- Products made from pine wood lose important properties when painted
- Toxic substances are created when the products are cared for
- Pine wood products are difficult to maintain
- Products are not dishwasher safe
- Pine wood is relatively soft and therefore tends to form dents
Pine wood loses some of its positive properties when it is painted
Lacquered surfaces - including those made of pine wood - close the pores and have the purpose of protecting the surface from external influences. In principle, this also applies to pine wood products. However, an important property of pine wood is its open pores, through which essential oils such as pinosylvin are released to the outside. The pinosylvin in pine wood gives it its typical scent and its bactericidal and fungicidal effects, provided the pores of the wood are not closed with a varnish or other surface sealant.By sealing the surface of products made from pine wood, the wood loses another important property. It normally balances the air humidity; it absorbs excess air moisture and releases it back into the drier surrounding air. With bread pots made of pine wood, balancing the air humidity is very important for the shelf life of the bread products.
The problem of the sealed surface can be easily solved by simply leaving the surface of the pine wood in its natural state. A treatment with fine sandpaper with a grit of approximately 250 creates an attractive, smooth surface without sealing the pores. This does not affect the positive properties of pine wood.
Is pine wood toxic if cared for?
The pinosylvin contained in pine wood, which has essential properties, has a bactericidal and fungicidal effect and is not suitable for internal use, so it must not be drunk. The typical smell and scent that pinosylvin exudes even has positive properties for us humans. The question of whether pine wood is poisonous can be answered with a clear no, as long as the pine wood remains natural.The use of common household cleaning agents when caring for pine wood can lead to reactions between the cleaning agent and the essential oils in the wood. Toxic substances can temporarily be produced. The same applies when waxing the pine wood with beeswax. Treating surfaces with beeswax can even lead to a temporary, unpleasant odor.
So what to do? Avoiding the above problems is very easy. Stone pine wood should only be cared for with a duster and, if heavily soiled, with clear water. You just have to make sure that the pine wood that has become wet dries slowly again, i.e. not on the heater or with a hairdryer, because the wood could then warp or crack. A light sanding after drying makes the surfaces pleasant to the touch and fresh again.