Knowledge Base

Used to craft furniture for as long as furniture itself has existed, wood forms the basis for the majority of Where Saints Go pieces, with metal coming a close second. Favoured throughout history thanks to its durability, versatility and infinite range of species, wood is essentially the failsafe, tried-and-tested option for just about everything you might need in the home - chairs, tables, beds, storage and more. Even Britain’s oldest door is fashioned from wood and despite being over 900 years old, it remains in use today! Transcending fashion trends, wood furniture is also a great choice if you happen to be superstitious, touch wood and all that. Due to the incredibly vast range of different wood furniture on offer, caring for it and cleaning it can be a bit of a minefield. Not only do you need to identify exactly what kind of wood it is, but you’ll also need to be aware of how it has been finished so that you don’t ruin the colour or patina. Ultimately wood is an organic material, and when mistreated or left exposed to the elements, it will deteriorate. With all of that in mind, we’ve compiled this care guide which gives you a quick introduction to the different types of wood we use to craft our furniture, and how you can best care for them. What types of wood furniture do we sell at Where Saints Go? Our handcrafted furniture is sourced from artisans based across the world using different types of wood, all sourced sustainably from trusted, well-managed organisations. Before we get into the different species that we use, you must know the difference between hard and soft woods. Hardwoods are derived from angiosperm trees, while softwoods come from gymnosperm species. Without giving you painful flashbacks of high-school biology, the main difference here lies in how the original seed of the tree is formed, and whether the mature tree keeps its leaves all year round. The general rule is that angiosperm trees are deciduous and will lose their leaves during winter, while gymnosperm trees come under the conifer group, which are usually evergreen (think of Christmas trees!) Angiosperm trees, or hardwoods, take longer to grow. This means the wood tends to have more density and is therefore more hardwearing, while gymnosperm (softwood) trees grow at a much faster pace which makes the wood more readily available and less expensive, but not quite as durable. So, science lesson over, let’s get into the different types of wood we use here at Where Saints Go: Oak Native to the Northern Hemisphere, oak is an expensive hardwood renowned for its superior durability and warm honey-gold colour. There are more than 600 species of oak worldwide, with the most common being Red Oak and White Oak. Used throughout history to build everything from galleon ships to Notre Dame, the heftier price tag is absolutely justified. Not only is it less susceptible to warping from sunlight, it also has an attractive grain and takes to stains and finishes really well. It will darken if left unfinished as a result of the natural oils from human contact, and is much heavier than other types of wood. Throughout our collections, we tend to use oak for our superior dining chair structures and tables. Walnut Walnut is another hardwood instantly recognisable thanks to its deep, luxurious tone. Walnut is favoured for its durability, like oak, which is why it is equally expensive. When used for furniture making, it is almost always finished to preserve its beautiful depth of colour, because it is a photoreactive material that will oxidise over a long period if left untreated and exposed to sunlight. Ash Another hardwood, ash is incredibly similar to oak, the main difference being that ash has a slightly narrower grain. When left unfinished or untreated, it will also darken over time like oak, which is why it is another sought-after material in the antique world, often boasting a stunning patina. Ash trees thrive best in cooler atmospheres, which is why it is the third most common tree in Britain. Elm Elm is a hardwood known for its sturdiness and strength and is very common across Europe and North America. Coarse and tough, it is mostly used for structural furniture elements such as legs, arms and backrests - you’ll find a lot of our dining chairs are handmade using elm. Teak Yep, you guessed it, teak is yet another hardwood that is great for making furniture. The teak tree itself is most common in Southeast Asia, and its lumber has wonderful weather-resistant properties that have historically made it good for boat-building, which is why you’ll often find that the luxurious decking on superyachts is solid teak. Wonderfully deep in colour, teak was the wood of choice for lots of Midcentury furniture, which is why teak accent chairs, sideboards and coffee tables have reached icon status. Beech Beech is another widely-used hardwood native to a large part of Europe. Beech trees require a humid atmosphere and well-drained soil, historically representing femininity in Celtic mythology. Tough and heavy, beech has been very popular throughout history for making solid, sturdy structures - which is why it features consistently across our bar stool and dining chair range. Mango Although mango is now grown across the globe, they are native to India, Myanmar and East Asia. It is predominantly cultivated for its delicious fruit, but also offers superior density and durability. It is an incredibly sustainable choice, taking only 15 years to reach maturity, which is very short for a hardwood! Furniture made using mango wood provides farmers with additional income, as they will often cut down the less fruitful trees that aren’t producing well, meaning there are no wasted planting efforts. Do you use any softwood for furniture building? Quality and longevity lie at the heart of our craftsmanship, which is why you’ll find that our dining chairs, bar stools and tables are crafted from durable hardwoods. Softwoods, such as pine, are still incredibly sturdy, which is why you’ll find lots of pine furniture available across the market, however, we only tend to use softwoods such as pine, or engineered wood products such as ply and MDF in decorative or upholstered elements of our furniture, such as sofa bases and mirror frames. General care tips for wooden furniture You might think wood is quite self-sufficient in terms of care, and for the most part, it is. All of our products are readily finished by talented furniture craftspeople, which is why you won’t need to do anything except keep them clean and follow some simple rules. There are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to preserving the look and quality of your wood furniture. These are: DON’T place your wood furniture where it will be exposed to differences in temperature and humidity, i.e. beside the radiator. This is because wood is likely to shrink or warp in extreme heat. DO clean up any spillages straight away - while all of our products have been finished to ensure complete surface protection, wood remains a porous surface that can still soak things up. DON’T use bleach-based products - this will likely dissolve the finish and bleach the natural wood itself, causing a significant difference in colour. DO protect your surfaces from things that are extremely hot and/or greasy. Heat can cause discolouring or burns, while grease can be detrimental to your lovely finish. DON’T leave your natural wood furniture exposed to sunlight day in day out, while painted wood is fine, many species of natural wood will change colour in the sun. On products such as our dining chairs, we use a smooth, matt-finish lacquer to prevent any yellowing with age, but nothing is stronger than the sun! How to clean wooden furniture Most types of wood and their finishes can be wiped with a damp cloth before buffing with a dry one. In the event of more stubborn marks, a solution of very mild cleaner can be used in small amounts, such as warm soapy water or a wood-specific cleaning product. Just be sure not to use anything silicone-based on your wood surfaces, as this will build up over time and leave you with a tacky residue. If you’re cleaning reclaimed or antique furniture, you can refer to our previous guide on cleaning wood furniture, which also covers how to detail with mould and mildew. After a deep clean, we think its a good idea to protect and preserve your wood, which you can do without altering the look of it by using a natural wax, such as briwax. While this may leave your wood very slightly darker in tone, it will prevent it from drying out and splitting as well as protect it from moisture.