If you are commissioning a piece of furniture, especially outdoor wood furniture, you want to make sure that your furniture is protected for the long-run. We’ve talked about how to protect your outdoor wood furniture from the harsh weather elements, but something else to consider is potential bug damage.

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Are you familiar with wood boring beetles? We have a tendency to get these pests in New England, and they can be detrimental to any type of wood that comes in their path. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can protect your wood furniture from pests, and I wanted to share a few of these tips with you below:

• During the process of commissioning a piece of furniture, be sure to carefully inspect any wood that will be used to construct it to confirm that there are no emergence holes present. I have worked with wood for a number of years and know exactly what to look for.
• Use wood that has been kiln or air dried to reduce the amount of moisture. As a fine furniture maker, I have a lot of pride in the quality of pieces that I create, so using wood that has been kiln or air dried is a given.
• Unfinished outdoor wood furniture should be treated with some type of protectant such as Boracare or Timbor before being sealed. This can dramatically help to prevent any type of bug damage.

Commissioning a piece of furniture is an investment, and you want it to last for many years to come. If you are interested in learning about more ways to prevent bug damage to your wood furniture, please contact me, Richard Oedel, Fine Furniture Master.