You’ve just bought yourself a brand-new wooden table. It’s style and color go perfectly with the other furniture and décor around the room, and you can’t believe what a great deal you got. You make yourself a steaming cup of tea to celebrate, only to distractedly set the full cup down on the table. When you come back later you find, to your horror, that your cup has created a water stain on the brand-new surface. Don’t find yourself in that situation! Instead, learn how to protect wooden tables from water stains.
Apply a Protective Finish
One good way to protect your wood tables is by adding a protective finish to their surfaces. There are quite a few types of finishes available, including polyurethane, lacquer, shellac, and varnish. Each of these finishes has a different texture and appearance, so you can choose one based on your preferences. Plus, with a paintbrush and the right knowledge, it’s not too difficult to apply these finishes yourself. A finish won’t make a table’s surface completely impervious to damage, though, so you’ll still want to be cautious of placing wet or hot cups on it.
Add a Table Covering
If your wooden table is located in the dining room, kitchen, or another area of the house where your family shares meals, it’ll likely get spilled on or get wet at one point or another. Prepare for this by putting a protective table covering, such as a table pad or cloth, over your wood table. While this won’t prevent accidents, it will prevent your table from being damaged by them when they happen. If you love the finish of your table and don’t want to cover it with a tablecloth, you can also try installing a glass tabletop.
Use Coasters
To prevent water stains from appearing on your coffee or side tables, use coasters when placing beverages on your wooden tables. Coasters are inexpensive, easy to stash in a table’s drawer, and will save your wooden tables from being damaged. Just remember to use them!
The last thing you want is for your wood tables to be marred. If you’re looking for the perfect piece for your home, check out our supply of vintage wood furniture and be sure to put these tips on how to protect wooden tables from water stains to good use.