When you bring home your brand new oak bar table, its finish will be perfect.
And since you've used your hard earned money to pay for this beautiful new table, you'll want to keep it looking new and perfect for a long time.
Your table should come with care instructions from the factory, telling you exactly how to care for its exact finish.
If it doesn't have specific care instructions, here are some general ones to help you maintain the beauty of the oak wood.
Most wood surfaces will benefit from an application of a high quality wax polish.
Be sure to get one that is specially made for furniture, you'll be disappointed if you try to cut corners and use the same wax that you use on your car.
If your bar table has joints, like where a leaf fits in place, you'll need to be careful that you don't let the wax accumulate in those cracks.
It will turn white and look worse than if you hadn't waxed it at all.
The same goes for a design that is carved into the wood: be sure to buff the wax completely and use a very soft brush, like a child's toothbrush, to clean out the carvings.
A natural, light oak table will show stains worse than a darker colored table.
How you treat a stain depends on how deep it goes into the wood grain.
A stain that doesn't go too deep into the wood can be covered with a special pencil that is made just for these situations.
You can buy them at most home improvement stores.
Look for one that is about the same shade as your table so the coverup will blend in with the rest of the table.
If the stain goes deep into the wood grain, the only way to get rid of it is to sand off the top layer and re-apply varnish or polyurethane sealer to match the rest of the table.
To prevent stains in the first place, you should try to get into the habit of using a coaster every time you place your drink glass on the table.
Keep a stack of interesting coasters handy and encourage your guests to use them.
This, plus the consistent use of hot pads underneath serving dishes will go a long way towards keeping your oak bar table looking as good as the day you bought it for many years to come.