Old Hickory Outdoor Furniture
Care and Instructions

Old Hickory furniture has been enjoyed in outdoor settings for over a century. With proper care and maintenance Old Hickory products should last for generations. The strong and sturdy hickory saplings have been proven to stand the test of time. Waterproof wood glue, stainless steel fasteners and a superior outdoor finish ensure solid performance year after year, decade after decade.

The Great Outdoors furniture by Old Hickory comes with a specially formulated finish to withstand the outdoor elements. Having the same characteristics of all wood, the product will expand and contract throughout the year and over a period of time will weather to a beautiful natural silvery-gray patina. If you prefer to keep your hickory sapling furniture at its original color — instead of letting it weather to a silvery-gray patina — keep your furniture covered when it is not being used.

Seasonal changes in areas where low temperature no longer make it possible for outdoor living, we recommend storing the furniture in a covered area out of the direct elements.

As the weather becomes warmer and outdoor living is desired, we recommend the following to maintain the original finish on your Great Outdoors furniture:

- Wash off with a mild solution of laundry detergent or dishwashing soap in warm water using a bristle brush gently stroking in the direction of the bark grain. (Do Not Scrub in a Vigorous Manner with Heavy Strokes) Then, rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
- Lightly sand any areas that appear where the finish may have been breached with 180 grit sandpaper.
- Remove all dust from all surfaces and spray with Old Hickory’s DuraFinish II sealing all surfaces for another season of use. Follow the directions on the DuraFinish II spray can.

If left to age naturally outdoors, the surface of the wood will gradually change to a soft silvery-grey as the pigments fade. We recommend that you maintain the silver patina with regular, gentle cleaning solution of laundry detergent or dishwashing soap in water in warm water.

Be sure to use a bristle brush (using gentle strokes) when cleaning, and avoid using steel wool or wire brushes. When finished, rinse the entire piece of furniture with low-pressure water to remove any dirt or remaining solution.

Characteristics of Hickory Sapling Furniture Wood

Treating hickory sapling furniture with oils or other preservatives is not necessary for protection and will not extend the life of your furniture.

Hickory sapling furniture is regarded as one of the most beautiful, high-quality woods manufactured today. It’s a very dense, straight grained hardwood with a coarse texture and known as the strongest wood in North America.

Widely renowned for its durability and resistance to rotting, hickory sapling furniture is almost impervious to the effects of the outdoor elements. Due to its hard-wearing nature, hickory has been the timber of choice for products to endure heavy use and abuse ensuring long lasting strength and flexibility (wagon wheels, flooring, ax-picks-shovels-etc. handles, baseball bats, etc.).

Another popular trait of hickory sapling furniture is its weathering tendency. Over time, hickory furniture will attain a handsome silvery-gray patina. This process takes approximately nine months, depending on the amount of sunlight and rain exposure. During weathering, a slight lifting of the grain may occur on the tops of the arms and legs, and you may even see a few cracks. This is not considered a defect, but a natural expanding and contracting of the wood. The grain will return to its original smooth finish after the weathering process is complete.