Frequently Asked Questions About Wooden Furniture
We get asked a lot of questions about our bespoke wooden furniture and our funriture collections. Please have a look through the questions and answers on this page, and if you want to know more, you can contact Westwood furniture direct - we are always happy to help.
How do I revarnish wooden furniture?
There are a number of different ways you can re-varnish your wooden furniture, just as there are a number of different ways of varnishing the furniture in the first place. Although re-varnishing high-end pieces of furniture is best left to an expert, there are some things you can do yourself.
1 - Strip off original finish: find out whether you only need to do this with white spirit ( perfect for removing a wax finish) - for a varnished finish, you will need to use a chemical stripper. Remember to always read the manufacturer's instructions and strip a small test area in an inconspicuous place before dealing with the entire piece.
2 - Wax the base wood with a pure beeswax - the more wax you use the better.
For a more durable finish that is even simpler to apply, try using Danish oil (available from most hardware and DIY stores): follow the manufacturer's instructions. For wooden furniture that requires a more hardwearing or heat-resistant finish, you should take it to a professional.
At Westwood we do not generally offer a furniture-varnishing service. In the case of furniture such as that made by Westwood, all that is required in terms of maintenance is a general dusting and an occasional polish.
How do I clean wooden furniture?
Generally, for effective maintenance of a polished surface, we would recommend a non-silicone based wax. Using silicone-based products on your wood tends to build up on the surface so in the end you will have to strip the surface down to remove stains - check the packet before using any product on your furniture. Furniture from Westwood only requires a regular clean, so is comparatively low-maintenance.
What types of wood do you use?
Westwood only use hardwoods in their processes, and there are over 40 different types available. If you want us to use a particular type of wood, please let us know before we start the process. Most of our work is in oak, beech, black walnut, elm, cherry, maple and other European woods. We can work with more exotic woods such as purple heart and bubinga as well as most woods from Europe and America. Our favourite wood is probably elm as it's got everything a wood needs in terms of colour and texture.
Where is your wood sourced from?
All our wood is from sustainable, managed forests. We do not use rare woods from natural rainforests, although there are some arguments over the best ways of preserving the world's natural forests. Now the demand for rainforest mahogany has been drastically reduced, we know that this has not reduced the rate of destruction of the forest.
Can you make extra pieces to compliment those in the fixed price collections?
If you have a look at the Collections pages on our site, you will see that each collection has pieces to complement each other. For example, the Woodville Collection comprises not only a dining table, but also smaller tables, chairs and even trunks. Of course, if you are looking for a piece that is not available as part of a collection, we can create it for you seperately.
What other materials do you use in the construction of your furniture?
Although we create wooden furniture, we often incorporate other materials into our designs. In the past we have worked with glass and metal for cupboards and table tops, and have inlaid slate into our coffee tables. We have also used handmade glass tiles, brass fixings, copper, stainless steel as well as many other materials in the build of what is essentially still wooden furniture.
I want a wardrobe or display case that will fit an oddly-shaped room. Can you help?
Yes, of course we can. Time spent in the business has taught us the best way of dealing with requests for unusual of specifically-measured pieces of furniture: we highly recommend that if you are interested in designing a specific piece for a particular place, you should come in and visit us at the workshop. You can send us the measurements before your visit, and ideally we would also see the space that is going to house the piece.
How do I get to your showroom?
We always encourage people who are looking to commission or buy wooden furniture from us to make a personal visit to our Sussex workshop. We have plenty of different pieces of furniture there, as well as an extensive range of wood samples for you to choose from. Our workshop is just outside Haywards Heath, and there is a map on our contact page to help you. Please feel free to call us.
How much does it cost for you to design furniture especially for me?
Prices for these one-off jobs vary considerably according to materials you choose, the finish you require and the complexity of the design required. As an example of our price range, a simple beech bookcase would cost around £250, rising to a rosewood dining suite with 8 matching chairs would cost around the £13,000 level.
How long do I have to wait for delivery and how much does it cost?
The turnaround time for build and delivery of bespoke furniture varies according to volume of orders at time you place your order; generally 14 weeks would be enough time to make and delver most items.
Our Collections generally take around 8 weeks for delivery.
Can I see colour samples of your wood finishes?
Yes, we have many samples of wood at our Sussex showroom - and we are happy to advise on the appropriate wood for the job.
Our website only shows a small selection of what we make so call us today on 01444 410211, email us or drop in to see what we can do...