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How to Treat Mexican Pine Furniture

Anthony Smith

If you own furniture made from Mexican pine, you want to keep it in the best condition possible. The fact that Mexican pine forests are endangered, and that there are concerns over fair treatment of the Mexican laborers who harvest it, means it might be much more difficult to get this furniture in the future. This is more reason to learn proper care and treatment of Mexican pine.

  1. Keep the furniture away from areas that experience big swings in temperature. Mexican pine tends to split or warp in these conditions. Radiant heat sources may have the same effect on the furniture.

  2. Keep Mexican pine out of direct sunlight, as this can cause fading of the wood.

  3. Avoid using silicone products on the furniture. These products can strip the protective stain from the pine. Apply a furniture wax regularly instead.

  4. Treat scratches in the pine by first cleaning the area with a soft, damp cloth. Sand the scratch gently with fine grit sandpaper to smooth out the scratch, and clean the area again. Apply furniture wax and buff to a shine.

  5. Repair damaged areas in the stain of Mexican pine furniture by cleaning the area and sanding, and then applying a little white spirit--an organic solvent derived from paraffin--around the edges of the damaged area. Clean again, wax, and buff to get it looking like new again.