Sometimes discreet, sometimes pronounced, mouldings play an important role in enhancing the charm and character of your living space. To make the most of them, you need to know how to look after them. Whether it's for regular maintenance, specific repairs or a complete renovation, here you'll find practical tips and advice on how to bring your woodwork back to life. From selecting the right materials to repair techniques, learn how to protect and revitalize these precious decorative elements of your home.

The Importance of Paint and Varnish

To ensure the longevity and aesthetic appeal of your mouldings, proper maintenance is essential. Before you even think about regular maintenance, the first crucial step is to paint or varnish them properly. This preventive measure not only beautifies your mouldings, it also protects them from humidity, temperature variations and physical damage. A good coat of paint or varnish acts like a shield, preventing water from seeping in and the wood from warping or rotting.

It also makes subsequent cleaning and maintenance much easier, allowing accumulated dust and dirt to be removed without damaging the underlying material. It is therefore essential not to neglect this step before moving on to the actual maintenance of your mouldings.

It's also crucial to select a good quality paint or varnish for your mouldings. This choice will not only influence the aesthetic appearance, offering a smoother, more durable finish, but will also provide more effective protection against external aggression. A good quality product ensures better adhesion to the surface of the mouldings, reducing the risk of chipping, cracking or yellowing over time. So investing in high-quality materials is one step closer to preserving the beauty and integrity of your mouldings over the long term.

Maintenance Routine

Regular, careful maintenance is the key to preserving the shine and durability of your mouldings. To achieve this, we recommend cleaning them a few times a year using a mild mixture of water and dishwashing soap. The use of a sponge gently removes accumulated dust and dirt, while careful drying with a soft towel prevents unsightly marks on the wood. This simple yet effective method helps keep your mouldings in excellent condition.

Alternatively, a practical tip during your regular cleaning routines, such as mopping, is to immediately dry mouldings and trim with a dry cloth. This removes any excess water that may have accumulated, avoiding the risk of moisture-related deterioration.

Moisture is the greatest enemy of wood mouldings. As an organic material, wood is particularly sensitive to water, which can lead to warping and deterioration. To counter this problem, it's essential to ensure that rooms are well ventilated. Proper air circulation prevents the build-up of moisture, protecting your mouldings and woodwork from potential damage. By adopting these simple but fundamental steps, you can ensure the preservation and beauty of your mouldings for many years to come.

Re-nailing Techniques

When it comes to repairing a moulding that no longer fits properly in place, it's often possible to solve the problem by reclamping it. However, to ensure a strong, durable hold, it's advisable to create a new hole rather than reusing the existing nail, whose effectiveness could be compromised.

Use a nail corresponding to the diameter of a drill bit to drill a hole next to the location of the original nail. It's best to remove the old nail with vise-grips, from behind if possible, to minimize visual damage to your moulding.

Once the old nail has been removed, it's important to fill the vacant hole with wood filler, choosing a shade as close as possible to that of your moulding, for an aesthetically pleasing, virtually invisible finish.

You might also consider using finishing screws instead of nails. These screws, which are generally smaller, offer better resistance over time and have the advantage of not bending under pressure. Their use can therefore prove to be a judicious alternative for ensuring the durability of your moulding repairs, while maintaining the aesthetic integrity of your space.

Refurbishing

When it comes to renovating tired woodwork or damaged mouldings, it's best to follow a methodical process to bring these decorative elements back to life. Start by preparing the wood for a new finish. This includes removing old nails, screws and coatings such as varnish. Then sand the woodwork carefully with sandpaper to achieve a smooth, even surface.

If your mouldings are covered with heavy paint or wax, we recommend using a specific paint stripper or wax remover. Once this stripping stage is complete, it's important to thoroughly dust the worked surfaces to remove any traces of dirt or residue.

Finally, fill any holes or imperfections left by the nails with wood filler to create a perfectly smooth base. Your woodwork is now ready to be embellished with the finishing product of your choice.

Wide Choice of Woodwork

Of course, if your old mouldings are particularly damaged, but you're not inspired by the idea of refurbishing them, or if you're simply in the mood for something new, Intermat has a vast selection of woodwork in all styles, so you're sure to find the perfect model to suit your taste and complement your decor.

Contact us or visit the Woodwork section of our website to discover our models!