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Solid pine is forgiving. It cleans with a damp cloth, it wears in rather than out, and the only thing it really dislikes is a Canadian winter with the humidity at ten percent. Here is what to do and what to skip.
Wipe with a soft cloth that is damp, not wet, and dry it after. For sticky spots, a drop of dish soap in warm water. Skip furniture polish, silicone sprays and anything with ammonia or bleach: the finishes on Plank & Beam pieces are low-VOC coatings that do not need polish and can be dulled by solvents. Crumbs and grit on a dining table act like sandpaper under plates, so a quick wipe after meals matters more than any product.
Wood takes on and gives up moisture with the air. In July a house in Toronto or Montreal can sit at 60 percent humidity and in January, with the furnace on, at 15 percent. Pine moves with that swing: tabletops can show a hairline gap at a panel join in winter and close up in summer. That is normal and not a defect.
Keep the house between 35 and 50 percent humidity year round and the movement is minimal. A humidifier in winter does more for solid wood furniture than any care product. Keep tables away from heat registers, radiators and the direct blast of a wood stove, which dry one side of the wood faster than the other.
Use trivets under hot pots and coasters under cold glasses. Heat and standing water are the two things that mark a finished wood top. Wipe spills when they happen rather than later. Direct sun through a south window will slowly lighten a Walnut or Pecan finish and yellow a Blonde one; rotate what sits on the table and consider a sheer if the table lives in the sun.
Pine is softer than oak or maple, which is why it is affordable and why it will show a dent from a dropped mug. Most owners treat that as character. For a scratch that shows the raw wood, a wax touch-up stick in a matching tone hides it; for a dent, a damp cloth and a warm iron held over the spot for a few seconds will often raise the fibres. Felt pads under everything that sits on the table, and under the legs of chairs and benches, prevent most of it.
Tighten the bolts a few weeks after assembly, once the joints have settled, and again if a table starts to wobble after a move. The Classic and Modern tables have a three-panel top that comes apart for moving: take it apart rather than carrying a 72-inch table assembled through a doorway. Lift, never drag, and carry tables by the apron or the legs, not by the top.
Assembly guide · Warranty · Dining tables
No need, and better not. The low-VOC finish just needs a damp cloth. Polish and silicone sprays build up and can dull it.
Pine shrinks slightly when indoor humidity drops with the furnace on. The gap closes again in summer. Keeping the house at 35 to 50 percent humidity minimises it.
It is softer than oak, so it will show dents and scratches sooner. Felt pads, coasters and trivets prevent most of it, and small marks can be touched up with a wax stick.
Yes. Plank & Beam uses hand-applied, low-VOC finishes. Wipe spills promptly and use trivets under hot dishes.
Dining tables · Coffee tables · Sideboards
Last updated 2026-10-22.