How to Protect Art from Elements in Nature

Protecting wood artwork can be challenging when compared to other arts. There are key aspects which become critically important.

No one hangs a beautiful piece outside so it can be rained or snowed on. Nevertheless there are factors taking place within your home that you may never think of.

Thankfully wood artwork is resilient to the oils from our skin unlike many other works such as paintings or pottery. Handling wood art with our hands typically the finish over time may show some wear. Things like this are easy to retouch especially if a urethane is used. Despite this there are things that wood is susceptible to and damage over time can occur.

Humidity: The Silent Killer

Humidity is a problem for wood over an extended period of time especially if there is poor ventilation. I have included more detailed information pertaining to humidity in this article about shiplap walls. Knowing the ideal indoor humidity your home should expect is imperative.

When drying fresh cut wood the objective is to remove the moisture from the wood. If this same wood is placed within a humid environment moisture can seep back into it over time. Mild humidity is not a major problem. Nevertheless no one wants to keep high humidity for mold growth to occur.

If mold occurs within your home on the walls or ceilings then you have a humidity problem. This issue needs to be fixed for more reasons than your artwork.

Sunlight – UV light and Its Impact

One of the big problems people rarely think of is sunlight, specifically ultraviolet light. UV light from the sun is difficult to stop as it reflects into everywhere there is a window. To give an example of how great of an impact this has consider your wall paint within your home.

If you paint the walls of a room then seal the paint can when finished, come back a year later touch up those same walls with the same paint. You will see the color on the wall has changed. It is not just because the paint from the can is “fresh”. UV light breaks things down including the color of the paint causing fading.

How does UV light impact wood? If one takes a newly finished hardwood floor and then places a rug onto the floor next to an adjacent window you may find a surprise. Wait a couple years then remove the rug to see what has happened.

You will see where the rug used to be. There will be a color difference in the wood where the rug laid. UV light impacts your furnishings as well. Few things survive the impact of this light. How do you protect your things within the home, especially sensitive artwork?

You can install UV protection for windows to aid in filtering out the light. It works in a similar way as uv protection for sunglasses. There is no need to replace your windows as this can be a simple DIY project. Purchase the film and follow the instructions on installation. Pay attention to what you purchase to ensure you get the uv protection that you require.

Once your home is protected there are light bulbs which can emulate sunlight. The benefit is you get the light spectrum of the sun without the harmful uv light.

Cleaning Wood Art

Cleaning your wood art is as important as cleaning your home. Cans of compressed air work best for small pieces. Avoid most common cleaning solvents whenever you can. Solvents can break down the protection of urethane over time. Alcohol or ammonia based cleaners are a definite no, avoid them completely.

There are products such as Pledge or Guardsman that have multiple lines of their polishers and cleaners. Depending on your wood and how it was finished one may be better than another. In most cases it is best to tread your wood art just as you would furniture. Furniture cleaners are formulated for wood products.

In the event that you have wood artwork that is not sealed with any kind of urethane or other sealer, there are still options. If you need a non toxic finish Mineral Oil is a good choice but know it does not leave a sheen on its finish. For general finishing Tung Oil is a great option yet know to not use it on things like cutting boards.

While Linseed Oil is a traditional finish I would refrain from using it. If your piece has already had Linseed used on it before then continue using Linseed Oil. It is better to continue with its use than change to another.

I have given more information on food grade safe products for wood finishing. This information will help in keeping items such as cutting boards safe for your family.

Research what may be best for your surface. Nevertheless if you are not sure as to how your wood art or furnishings were finished these products are far better than other cleaners to use as a general purpose catch all.

Art Damage – Accidents Happen

The next most common way for art damage to occur is as a result of accidents or improper handling. Secure your artwork to walls properly ensuring that the weight is not an issue. Weak mounting hardware over time will work loose or pull at thin sheetrock walls and break free over time.

Children obviously can be a hazard for fine pieces and furnishings but we love them anyway. Some factors come as a daily part of life that we cannot help but rather hope nothing will happen. Nevertheless placing our nice works in a place that will hopefully avoid the impact of daily life does help.

Here is an article that can help you in hanging heavier objects such as wood wall art. As much as I have talked in this blog about hating Lowes and box stores I cannot believe I linked to their article, but the information is good.

As you can see there is added benefit for your home in protecting your wood art. Some small steps can help protect your other furnishings within your home and make your life more comfortable. With additional aspects such as proper lighting and air filtration you are ready to decorate and collect while displaying confidently to your hearts desire.