Wood Care for Monsoon

Come rains and one needs to take extra special care of wooden furniture and products. Even though the monsoon is a season that we all look forward to, it does not bode well for wood and wood composites. Controlling moisture of utmost importance when it comes to wood as high moisture levels result in swelling of wood while low moisture levels result in split or cracked wood.

With respect to wood composites such as particle board or MDF products, their cross-sections or edges tend to attract moisture very easily. The side elevations/edges or exposed cross grains need to be covered. If the finish constitutes organic polish, one can seal the edges with oil. Alternatively for products without an organic finish, using lacquer and sealants to coat the product against moisture is an effective measure. In addition to lacquer, one should also use other protective coatings so that the moisture does not stand stationary on the product. MDF and other wood composites should be kept as far away from moisture as possible. At times, during monsoon, drawers and doors tend to get stuck – this is due to moisture, keeping drawers and kitchen cabinets well lubricated reduces the friction caused by the swelling of the wood. Ideally, the above measures should be taken before the onset of monsoon and serve as precautions. Ensuring that wood and wood composites are not exposed to the weather, and kept indoors, is the most basic precaution that one can take in this season.

Wooden products should not be in a wet or humid area. There is a misleading notion that sunlight is good for wooden furniture. In actuality, the combination of moisture and direct sunlight to one’s wooden products is not so good. Direct sunlight can turn light wood darker and tends to bleach dark wood. On the other hand, moisture plus a breeze takes the humidity out of the room/space and keeps one’s furniture maintained. Air movement dries the wood which is why a cross ventilated room with open windows is a good idea when it comes to ensuring proper care of wooden furniture. One should keep wardrobes and cupboards atleast six inches away from the walls since they tend to get damp. Placing camphor, naphthalene balls or neem leaves in the wardrobe keeps insects away.

High humidity can cause the growth of mould on wood; one can use a humidifier in the house so as to maintain the level of humidity. Depending on the species of the wood, certain products such as photo frames made out of sheesham or other small wood products tend to get deformations due to the increase in moisture content. If one can notice cracks or if the product feels a little heavier than usual or if the finish looks and feels a bit dull; it is advised to wrap these products and keep them in storage for about 2 odd months. When it comes to dusting of furniture, instead of using a damp cloth, one should use a soft cloth and feather.

There are three primary considerations when it comes to wood care for monsoon: Sealing, Ventilation and Covering. Another important aspect that should be mentioned is that it makes sense not to carry out any kind of renovations during this season.

Timbor Skillvarsity Organises Seminar on Design left Participants Rooting for More

Timbor Home, leading Indian modular kitchen and furniture manufacturer-retailer, organized a free seminar through its institute, Timbor Skillvarsity, on “Introduction to Design – Opportunities on the Home Front” at Ahmedabad on the 11th of May. Niraj Shah, Partner & Design consultant from Ido Design, Ranna Parikh, Architect and member of the Ahmedabad Chapter of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), Dexter Pereira, Architect & Interior Designer and Moksh Thapar, Industrial Designer were the speakers at the seminar.

The seminar was aimed at giving information about the fundamental principles of design, creating awareness regarding the opportunities in the furniture industry and the need for Kitchen Designers, the skills required to be a designer, current trends in interiors, furniture and modular kitchens while also emphasizing the importance of having one’s own personal style and how to incorporate it while decorating one’s house.

The seminar was attended by people from diverse backgrounds, ranging from 10th and 12th students, graduates to housewives to people from the plywood industry and the like. This was an interesting mix as there were people with a design background as well as people with no idea on design either. The youngest participant, Kamya, aged 14 while the oldest was an over 60 year old gentleman who came with his two undergraduate granddaughters. The 40 participants, albeit from different stages and places in life, enjoyed the seminar immensely and took away a lot from it.

The seminar started off with Niraj Shah, who explained the various principles of design – this session kept the participants rooted to their seats as many different perspectives were highlighted and came out through this. Dexter Pereira took a lecture of space planning, after which the participants were given a design problem wherein they designed their own kitchen. Ranna Parikh took a lovely and interactive session on the trends in furniture, themed rooms, etc. The jury of the four speakers chose five of the most interesting designs which were then discussed – it was amazing to see so much creativity abound! The seminar ended off with Moksh Thapar answering queries and dispelling myths, such as the benefits of granite as a kitchen counter as opposed to marble. The reason why granite is preferred (since it is less porous and a harder material) and much more. Certificates of participation were given and each the seminar ended on a very positive note.

There is a huge skill gap in the furniture and modular kitchen industry. Timbor Skillvarsity, with its vision, ‘Be Skilled. Be Employed.’ is a skill development initiative aimed at reducing this very gap and creating a skilled employable workforce. The initiative has been appreciated and funded by the Gujarat Government Industries Commissionerate through the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED).

The flagship course, ‘Kitchengineer’ is a 3 month certified full-time kitchen design course with guaranteed placement after completion. Other courses offered are Basic English, Woodwork & Carpentry and ProFit. The institute has been rated first for employability by the Gujarat Skill Development Mission (GSDM).

With this encouragement from the design fraternity and the support from the entire industry, Timbor has plans to hold regular workshops and seminars related to Beautifying one’s home, Public Speaking, Personality Development, Healthy Cooking, and much much more over the next few months.

Sources:

digitalLearning Magazine

City Bhaskar (Ahmedabad)

Free Seminar: Introduction to Design – Opportunities on the Home Front at Ahmedabad – 11th May 2012

Timbor Home, leading Indian modular kitchen and furniture manufacturer-retailer, has organized a free seminar through its institute, Timbor Skillvarsity, on "Introduction to Design - Opportunities on the Home Front" at Ahmedabad on the 11th of May. Mr. Niraj Shah, Partner & Design consultant from Ido Design, Ms. Ranna Parikh, Architect and member of the Ahmedabad Chapter of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), Mr. Dexter Pereira, Architect & Interior Designer and Mr. Moksh Thapar, Design Consultant will be speaking at the seminar.

Elaborating the concept behind the institute, Mr. Anant Maloo, CMD of Timbor Home says, "There is a huge skill gap in the furniture and modular kitchen industry. Timbor Skillvarsity, with its vision, 'Be Skilled. Be Employed.' is a skill development initiative aimed at reducing this very gap and creating a skilled employable workforce." He further adds, "The initiative has been appreciated and funded by the Gujarat Government Industries Commissionerate through the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED)."

This seminar aims at giving information about the fundamental principles of design, creating awareness regarding the opportunities in the furniture industry and the need for Kitchen Designers, the skills required to be a designer, current trends in interiors, furniture and modular kitchens while also emphasizing the importance of having one’s own personal style and how to incorporate it while decorating one's house.

Participants ranging from students to housewives to design enthusiasts or just the curious are welcome to come and gain an insight into the industry at the Timbor Home Showroom at Zodiac Square, Opposite the Gurudwara, S.G. Highway.

The flagship course, 'Kitchengineer' is a 3 month certified full-time kitchen design course with guaranteed placement after completion. Other courses offered are Basic English, Woodwork & Carpentry and ProFit. The institute has been rated first for employability by the Gujarat Skill Development Mission (GSDM).

With this encouragement from the design fraternity and the support from the entire industry, Timbor has plans to hold regular workshops and seminars related to Beautifying one's home, Public Speaking, Personality Development, Healthy Cooking, and much much more over the next few months.