Solid Wood Furniture Care Do’s and Don’ts

Richard sprays a finishing coat on our Adirondack chairs at Manchester Wood’s manufacturing plant in Granville, NY.

Whether for the home or the workplace, solid American hardwood products add a level of beauty, value, and durability second to none. Additionally, solid hardwood products, such as solid wood furniture, flooring, cabinetry, molding or furniture, can last a lifetime if one follows the guidelines listed below:

First and foremost, always remember that the three seemingly harmless occurrences below are hardwood’s worst enemies:

• Water left to puddle or stand can dull or mark the finish and, if the exposure is extreme, even warp hardwood.
• Dirt, dust and grit can dull and scratch.
• Sunlight’s ultraviolet rays, over time, can cause discoloration.

By making the following hardwood Do’s part of your routine you will find that hardwood care need not be difficult or time consuming.

• Do

Wipe up any spills immediately, using a soft, dry cloth starting at the edges of the spill and working toward the center. For hardwood furniture, use coasters, pads, cloths or runners to protect against spills and water rings.

• Do

Dust frequently, using a soft, lint-free cloth. For hardwood floors, regularly sweep with either a dust mop or broom that features exploded tips. Placing protective mats or rugs in entrances is also a helpful preventative measure to trap dirt.

• Do

Limit sunlight exposure with sheer drapes, curtains or blinds. And occasionally move area carpets to maintain a uniform appearance in a hardwood floor’s finish.

• Do

Avoid radical swings in temperature and humidity. Use a humidifier in winter and an air conditioner in summer to maintain room temperatures near 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit and relative humidity at 50 to 55 percent. Keep hardwood furniture away from heat sources if possible. If you must put furniture near an air duct, use a shield or guard plate to direct heat away.

• Do

Read and save the manufacturer’s care and maintenance instructions. And be sure to keep the company’s contact information for future reference.

• Don’t

Use cloths or mops dripping with water. Wood should not get wet or soaked. If it does, dry immediately.

• Don’t

Use a feather duster that could scratch the hardwood surface, or an upright vacuum with beater bars that can dent a hardwood floor’s finish. Instead vacuum frequently using a vacuum with special hardwood floor attachments.

• Don’t

Mop sealed-and-waxed hardwood floors, not even with a slightly damp mop, and never apply wax to a floor with a urethane finish.

• Don’t

Use area rugs with rubber or vinyl backing. Some materials in the backing can react with certain floor finishes, discoloring or causing the finish to become dull.

• Don’t

Expose hardwood to plastics, oils or solvents. Over time, plastic can stick to the finish and its colors can leach into the wood. Oils and alcohols, in things like nail polish remover, perfume and liquor, can dull and stain.

• And the most important Don’t of all

Don’t hesitate to incorporate hardwood into most every room. Today’s finishes make hardwood products an attractive choice that’s easy to maintain and extraordinarily beautiful.

Sections of the above tips are adapted from information on hardwoodinfo.com.

For more information on hardwood care, read Charles Sutton’s book, “How to Care for Your Old and New Wood Furniture,” sold by The Furniture Library, a research center in High Point, N.C.

Are We ‘Made in America’ Dreaming? News-filled Monday ‘Made in US’

This Monday in news brought much awareness to the “Made in USA” product beginning with an article in the morning from MarketWatch explaining the findings that consumers will pay more for American made goods, and CNET reporting that Samsung could “beat Apple with Made in the USA,” and at night, still on Monday, USA Today spotlights a $25 million dollar makeover project in Minneapolis for the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which will “revamp with an interesting ‘Made in America’ theme.”

Is this a [American] dream? All on a quiet, sleepy March Monday, a tidal wave on conscious consumer updates and budding socially aware businesses like Samsung and Hyatt have designers like Michael Suomi saying, “We had a specific goal of bringing as much of the manufacturing and sourcing back to America to promote job growth, increase speed to market and celebrate American craft” (USA Today). Is this real? Are the “big guys” starting to take another look at malpractices overseas with instead supporting and promoting local businesses with strict moral and lawful codes? That’s not to mention the reward in the feeling of buying something organically handmade from your local area; a point Suomi seems to make with USA Today, “We designed Hyatt Regency Minneapolis as a modern homage to the local heritage, culture and economic history of Minnesota, as well as the proud history of American manufacturing.” The bathrooms they report will be redone with “granite that is quarried locally and purchased from Cold Spring Granite, a 113-year old Minnesota company” (USA Today).

