How to Store Wood Furniture

There are many reasons why someone may need to put their furniture in storage. Maybe you’re redecorating for the new season, moving to a new home, or remodeling your current home. No matter what the reason is, you should know these tips for storing your wood furniture.

Choose a Suitable Environment.  

The most important thing you should do is select a suitable environment for your wood furniture. Avoid storing your wood pieces in a space with extreme highs or lows in humidity. Extremes on either end of the scale can cause your wood to warp and the glue lines to fail. High humidity can cause mold and mildew to grow on your furniture.

You should also avoid storing your wood furniture in a space with drastic changes in temperature. Hot air causes wood to expand and cold air causes it to contract. Too much repeated expansion and contraction can permanently weaken your wood and change the look of your piece in a number of ways.

Clean and Treat Before Storing.

An important precaution you should take before putting your wood furniture into storage is to clean and treat it. Cleaning your furniture before storing it for long periods of time can help reduce the chance of mold growth on your furniture, especially if you don’t live in a dry climate like those of us here at Imagine Furniture Group. If you live in a dry climate like Phoenix, you should polish your furniture after cleaning it. This can help prevent cracks in the wood caused by drying out.

Cover Your Furniture.

You also want to make sure every bit of your furniture is covered when you put it in storage, as well as the floor of the storage room. Forgetting to cover your floor with a cloth sheet can cause moisture from the floor to bleed into your wood. Using cloth materials to cover your wood protects it from dust and moisture. Avoid using thick plastic wrap to cover your wood, and don’t wrap it too tightly. This prevents your furniture from breathing and can trap moisture in with the wood, which could cause it to swell.

Don’t Overcrowd Your Furniture.

Also pay attention to the size of the storage room and how much stuff you already have in there. It’s necessary to avoid squeezing too much furniture into one space. If your pieces rub against each other, it can cause cracking in the wood. Also note that it’s best not to stack items on top of your wood furniture. Even light items can eventually cause cracks. When you start adding your pieces to storage, begin by packing the largest pieces first before adding the smaller items.

When you’re ready to put your wood furniture in storage try following these steps in order to prevent unnecessary damage to your wood.