The Acacia woods are obtained from the acacia tree. These are native trees among the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North America, and South America. This wood is highly durable with its dense, rich, and intricate wood patterns. These are eco-friendly woods that thrive from different varieties of soil.
These Acacia woods are popular woods used in making furniture and other home decor items due to their durability and sustainability. Still, there are certain disadvantages of acacia woods, too.
These woods are specially used in making outdoor furniture. Thus, it is important to protect the acacia woods from different weather conditions to ensure their natural beauty and longevity.
In this article, let’s have a look at the best protectant for acacia wood and the different steps required to ensure its protection.
Best Protectant for Acacia Woods
As we all know, acacia woods are durable and sustainable. There are certain things we can follow to maintain durability for a much longer time.
Here are some effective ways to protect the acacia woods,
1. Clean the Wood Regularly
As we tend to take care of other furniture at home, these acacia wood furniture should also be cleansed and looked for dirt regularly. Cleaning the furniture regularly helps to prevent the formation of dirt and also keeps the furniture as new as possible. Simply a rug and soap and water can be used to clean and maintain the beauty of the furniture.
2. Keep the Wood Furniture Away from The Sunlight
These acacia woods are popularly used in making outdoor furniture. They may be heat resistant. However, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can damage this furniture. If the furniture can be moved, keep it in dry and shady areas whenever possible or can be covered with protective covers. By doing so, you can protect the furniture and can increase its longevity.
3. Protect Them from Rain
The acacia wood furniture is water-resistant, but it cannot be water-proof. Moreover, by exposing them to rain, they might develop warping or cracking on the furniture. Hence, we can cover this wood furniture made from acacia wood with some waterproof protective covers. These protective covers not only cover the furniture during rain but also help to keep the moisture away and protect it from any physical damage or dirt deposits.
4. Painting the Furniture
One of the simplest and easiest ways to protect outdoor furniture is by painting it. Although any paint can be used on furniture, oil-based paints are the best ones as they last for a longer time when compared to other paints. When we prefer normal paint to oil-based paints, then it’s always better to opt for paint that has UV protection. These UV protection paints stay over the acacia wooden furniture for longer periods.
5. Seal it with Oils and Sealant
When you don’t want to paint the outdoor furniture and want to maintain the natural look, you can protect it by applying oils over the furniture or by using a sealant.
- Linseed oil: Linseed oil is mainly used for oil-based paints. Hence, giving a coat of linseed oil over the furniture makes it look good and also increases its durability.
- Teak oil: Teak oil is the common choice for outdoor furniture. These oils penetrate the furniture deeply and enhance its natural color and look. This also provides some water resistance to the wood and prevents the wood from cracking or drying.
- Danish oil: Danish oil, a mixture of tung oil and varnish, is another good option for outdoor furniture. This oil also penetrates deep into the woods and helps to maintain the moisture and the natural look.
- Sealant: In general, polyurethane coating is highly recommended as this paint allows the natural grains of the wood to show. The oil-based polyurethane sealant is far better than the water-based one as it gives the wood more durability. Anyways, it is highly preferable to stain the acacia wood before applying the sealant for more protection. Usually, these acacia woods can last longer, about 5 to 15 years. By applying the sealant, the durability can be increased for some more years.
6. Wax the Furniture
Waxing the furniture is another great option to protect the furniture. Before applying wax to the outdoor furniture, it is always better to do a little sanding using sandpaper. After sanding, we can apply wax all over the furniture. It takes some time to get dried. After they dry, we can add up to two to three coats of wax over the wood furniture again. This helps to prolong the natural look and keeps it looking great for a much longer time.
Conclusion
Though these are highly recommended paints for outdoor furniture, many factors add to the disadvantages of acacia woods. This acacia wood furniture needs a lot of maintenance, like cleaning the wood furniture regularly.
We need to check the woods against any insects, as they might damage the furniture. We need to protect them against direct exposure to sunlight and rainfall. It is suggested that they should be sealed with any oils or UV-protected sealants. Waxing should also be done to ensure longevity.
Hope you learned to cherish the acacia wooden furniture with these protectants.
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