Manchester Wood's founder Clifford Pierce's great grandfather's sawmill in Red Bank, NJ in the early 19th century.

The locally mined granite from an historic 113-year old company reminded me of Manchester Wood’s Slate Top furniture, which is produced in historic collaboration with our family’s wood crafting history of 121 years with a slate top surface mined from local quarries in our area on the Vermont-New York border that began right along the same centennial mark.

The media, big business, and economists, are starting to take a bigger look at the hidden gem back home. ‘Made in America’ is far beyond patriotism; it carries the same benefits of buying local organic foods from the farmer’s market. We give thanks for this un-hatching of a bigger and brighter day in consumerism.

Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American made furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.

References

De Lollis, Barbara (2012, March 12). Makeover Monday: Minneapolis hotel’s ‘Made in America’ redo. USA Today. Retrieved from http://usat.ly/yXQgf7

Matyszczyk, Chris (2012, March 11). Could Samsung beat Apple with ‘Made in the USA’?. CNET. Retrieved from http://cnet.co/yzauKW

PR Newswire (2012, March 12). Consumers Will Pay More For a ‘Made in the USA’ Label. MarketWatch. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/xKlEcE

Are Coffee Tables On The Rise Due to Technology?

A recent article by Stacy Downs of The Kansas City Star explains just that. “Not only is it a place to set your drinks and the remote, it’s a place for laptops, tablet computers and smartphones,” Michelle Lamb, a home furnishings designer told the reporter.

The article, entitled Coffee tables enter a ‘golden age’ explains how the “Seinfeld era” in the early 90’s found coffee tables used mostly for drinks and food, the 50’s referred to them more as cocktail tables, with less wood in the design and more chrome. Each era has had it’s own appeal to this key piece of furniture.

It’s now “a place to work,” Lamb continued in The Kansas City Star interview. Lamb travels all over to trade shows and studies how furniture makers, like Manchester Wood, respond and adapt furniture to changing lifestyles.

Manchester Wood's Slate Top Coffee Table, beautifully hand-split slate tiles mined from nearby slate quarries along the New York-Vermont border.

“It’s combining sculptural art pieces with multiple functions,” Rick Janecek, a creative director and designer of Global Views, a home décor wholesale company told the Star.

The coffee table is evolving into a further artistic expression in the home, as well as its design in supplying the many functions we now desire in this age of technology. With laptops, iPads, Kindles, the uses stretch as Lamb said for “a place to work,” not just for setting a drink and the remote, while watching your favorite show.

In this era of multitasking, the coffee table is arriving as an impromptu desk with a fresh demand and need to be met. Manchester Wood, your American made solid wood furniture retailer is unveiling many designs this year for the coffee table, including one very soon that plays into the mobility and simply technical lifestyle the world seeks to find.

To view Manchester Wood’s coffee tables, click here.

References:

Downs, Stacy. (2012, 02 28). Coffee tables enter a ‘golden age’. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved from http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/28/3456531/coffee-tables-enter-a-golden-age.html#storylink=misearch

Stores Desire Made in America

Photo Courtesy of The City Wire

“I think people want to buy USA made. I want to be the proof in the pudding — yes, you can buy American made [here],” Beth Cook told The City Wire a Business, Political, and Cultural News source in Northwest Arkansas this past Monday about her store “B LaRue,” a boutique retail outlet in Rogers, Arkansas now carrying Made in the USA products. “I just want to encourage small business in America…We make quality products. And we need jobs.”

The City Wire’s article entitled “Rogers store looking for Made in America” continued with a report that shows the greatest impact outsourced goods have are in furniture and household equipment, which mainly derive from China.

“In the last decade, manufacturers rushed to China to take advantage of low wages there, which meant U.S. job losses… according to a recent report by the Boston Consulting Group, a global-management advisory firm” (The City Wire).

It’s reading articles like this every week on our news feed, whether local coverage somewhere in America (like Arkansas) or national that puts Manchester Wood and other American made manufacturers in a growing ascent towards domestic consumer justice. And for the furniture world we’re one of the few proudly left standing.

