The Maintenance Guide for Your Heode Furniture

At Heode, we manufacture flat-pack furniture designed to be installed in your van or utility vehicle to transform it into a campervan. Our approach is to create furniture that will accompany you on all your adventures, whether it's for a romantic getaway or a months-long road trip, from the highest peaks to the most remote corners of the world.

Your furniture will go through all kinds of adventures, both literally and figuratively! And that’s great because it’s made for it. We work with the most robust and suitable materials for campervan use: resistance to the vehicle’s body twists, handling of moisture due to temperature variations, resistance to fire, water, lightweight, and more.

For our furniture to reach its full potential, regular maintenance is necessary. Here’s a simple guide to take care of your travel companions.

Two furniture ranges:
Our furniture is available in two main materials: raw plywood and HPL laminate plywood.

What’s the difference between raw plywood and laminate plywood?

Raw plywood is a material made of several layers of wood veneers glued together. Each layer, called a veneer, is usually oriented perpendicularly to the adjacent layer to improve the material’s strength and stability.

Unlike finished or laminated plywood, raw plywood has not undergone any surface treatment, meaning it retains its natural appearance after manufacturing.

The veneers used in raw plywood can come from various wood species, mainly poplar, birch, and okoume, offering a variety of characteristics in terms of weight, durability, and appearance. These veneers are glued together with adhesives resistant to heat and moisture, creating a robust and versatile material.

Laminated plywood is also plywood, made in the same way as raw plywood, but with a surface finish applied.

Laminated plywood is covered with a composite material. Several types exist with varying qualities. The most durable is HPL, composed of sheets of paper impregnated with phenolic resin and compressed under high pressure. This laminate layer gives the plywood a smooth, durable, scratch-resistant surface. It offers virtually endless aesthetic finishes in terms of color, texture, and patterns.

This surface finish makes laminated plywood ready for use without needing any additional treatments or coatings.

How do I maintain my Heode furniture made of raw plywood?

Step 1: Before assembly, sanding. We recommend sanding your furniture with medium grit (between 120 and 150).
Step 2: Cleaning. Vacuum the sanded surface to remove all dust residue or wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth.
Step 3: Treatment. We highly recommend using protective oil to ensure unparalleled longevity for your furniture while using products that are safe for health and the environment.

What oil should I use for my raw plywood furniture?

There are two oil choices:

Osmo Top Oil: Naturally sourced, this blend of oil and wax is perfect for maintaining your Heode furniture. Its advantages include:

Suitable for food contact, so it’s safe to use on kitchen furniture
Water-resistant and UV protective
Resistant to stains and household cleaning products
Moisture-resistant
This oil is perfectly suited for treating children’s toys, so Osmo Top Oil poses no harm to humans or animals.

Rubio Oil Plus 2C: Ideal for preserving and enhancing Heode furniture, Rubio Oil Plus 2C offers several benefits:

Applies in a single coat
Effectively protects the wood by hardening it
Retains the wood’s natural feel
0% VOC, respectful of people and the environment
Water, heat, and UV-resistant
Food contact certified and meets toy safety standards

We recommend carefully reading the usage precautions of Rubio Oil Plus 2C before use.

Can I paint or varnish my Heode furniture?

Yes, it’s entirely possible to paint your furniture after sanding. In this case, we recommend choosing paint suitable for raw wood furniture designed for indoor use.

It’s also possible to varnish your furniture, but we do not recommend it. Although varnishing can harden the wood, it has the significant drawback of aging unsatisfactorily, compromising the appearance and durability of the furniture over time: risk of peeling and scratches, difficult touch-ups, and sanding or stripping may be necessary for renovation.

Why is oil the best solution for maintaining my wooden furniture?

In our opinion, oil treatment is the most suitable option for the following reasons:

In case of damage to your furniture, it’s easy to renovate. Simply sand the damaged area to reduce the impact and apply a protective oil layer. No visible marks, unlike with paint (which would require sanding and repainting the entire surface).
It deeply nourishes the wood, providing optimal protection
It doesn’t chip or peel over time

How do I maintain my Heode furniture made of laminated plywood?

Our laminated plywood furniture has the advantage of being ready to assemble immediately without any prior treatment of the panels. Once the furniture is installed in your campervan, simply clean the surfaces regularly. This will help preserve the color and appearance of the finish. We recommend using Armaflex solvent-free cleaner (a health-conscious solution) with a microfiber cloth to ensure its longevity.