

It’s best to take precautions; prevention is better than cure.

Wipe up spills with a soft, damp cloth straight away

Timber is a naturally porous material that quickly absorbs moisture and is therefore prone to stains from spillages. By ensuring spills are wiped up immediately and with the correct material, stains and moisture damage can be prevented.

Keep your furniture out of direct sunlight

Strong rays of sunshine can bleach timber and defect or ruin the original colour. To avoid this, try to position your furniture away from spots in the room that are particularly prone to direct sunlight or right by the window.

Avoid placing furniture next to heating sources or air-conditioning units

When timber gets too hot or too cold, it can warp, so it is generally advised not to place your furniture beside radiators, heaters, fires or air conditioning units. Position your pieces where temperature is relatively consistent.

Being a natural product, you may expect to see cracks and movement, adding to the rustic character. These are not to be considered a fault or flaw and do not compromise the strength or construction of your furniture.

Spider cracks as below are not considered a fault or flaw:

Furniture will leave our factory dried to 12-14%, however wood moisture content is always varying and will interact with environmental moisture.  Your furniture will continue to absorb and release moisture until it balances with the surrounding air. With modern homes being so well insulated and heated, timber products will likely dry to less than 12-14%, this results in the timber opening up.  If extensive cracking appears due to environmental adjustments, once movement has settled we suggest using an epoxy filler, re sand then a re-oil.

Individuality and Uniqueness

Due to the total individuality of each and every one of our products, it’s to be expected that there can be some variation between different products in the same range.

We see this as a good thing, as you can enjoy a piece of furniture that is completely individual and unique to your home.

Caring For Leather Furniture

We use NZ Tasman natural and waxed leathers.  This full grain leather has transparent dyes to allow the hide’s natural scars, marks and imperfections. Natural aniline leathers are designed to age, wear and fade to develop character and a patina over time.

It is important to ensure that your leather furniture is well cared for and frequently treated with a purpose-made leather cleaner in order to optimise the life of the leather. Making sure the cleaner is made specifically for leather is important as ordinary/non-specified cleaners can cause permanent stains and damage.

We recommend Pelle Leather care system is used 3-4 times per year.

Direct heat and sunlight can dramatically affect your leather. Try to place your leather furniture away from spots in the room that are particularly prone to avoid these situations.