Beth Cook, The City Wire these are some of the many Americans helping raise that kind of consumer awareness on Made in USA products, and Cook’s support for Made in America in her store shows her dedication to the cause. She knows for a small store in a small town in Arkansas it’s “not likely to help the economy overall, but she hopes maybe her decision will help save one or two jobs for Americans” (The City Wire).

Cook, like many store owners beginning to stock Made in USA items not only can see the clear picture of helping create more jobs here, but also the quality and craftsmanship of Made in America “that carries a lifetime guarantee…there’s a lot of pride in American products,” she concluded.

It’s great to see people not only acknowledge the support of their fellow person by purchasing something they made, but also realizing the quality and longevity of the products like ours entirely American made solid wood furniture at Manchester Wood. These are not landfill, cheap throwaway pieces of furniture that last a few years, but a nice solid Northeastern hardwood piece to give your grand-kids. Buy American. And if you’re looking for American made furniture, buy Manchester Wood.

Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.

References

Sims, Scarlet. (2012, 02 06). Rogers store looking for Made in America. The City Wire. Retrieved from http://www.thecitywire.com/node/20249

The New Year

Happy New Year, and blessings to you as we embark on 2012, a big time in space for our World. We give thanks to you, our customers for your continued support in American made furniture over the last year, which was a rising one for Manchester Wood as our sales and press coverage grew and flourished as our country continues to become more aware of the importance of American made products still existing, and also, the high moral quality and genuine craftsmanship it entails.

Manchester Wood President Ed Eriksen recognizes distinguished employees at this past years 35th Anniversary Celebration.

Our plans for 2012 are BIG with major evolutionary changes invoking more of the true essence of our brand with lots of new products, our first retail catalog, new business partnerships in spreading our message and furniture, and most importantly, personal notes to our active consumer base as we send your American made solid wood furniture items out the door.

Yes indeed, this year for Manchester Wood is slated to be of great importance for our community, country, and “the mill” – our workplace. We hope you feel the same about your Life as you enter this new time.

The quality of our furniture has proven itself over the last 35 years as a major manufacturer to highly respected brands as a primary provider and important element in their company’s awareness and image. So after years of providing much care and love to our manufacturing clients (whom we still proudly serve), we’ve become more alert to strengthening our financial needs, which, even with the business we receive, we’ve needed to become more solid. In an active pursuit to keep American made furniture business alive we began ManchesterWood.com, refurbished a factory seconds outlet, and approached you the consumer directly. The success we’ve found in doing so has been magnificent with sales in recent months nearly doubling, a growing mailing list, and an active social media and press campaign. We believe this is a sure testament to your caring, assertive consumer actions, and the quality of our products proudly made in the USA.

From the employees, to the employers, Manchester Wood wants to sincerely give thanks for these staggering results as our hearts fill with Gratitude for the past year of service we’ve provided, and you’ve shown necessary. Thank you.

To a prosperous, peaceful, loving 2012! God bless.

To shop our online store, visit www.ManchesterWood.com

Video: Our Drilling to Sanding Process

Heat of Summer: Finding Shade with our Equinox Rocker

Lemon Yellow Equinox Rocker and Adirondack Side Table

As the summer heats up, finding a break from the sun and relaxing in the shade becomes a desired activity as a time to rest the body and bask in the beauty of such a day. Our Equinox Rocker has become a staple for outdoor patios and screened-in porches for your relaxed time in the shade at your home, beach or lake house.

Much like our Adirondack Chair, the Equinox Rocker, as well as our Equinox Chair and Benches are apart of our prized Outdoor Collection. Built with the same solid wood and American made quality with heirloom longevity that we pride ourselves on (read our press release on ‘American Jobs and Illegal Timber Importation…’ at bottom of post), this is a product like the rest at Manchester Wood with a value far past the purchase price.

A colorful array of finishes are provided as well for any décor choices you prefer with Navy Blue, Pure White, Lemon Yellow, Forest Green, Firehouse Red, Sky Blue, and Green Apple.

Currently, not all finishes are shown on our Equinox Rocker page, but can be viewed on our Adirondack Chair here. Our Lemon Yellow rocker can be seen pictured in this article as well.

