Custom millwork is an excellent way to accent the interior of an apartment, building, or workspace. A variety of millwork accents such as wainscoting and crown molding are particularly famous for forging a new dynamic of a room’s view that is visually appealing.

While millwork does not require much post-installation maintenance, it does require some care to ensure longevity.

Tips For Caring For Custom Millwork

To ensure the millwork keeps looking its best, it’s important to know how to take care of it. This blog offers tips on how to care for your wood accents.

Clean With Damp Cloth

Yes, we are aware of the fact that wood doesn’t mix well with water. It is important to avoid water coming in direct contact with custom millwork as it can lead to the finishing fade over time or worse, damage the wood.

However, cleaning custom millwork is also important. While too much water can adversely affect the wood, you can clean millwork with a damp, clean cloth that has been moistened with water. This is ideal for getting rid of dust, dirt, and other debris that settles on the surface.

Dust Regularly Using An Electrostatic Cloth

Whether it’s your kitchen, bedroom, or the bathroom – you cannot escape the dust. Additionally, dust is naturally attracted to finished surfaces, which means no matter where you install your customized millwork, dust will settle on the surface.

To ensure the finish remains unscratched, regularly dust the millwork with an electrostatic dust cloth. Make sure to be gentle with the dusting, as harsh dusting can scratch the surface.

Humidity

Wood in general, and millwork particularly have a love-hate relationship with humidity. Wood prefers being in harmony when it comes to humidity. If there’s too much humidity, the wood will absorb the water content in the air; which will cause it to swell.

On the other hand, if the humidity level falls below a certain level, wood releases its own water and contracts. This weakens the structure as well as distorts the aesthetic. You can use a humidifier to control indoor humidity. The ideal humidity level is 40-45%, which keeps the wood in ideal shape and structural strength.

How To Ensure Custom Millwork Remains In Ideal Condition

While humidity, dusting, and cleaning are necessary for millwork upkeep, there is a lot more you can do to ensure the custom millwork installed in your kitchen and bathroom outlast a few years.

Here are a few general tips for millwork upkeep:

• Avoid placing your electrical appliances under custom millwork. The heat from appliances can damage the wood.
• To prevent moisture, and subsequently, humidity building up in your bathrooms, make sure to turn on the exhaust fan when using the bathroom, especially when showering
• Ensure your kitchen has a well-placed exhaust fan, and that it is turned on when cooking. An exhaust fan ensures that grease and other sticky, damaging substances in the air are warded off.

Architectural millwork requires expert craftsmanship, such as that possessed by the experienced Brener Construction Inc. From wood trims to custom interior millwork, we provide the highest quality millwork in New York City, customized to your specific needs. Call Brener Construction Inc. today to schedule a free appointment with our millwork experts.