How to Protect Wooden Furniture From Water Damage

The amount of moisture required in the wood depends on the end-use of the wood. It also depends on the thickness and properties of the wood, as well as the average relative humidity present in the area where the wood will be used. Put into use. Regardless of the specific aspects of wood, those who work with wood need to have a full understanding of the relationship between wood and moisture.​​​

Wooden furniture represents the most beautiful and timeless work in your home. The appearance will never be out of date, this kind of furniture can be passed on from generation to generation. However, too much humidity will seriously threaten your beautiful wooden furniture.

Why does humidity damaged furniture?

Poor humidity balance in the home may damage wooden furniture. When exposed to excessive humidity, wooden furniture will expand and begin to deteriorate. High humidity is most often observed in spring and summer. During this period, storing wooden furniture in a basement or attic is particularly dangerous, because wooden furniture will not only swell and deteriorate but also a mold. Too little humidity can cause the wooden furniture to shrink and crack. It is almost impossible to repair wood chips that have cracked due to moisture.

Wooden furniture is your most beautiful and usually the most expensive item. Protecting it from water damage is one of the most important elements to ensure that furniture is passed on from generation to generation. For this reason, sudden changes in humidity and temperature must be avoided. When the relative humidity of the air fluctuates, wooden furniture will absorb or lose moisture. Therefore, if the humidity increases, the wooden furniture will expand, and if the humidity decreases, the wooden furniture will decrease in size. When the wooden furniture neither expands nor decreases, it can be said that it has reached its EMC (equilibrium moisture content).

Do not store wooden furniture in the basement, garage, or attic, because drastic changes in temperature and humidity can damage the furniture. If you decide to store wooden furniture in the basement, installing a basement dehumidifier is a must. Try to make your home temperature and humidity environment consistent.

In the past, a common challenge faced by woodworkers was that it was very difficult to store wood. This depends on the fact that the moisture in the wood cannot be reduced below 9%. Therefore, for example, if a dehumidifier is not installed, the temperature change and the irregularity of the air humidity in each season will trigger the increase of moisture in the wood, thereby affecting the quality of the wood. Unfavorable wood even causes more problems during processing.

When neither the air nor the wood absorbs more moisture, an equilibrium state is reached. When you want to preserve wooden furniture, the humidity level in the air must be below 43% so that the moisture content in the wooden furniture is below 9%. Similarly, if the moisture content in wooden furniture is 11%, the humidity level in the air must be maintained at 55%.

Improve the humidity level of your house.

Improve ventilation

If the high humidity area of ​​the house is not properly ventilated, then you will be in trouble. Use an air mover to achieve good ventilation. Areas that should be equipped with air movers include kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, attics, and basements.

Remember, if the room humidity is high, turn on the air movers, including the power vents, on a regular basis, and let them run for a long time. If an air mover is not installed, open the window to dry the area as needed.

Choose the right dehumidifier

If your house is too humid, you may need to use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity. The dehumidifier will remove excess moisture from the air by speeding up the evaporation process. Alorair has various sizes of dehumidifiers available and can also be installed as part of the entire house HVAC system. Using the built-in humidity regulator, the dehumidifier can be opened and closed to maintain the ideal relative humidity.