Care for Modern Conference Tables
Keep Your Furniture Looking Great
We build our conference room tables to be as durable as they can be, but the world is a tough place. Here’s what you need to know to care for your modern conference tables and keep them in good condition.
We have put all of this information about our conference room tables into a single document for easy distribution to your team:
For General Cleaning
Use a damp rag, or put a little dishwashing soap on the rag, and gently rub at encrusted dirt until it softens and loosens. Never use a scotch-brite or other abrasive pad on conference room tables, or any abrasive cleaner. Some common household cleaners also contain strong solvents, so only use soap and water to clean it. Don’t use wax or use furniture polish, and never put lemon oil on it – you will end up with a sticky mess. Do not use cleaners that contain ammonia or bleach, as they can cause spotting.
If you spill candle wax on the table, it can be gently scraped off with the edge of a credit card – but don’t use any metal implement for scraping.
Avoiding Scratches
All wood finishes will pick up small scratches over time. Larger scratches can be made by sharp objects, which come in a surprising variety. Jewelry, unglazed mugs, some binders, and laptops with dented bottoms can all do damage. To maintain a pristine surface, provide a blotter or placemat and coaster for each user. (If you are looking for very nice place mats and blotters, we would like to recommend Polar, Inc. They are neighbors of ours in Philadelphia and do the same kind of high quality Made In USA manufacturing that we do.) Avoid dragging things across the table top. We cannot be responsible for damage caused by foreign objects – this is a circumstance which is beyond our control.
Finish
The table is finished with a catalyzed polyurethane. It is waterproof, but if you spill on the table, clean it up right away. Do not place hot items directly on the table – in particular, watch out for pizza boxes with hot pizza inside. Put these on a trivet which raises the box above the table surface, or on several layers of cardboard.
Conference room tables have seams where the top segments are joined. If you spill on the top, wipe it off the seams as soon a possible, as it is not good for water to sit on the seams. Spills can also damage the data ports. It is best to provide your guests with coasters for their drinks and to keep a roll of paper towels or napkins close at hand.
Tables Made of Unstained Cherry
Cherry darkens significantly in the first year of service. This happens when light – any kind of light – hits the wood. Avoid leaving objects sitting on the table for more than a week in the same place, or you will find a lighter spot where the object was sitting. If this does happen, simply remove the object and the light spot will eventually darken to match the rest of the table. After the first two years, conference room tables will be about as dark as it will get and you can leave objects in place for long periods.
Exposure to Direct Sunlight
This can cause bleaching of natural and stained woods, and in severe cases can cause the wood to turn grey and start to decay. (Wood has evolved so that direct UV exposure hastens breakdown of the cellulose in the wood – this is part of the natural decay process.) If you have a room that has large windows, we recommend that the windows be coated with UV protective film.
Weight Restrictions
DO NOT sit or lie on conference room tables. The maximum weight which can be placed in a single spot is 50 lbs.
Glass
DO NOT put a glass cover on your table yourself. If done without proper engineering of the top, this can cause the table top to warp. We can design the table with a glass top, or you can use placemats.
Refinishing
Should your table receive severe damage, it can be stripped and refinished. Contact us for advice as to how best to handle this.
The Paul Downs Difference
No mass-produced, cookie-cutter tables here. When it comes to custom conference room tables, Paul Downs is the pinnacle of craftsmanship. We design truly unique meeting and boardroom tables that are hand-crafted to your specifications, from power and data hatches right down to the grain of the wood we use. If you need a conference room table for your business, organization, or school, we’re just a click or call away. Someone from our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
