Grain and Little Hands

Finding a piece of furniture you love is easy, but finding something that can survive regular use from your children is a bit more tricky.

If you’re up against greasy fingers, fast-growing teeth and felt tip pens, you might be wondering which pieces are best for you.

To give you a hand, we’ve answered some of the questions we regularly get asked by parents, so you can choose the right product for your family.

What top/range would you recommend for my family?
Are you the first to whip out glue, crafts and paints? Or do you prefer for the table to be untouched until dinner time? If your dining table doubles as an arts and crafts workstation, go for an Oak veneer or Lino top. If your dining table will only be used on occasion, you could opt for our Highbeach table in solid oak. If you’re a mix of the two, we always suggest the linoleum topped Brenin for families.

Should I go for benches or chairs?
There are endless options. However, if you’re often lacking space to seat more, benches are a great option. It’s easy to squeeze a couple of extra people on with a bench, so they’re ideal for unexpected guests! And if you go for a shorter bench than the table, it can be slid underneath perfectly when not in use, saving you bags of space… Oh, and provide more room for activities!

Would I benefit from an extender? 
Yes, you almost certainly would. Our extender tables allow for an extra 2 spaces at the table and require zero sacrifice of build quality or aesthetics. Our extenders have a slender profile, so there are no sharp bits underneath to knock your knees on. They really do make a dining room or living space more adaptable and usable.

How easy are your tables to clean?
Very easy! All you need to do is wipe clean with warm water or a low PH cleaner, and dry it off with a soft towel or microfiber cloth. All of our products use organic materials and environmentally friendly finishes. This means they are safer for the maker, for your home life and for the wood itself. Using solvent cleaners will strip away the protection and then kill off the natural protective oils that occur within the woods/Lino themselves.

How resilient is the Lino surface?
Our Linoleum tops are vacuum sealed on, meaning they’re very difficult to lift off, even for prying little fingers! There isn’t an ‘edge’ per se that someone would be able to get their fingers under or on, so there is very little chance of it being picked off. They’re also incredibly easy to clean and maintain.

What can I do about scratches or dents?
Here’s a Grain top tip! The best way to heal scratches is by lightly rubbing the top with Johnson’s Baby Oil. We’ve got a fix for dents too: just pop a towel on the surface and steam iron it. Of course, as with most surfaces, if it is stabbed hard with a fork or pen it will dent permanently, but this method should sort out smaller ones.