Lemon Yellow Equinox Rocker and Adirondack Side Table

When planning your furniture for that shaded, serene view, we hope you consider our Equinox Rocker to pass the time with a quality and country class that your future grandkids will hold dear.

Enjoy a rocking sway of relaxation with us this summer season.

To view our Equinox Rocker, click here.

To view our Adirondack Side Table (also pictured in photos in this article), click here.

Also, read more about American Jobs and Illegal Timber Importation in our press section by clicking here.

4th of July $10 Off Adirondack Sale: June 24th – July 5th

Kid's Adirondack Chairs are only $69.95!

Manchester Wood celebrates America’s Independence with offering the highest quality American made summer staple for over the last 35 years: the Adirondack Chair; with $10 off every chair purchased and FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the continental U.S. from June 24^th until July 5^th. It requires typing “4thSale” in the Coupon Code box at checkout on ManchesterWood.com.

Our Adirondack Chairs have become a lake and beachside benchmark, an emblem of comfort, craftsmanship, and relaxation. We’re proud to say our chairs have graced many docks, porches, and ocean sides over the years, and a small token of our appreciation comes in this $10 off sale.

Lemon Yellow Adirondack Chair on Glen Island, Lake George, NY

Choose any of our 7 finish colors for both Adirondack and Kid’s Adirondack Chairs. The sale brings our Kid’s Adirondack Chair down to a mere $69.95! That’s a true savings, and a great way for the young ones to join Mom and Dad this summer at a very reasonable price.

Sit back… relax… and take a piece of the Adirondacks home with you this Independence year.

To view our Adirondack Chairs, click here.

To view our Kid’s Adirondack Chairs, click here.

Manchester Wood designs and produces quality, affordable, eco-friendly solid wood American furniture in the Green Mountains of Vermont and Adirondack foothills of New York.

Graduation Season: Perfect Furniture Gifts for Young Professional

As Graduation season winds down, Manchester Wood reviews a few select items for young professionals making the stride from school to the workplace, building a home and an environment for their future.

Portable Folding Work Desk

Our Portable Folding Work Desk is an immediate choice item for the new graduate looking for that small piece with a work mobility that fits the 21^st century life style. An updated TV Tray Table with a more modern use. It’s light with a very large table surface for a quick, immediate, sprawled workspace.

From dorm life to adulthood, finding that entertainment center for the young adult can be a pricy and taunting task. Manchester Wood covers several TV/Media Stands that have a longevity and class that’ll give a young professional a focused and intelligent purchase in both quality and character. The Hanover Media & Gaming Stand is our immediate choice when gifting the youth moving through a transition with their entertainment pieces. With its concealed look, it’s easy to hide away those gaming consoles and other, sometimes youthful items to a particular guest. The look and feel spells modern functionality with a traditional design making it easy to fit in any home design or setting.

Along the lines of storage with our entertainment consoles comes our Jelly Cabinet. It’s the perfect addition to a kitchen or area where storage space is needed. A smaller item too, which makes it great for a new home or apartment space. With it’s door hinged on the left and ample shelving there is room for canned goods or other products that need a place. When closet or pantry space is sparse, this item is a smart choice.

Start off the next generation’s adulthood with a gift that will last a lifetime, with a product and brand that’s socially conscious background supports the American economy and American Made furniture.

Celebrating the American Dad on Father’s Day

 

American Dad and Manchester Wood worker, Linden preparing wood in rough mill

Manchester Wood offers 15% Discount!

plus FREE SHIPPING ON ALL PRODUCTS!

With summer upon us, Memorial Day this past week and the 4th of July fast approaching, there is much to celebrate.

Among those summertime celebrations is Father’s Day on June 19th. What better gift for Dad than a high quality, American made product? An item that holds pride and memory of a past that once held a prosperous American economy with a now promising outlook towards the future. To think of our product as one of these items brings great joy, so today we announce a special Father’s Day season discount to our socially conscious, American made customers!

ALL Manchester Wood products will be available at 15% OFF today through June 20th (for you late shoppers), and it requires typing “AmericanDad” in the Coupon Code box at checkout on Manchesterwood.com.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach us toll free at 1-800-660-6930 or by email, service@manchesterwood.com.

Many thanks and blessings!

Hope you’re well!