Which wood is weather-resistant
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 measurements everyone gets wrong
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?
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
«"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?
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
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
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
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 […]
The scratch repairs in ten minutes
Repairing a scratch in wood almost always takes less time than you think. The problem is that starting with the most aggressive solution ends up with an area even more damaged than before. The rule is simple: first determine how deep it is, then choose. The nail test: three cases. Run your nail perpendicular to the scratch. Don't […]
The number nobody asks for
When a new piece of furniture cracks after the first winter, the cause is almost never the glue or the workmanship. It's the moisture content of the wood when it was built. It's the most important technical data of all, and the only one no one ever asks in a store. What does that number measure? The moisture content of the wood […]