Materials
& Maintenance
Information / Care Wooden Furniture
VERK’s wooden furniture is made from solid Swedish wood. The wood is unique, with a naturally vibrant pattern with elements of knots and medullary rays.
General
Wood is a durable material – and if cared for regularly, it will stay beautiful for many years to come.
Solid wood furniture should not be placed in strong sunlight, up against heating elements or in rooms where the temperature and humidity fluctuate a lot. Wipe up any spills immediately.
Dents in the wood can be repaired by brushing hot water on the affected area so that the wood rises. For deeper dents, a damp cloth can be placed over the dent. Use a hot iron and lightly iron over the cloth. Sand with fine sandpaper the next day. This applies to open surface treatments, not varnished furniture.
Never use chemicals, steel wool or the like as it will damage the surface.
Oiled surfaces
Dust the oiled surface regularly and, if necessary, wash with a mild soap solution. Wood soap spray is recommended for use as a mild detergent if needed. Use no more than once a week, otherwise the surface may become oversaturated/sticky. Be sure to wipe it dry afterwards.
Splashes of coffee, tea, red wine, etc. should be wiped up immediately so as not to penetrate the wood.
A piece of oiled furniture should be oiled on a regular basis to maintain its resistance to stains and to prevent the appearance of dry cracks in the wood. How often you need to oil your furniture depends on how much wear and tear it is subjected to.
The care products should be applied thinly in the direction of the grain and worked in until the surface feels dry.
NB: Do not use alkaline detergents, such as soft soap, as the oil reacts with bases (as opposed to acids). If this happens, the outermost layer dissolves and should be replaced by rubbing in a little LINSEED VARNISH OIL, for example.
Information / Care Limestone
VERK uses Gotland limestone, which is mined and refined in Sweden.
General
Genuine natural materials are always unique. Fossils are a common feature that add interest to the material and provide a sense of the flora and fauna that existed when the rock was formed. Fossils vary in the different layers of the rock and occur to varying degrees.
Limestone is a porous material formed by the compression of clay and remains of corals and shells, so there may be bumps, cavities and notches in the stone, which are all part of its character. Quartz veins occur naturally in limestone. Millions of years ago, there were cracks in the material which Mother Nature has filled in and repaired with calcite. The stone in these veins is extremely durable.
Like fossils, the quartz veins are a unique, natural feature of the limestone. As a natural material, it has variations in pattern and colour, so no two tabletops are alike.
Cleaning instructions
Limestone is highly sensitive to products containing acids (wine, citrus fruits, fizzy drinks, vinegar, etc.). They cause burns. Grease and oily stains should be removed as quickly as possible to prevent them from penetrating the stone.
Use as dry methods as possible. A wipe over with a damp microfibre cloth is sufficient for daily cleaning. Low-pH cleaning products (acidic) or abrasives should not be used to remove stains or for slight soiling of the tabletop, as they may damage your slab of limestone. Use a PH-neutral natural soap instead. Regular use of soap solution supplies the stone with the balanced pore filling it needs to protect the surface. A surface which has become oversaturated with soap, turning blackish and dull, should be cleaned with water and possibly a neutral, all-purpose cleaner and then wiped dry.
Information / Care Leather
Leather is a natural material. VERK uses natural-coloured vegetable tanned leather from Tärnsjö tannery.
General
With the right care, a good quality leather ages beautifully and lasts a long time.
Direct sunlight can fade dark leather and cause light leather to darken.
Dry and hot air dries out the leather.
Chemicals and certain detergents can discolour the leather and damage the surface.
Do not use strong cleaning products which may dry out or discolour the leather. Care for your furniture in two steps.
There are numerous leather cleaners to choose from, belonging to two different groups: surfactants, which clean the surface, and leather soap, which deep cleans. Use both and see how you go.
Start by using a leather cleaner and then apply a natural leather wax to prevent the leather from drying out.