MARCO BRUSTIA

Which wood is weather-resistant

Pavimentazione esterna in legno su una terrazza

Choosing exterior wood based solely on price is the quickest way to end up redoing the same job three years from now. European standards address this issue with two concepts worth knowing before purchasing. Use class: where the piece is located. Use class describes the exposure, not the wood. […]

The remaining dates of the AI Act

Calendario da parete in un ufficio con le date in evidenza

Something predictable happened regarding the AI Act deadlines: the "postponed" news got around, but the exact postponement details were lost. The result is that many businesses have shelved obligations that are already in effect. Here's the calendar, without comment. What's already in effect today From when What February 2, 2025 Prohibitions on practices […]

One in eight buys with AI

Donna che acquista dallo smartphone seduta sul divano di casa

Online shopping with AI is no longer a prediction. In Italy, there are 35 million digital shoppers, and over 131% of them report using artificial intelligence in their purchasing journey. One in eight of them. Not among twenty-year-olds: out of the total, with an average age of 48. The picture, in three numbers […]

The measurements everyone gets wrong

Metro a nastro teso per misurare uno spazio in cucina

A piece off by four millimeters is a piece that needs to be redone. And in almost all cases, the error isn't the craftsman's: it's in taking the measurements, which seems like the simplest part of the job, but isn't. Five points explain almost all errors. 1. The walls aren't parallel. Never. Not even in […]

Is reclaimed wood worth it?

Vecchie tavole di legno recuperate accatastate

Reclaimed wood has two qualities that new wood lacks: it's already stable, having stopped moving decades ago, and it has a surface that no treatment can replicate. It also has five pitfalls, and it's a good idea to be aware of them before you start the saw. 1. Hidden metal: Nails, screws, staples, hinge pieces left over […]

Wood is ruined in the dishwasher

Lavastoviglie aperta con le stoviglie in fase di carico

«"But it's solid wood, it can handle a spin in the dishwasher." Wood can't handle it in the dishwasher, and not because it's delicate: because that cycle combines the three things wood tolerates worst. The three aggressions, all at once. The prolonged soaking. It's not five minutes under the tap: it's hours of water. Wood absorbs, […]

How do you know if there is a woodworm?

Dettaglio di un mobile antico con piccoli fori sulla superficie

You find small holes in a piece of furniture and think you're too late. The first thing to know about woodworms is that those holes are exit holes: the adult insect emerged from there, after spending months or years feeding inside. The hole alone doesn't tell you whether the problem is […]

Sand without skipping grains

Fogli di carta abrasiva appoggiati su una superficie di legno

Sanding wood seems like the most foolish part of the job, and it's the one that determines the outcome. A perfect finish on a poorly sanded surface remains a poorly sanded surface, merely shiny. Two rules explain almost all mistakes. Rule 1: Don't skip a grain. Each grain serves to erase the scratches left by […]

The right glue for wood

Bottiglia di colla per legno e morsetti su un banco da lavoro

Those who don't work with wood think that glue is the weak point of a piece of furniture. It's the opposite: in a well-made joint, gluing the wood together creates a stronger bond than the fibers themselves. If you break it, the wood next to the glue will break, not the glue. As long as three things are respected: the […]

Why wood changes colour

Luce del sole su un pavimento di legno con una linea d'ombra netta

Move a vase after two years and a different color appears underneath. It's not dust, nor is it a defect: wood changes color because light transforms it, and it does so differently from species to species. What's really happening? Ultraviolet radiation alters the substances present in the wood: in particular, the […]