Caring for Your Wooden Chess Sets
At their most high-end, wooden chess sets, complete with hand-craft chess pieces, are timeless works of art that chess players can actually interact with. The most luxurious wooden chess pieces are painstakingly carved by hand. Boards might have sophisticated designs carved into them. Chess players might pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for such an elegant experience.
Such a price tag begs the question: how do you keep your wooden set pristine?
Whether you're considering investing in a set or you already have one, here's an in-depth guide to caring for wooden chess sets.
Your Wooden Chess Set: Made of a Living Thing
Unlike plastic, metal, or glass chess sets, wooden chess sets are made of something that was once alive. So, they can decompose and warp over time and exposure to different environemts, way that a plastic chess set wouldn't.
Still, if you properly care for your chess set, it can last much longer.
Wood: A Crash Course for Chess Players
As a chess player who is seriously considering proper care for your wooden chess set, You need some foundational knowledge on wood.
When shopping for higher-end wooden chess sets, you'll notice that there are tons of options. You can choose from a wide variety of boards and pieces made from various types of hardwood and at a different price ranges. So but you might not be able to tell the difference between all of them.
Different types of vary dramatically in price based on rarity and the cost of production. Some wood grows only in exotic regions and in small volumes, making it more expensive.
Here are some of the wood types your wooden chess board and chess pieces might be made of:
- Boxwood: lighter in color, used for lighter squares
- Ebony: nearly black in color, highly rare and usually more expensive
- Rosewood: deeper red in color
- Mahogany: brownish red to deep orange in color
- Walnut: darker brown in color, highly durable
- Maple: light in tone, is sometimes combined with mahogany or walnut to make chess board pattern
Some types of wood are more commonly used to carve pieces, as they are more suitable for detailed work. Other types of wood might be more durable and make for better boards.
When investigating proper wooden chess set care, you'll also come across some other terms:
- Patina refers to a natural aging process that wood undergoes. Wood will naturally develop a deeper, richer color that brings out the natural grain of the wood. Some chess players will want this look.
- Antiqued refers to when wood is deliberately treated to give an older appearance similar to patina.
- Ebonized refers to when the wood is stained to imitate the appearance of ebony. Ebonized wood is also cheaper than ebony.
Difference between Hardwood and Veneer
To take care of your wooden chess board, you should know if your board is hardwood or veneer. Here's the difference between the two:
- Veneer chess boards are made by gluing a thin layer of real wood to a less expensive material. Examples of materials you might put a wood veneer on include particleboard, fibreboard, or plycore.
- Hardwood chess boards are made of solid wood.
Veneer is cheaper to produce than hardwood, but it's not always the case that hardwood is higher in quality than a veneer. Wood veneer boards are less prone to warping in comparison to hardwood.
The term hardwood is also a counterpart to softwood. Hardwood trees take longer to grow and harvest, but they are also more dense and sturdy than softwood. High-end chess sets are made of hardwood, not softwood.
How to Maintain Your Chess Board
How you'll maintain your chess board depends on it's finish. In general, some boards are finished with a glossy lacquer, while others are finished with a matte lacquer. Sometimes, boards are finished with a wax, giving a natural polish. Here's some maintenance tips per each finish.
Maintain Your Solid Chess Board's Glossy Lacquer
Wooden chess boards are usually finished with a thick coating of lacquer such as nitrocellulose, a solvent-based lacquer. Older boards might have an oil-based lacquer, while newer boards will likely use an acrylic-based lacquer. These boards will have a glossy finish.
For both types boards, you can simply wipe off dust and dirt periodically. You can also remove small surface scratches with a small amount of automotive scratch removal products. Be careful not to use too harsh of a product, as this can damage your board. Test the product on a small part of the surface first.
You can also use a wax-based polish with a microfiber towel to clean your board and preserve the shine. Rub the polish on in circular motions. Don't use liquid or silicone based polishes, which can damage your board's finish.
Maintain Your Solid Chess Board's Matte or Satin Lacquer
For boards with a matte or satin lacquer, you'll want to dust your board regularly. If residue gets built up over time, use a lightly dampened cloth with some dish detergent to clean it off. Be sure to immediately wipe the area with a clean, dry cloth, as water and the effects of humidity can damage wood.
Avoid polishing your matte or satin board, as this can create an undesired polished or gloss finish appearance.
Maintain Your Solid Polished Wood Chess Board
Wooden boards that are made of solid, polished wood are finished using a wax product, such as beeswax. These waxes protect the wood from dust and dirt. But it is recommended that you re-wax your board every six months. Do not use turpentine-based waxes, which can harm the board.
To wax your board, use a small dab of wax on a microfiber cloth and rub the wax into the wood in a circular motion. The wax actually absorbs into the wood.
Wait ten minutes for the board to dry and buff out the excess wax. Polish the board until it shines. Do so every six months to keep your board in good condition.
Maintaining Veneer Chess Board
For polished veneer glossy wood chess boards, you can clean your board similarly to their hardwood counterparts. But you have to be careful not to polish through the thin veneer when polishing out scratches or stains.
For veneer satin and matte chess boards, you can treat your board similarly to its hardwood counterparts.
Polished veneer chess boards can be maintained similarly to polished matte boards. They will require less wax because there is much less wood for the wax to penetrate into.
Storing Chess Boards
To prevent warping, keep your chess board in a cool, dry place, preferably at a humidity level between 40-60%. Changes in humidity can cause wood shrinkage or wood expansion. So take extra care if you live in an environment with more extreme changes in humidity. Consider investing in a humidifier or dehumidifier.
Store your board flat. Leaning the board upright can increase the risk of warping.
Maintain your Chess Pieces
Your chess pieces may be polished or lacquered. Here's how to care for each type.
Polished pieces have a shellac finish that creates a protective barrier from dirt and oils on chess players' fingers. All you need to do to clean polished pieces is occasionally dust and wipe them with a dry cloth. If something spills on them, you can wipe it off with a damp cloth. Use a second dry cloth to remove the excess moisture.
Lacquered pieces are coated with nitrocellulose or another lacquer. Like polished pieces, you don't need to do too much to maintain them. If something gets on them, you can use a damp cloth or a dish detergent to clean them.
You should note that it is easier to scratch lacquered chess pieces. If they do get scratched, you can buff out a scratch with an automobile buffing agent. But exercise caution. Using too strong of a buffing agent can discolor or crack the lacquer.
General Storage Considerations
Here are some things to keep in mind for best storage practices.
- Store your set away from direct sunlight. Frequent exposure can contribute to patina over time.
- Store your set away from heat sources. Avoid storing your set in high humidity areas or in highly fluctuating temperatures.
- Consider storing pieces in a lined box. You'll be more likely to accidentally chip, scratch, or crack wooden pieces if you store them in a single bag.
- Get a padded bag to store your chess set if you are traveling to tournaments with it. Consider investing in a chess box for pieces.
- Store boards horizontally, not vertically, as this can contribute to the board warping over time.
Bigger Maintenance
If you're feeling brave, you can try to take on bigger maintenance problems. For instance, you can fill a crack in a wooden chess piece with wood glue. You'd need to follow up with sanding and staining to return the piece to its original forms.
If you have a particularly valuable, sentimental or historical chess set, it might be worth it to enlist a professional to help you. Some wood specialists will refinish, mend breaks and cracks, or even seemlessly recreate missing pieces.
Final Thoughts on Caring for Your Wooden Chess set
A wooden chess set can be a serious investment for chess players. So show your set love with proper care!
FAQ: An in-depth guide to caring for your wooden chess sets
Wooden chess sets can range from practical and affordable to luxurious and high end. Some high end chess sets are great for serious chess players, while travel-ready inexpensive fold sets are great for earlier chess players.
Wooden chess boards because skilled craftspeople take time to create them by hand. They are also likely using rare, high-quality materials. Some wooden materials like ebony are actually incredibly rare because they take decades to mature. Plus, the wood only grows in tropical areas of Africa and Asia.
A number of factors determine a chess set's value. Chess sets crafted by hand are of higher quality than sets manufactured by machine. If a set is made of more expensive, rare, or longer-lasting materials, it is more likely to be valuable. Historic chess sets are priceless.
If you don't care for your wooden chess set, the board can warp, pieces can crack, and ultimately wear and tear will show. Scratches and stains can also form on the board and pieces.