General FAQs
Q. What is the wood species you use?
Jatoba – commonly referred to as "Brazilian Cherry." This is the #1 USA imported exotic hardwood utilized for wood flooring.
Q. What is the Rêve finish?
An eco-friendly, non-toxic, water-based factory finish that moves with the natural expansion and contraction of the wood. This particular finish prevents fading, checking, cracking, splitting, rot, and pests. Another great aspect that makes this finish unique is that it is virtually maintenance free and comes with a 3-year outdoor exposure warranty.
Q. What is ClearCare?
ClearCare is another eco-friendly and water-based factory finish. It allows the wood's natural grain to show through but still provides the protection you need. Usually about 1 year after purchase, and 6 months subsequently you can apply a ClearCare Maintenance Kit made exclusively for New River ClearCare furniture pieces to continue protecting against the wood's natural aging process. This product can be purchased from your specialty patio furniture dealer.
Q. There seem to be small hairline cracks in the wood? What causes this?
Wood naturally expands and contracts due to the effects of humidity and the UV rays of the sun – referred to as "checking." This is a normal and expected occurrence in wood furniture and usually does not hurt the integrity of the furniture. If this develops into a larger crack and you are within the warranty period, it will be covered by our warranty.
Q. How do I care for my furniture?
The most important step in the care of your furniture is to keep it clean. Dust, smoke, oils/lotions, insects, and sunlight are all common factors in reducing the finish's longevity. Depending on what finish you have purchased, different cleaning approaches may be applicable.
For the Linseed Oil Finish, clean your furniture with a mild solution of dish soap, bleach and warm water. Apply the mixture with a soft bristle brush. Rinse well and let dry. To keep the natural rich red color, apply boiled Linseed Oil at least three times a year. If not maintained, the wood will naturally turn silver-grey. If this look is desired, no maintenance is required. If you later change your mind there are further steps to restore the original red color. The gray color means that the furniture has oxidized and the oxidation needs to be removed. Use a wood cleaning product designed for this restoration or you may need to sand.
For the Painted or Weathered Finish you may clean with soap and water as needed. A mild solution of bleach and water can be used if any mildewing occurs. If you need to touch up the paint, you may use any exterior grade paint. Please note: Bleeding may occur. If this happens we recommend that you wet your furniture down thoroughly on a sandy or grassy area 5-10 times until bleeding stops. Once it has stopped, it will never occur again.
For our Water-Based ClearCare finish you may use the ClearCare Maintenance Kit. This can be purchased through your New River Authorized Dealer. An additional step you may take is using New River's Cleaner-Preservative. Cleaner-Preservative is water-based and specifically designed to clean, protect, maintain and preserve New River's Rêve™ and ClearCare™ factory water-based finishes. This product is specifically formulated for use exclusively on New River Casual Furniture and is not intended for use on our oiled or painted finishes. It is also not compatible with other treated or untreated wood furniture. A 1-coat Cleaner-Preservative application is easy to apply with a cloth and we suggest 2 cleaning applications annually.
For the Rêve Finish, remember to regularly clean all wood surfaces with a mild dish soap and water. For any touch-up that needs to be done you may use the New River Rêve Touch-Up Kit. New River Casual Furniture provides this at no cost. You will apply the touch-up detail with the applicator brush in the bottle. Let dry thoroughly in a dust free area. After three years, as the Rêve finish begins to thin, you will notice a roughness and lower brilliance of surface. At this point or earlier, you should purchase a New River Rêve Maintenance Kit. Carefully follow all the directions in the kit and your furniture will look like new again. Please also ask your dealer for the Rêve Care Brochure and/or Hand-Out Brochure.
For the Linseed Oil Finish, clean your furniture with a mild solution of dish soap, bleach and warm water. Apply the mixture with a soft bristle brush. Rinse well and let dry. To keep the natural rich red color, apply boiled Linseed Oil at least three times a year. If not maintained, the wood will naturally turn silver-grey. If this look is desired, no maintenance is required. If you later change your mind there are further steps to restore the original red color. The gray color means that the furniture has oxidized and the oxidation needs to be removed. Use a wood cleaning product designed for this restoration or you may need to sand.
For the Painted or Weathered Finish you may clean with soap and water as needed. A mild solution of bleach and water can be used if any mildewing occurs. If you need to touch up the paint, you may use any exterior grade paint. Please note: Bleeding may occur. If this happens we recommend that you wet your furniture down thoroughly on a sandy or grassy area 5-10 times until bleeding stops. Once it has stopped, it will never occur again.
For our Water-Based ClearCare finish you may use the ClearCare Maintenance Kit. This can be purchased through your New River Authorized Dealer. An additional step you may take is using New River's Cleaner-Preservative. Cleaner-Preservative is water-based and specifically designed to clean, protect, maintain and preserve New River's Rêve™ and ClearCare™ factory water-based finishes. This product is specifically formulated for use exclusively on New River Casual Furniture and is not intended for use on our oiled or painted finishes. It is also not compatible with other treated or untreated wood furniture. A 1-coat Cleaner-Preservative application is easy to apply with a cloth and we suggest 2 cleaning applications annually.
For the Rêve Finish, remember to regularly clean all wood surfaces with a mild dish soap and water. For any touch-up that needs to be done you may use the New River Rêve Touch-Up Kit. New River Casual Furniture provides this at no cost. You will apply the touch-up detail with the applicator brush in the bottle. Let dry thoroughly in a dust free area. After three years, as the Rêve finish begins to thin, you will notice a roughness and lower brilliance of surface. At this point or earlier, you should purchase a New River Rêve Maintenance Kit. Carefully follow all the directions in the kit and your furniture will look like new again. Please also ask your dealer for the Rêve Care Brochure and/or Hand-Out Brochure.
Q. How long will it take me to put together a rocking chair or assemble other New River Casual Furniture?
Every product that needs to be assembled will come with easy-to-understand assembly instructions. If you do not wish to assemble yourself, we do offer rockers in a pre-assembled state for an additional charge.
Q. What happens if I don't use the glue packets that are provided with the furniture?
The glue is a vital part of the stability and the performance of the furniture. The glue does most of the work; the screws provided are mainly to reinforce. If you do not use the glue, the products will not be as sturdy and may squeak.
Q. What should I use to clean my New River Casual Furniture?
Please see the "How do I care for my furniture?" question above.
Q. Can New River Casual Furniture be kept outside all year? Do I need to cover it in the winter months?
New River Casual Furniture is built to endure the outdoors and the harmful effects of harsh weather. However, we do recommend keeping the oiled and painted furniture covered or out of the sun as much as possible to allow the wood and paint to age gradually. This would add to the life of the products.
Q. Where can I buy New River Casual Furniture?
We have specialty retailers who made the commitment to stock our products in their showrooms located throughout the United States. To see which retailers are in your area, please visit our Furniture Retailers section. If you do not have access to any of these stores, we also sell to dealers who have online capabilities. But please be aware, we do not ship outside the United States.
Q. What kind of metal is the hardware made from?
Steel with durable zinc oxide plating. We chose this metal because it is similar to marine hardware and will be able to withstand the outdoor elements.
Q. Can I paint my furniture a different color?
Yes, you will not harm the furniture, but this will void the warranty.
Q. Can I paint my oiled furniture?
No. The oil that is applied saturates the wood below the surface. If you were to sand the furniture, the oil would soak back through to the surface. So even if you were to sand and then paint, the oil would return to the surface causing the paint to peel.
Q. Do you recommend a water sealer?
No. The oil may react with the sealer. Please note that our Rêve finish is waterproof.
Q. What happens if I scratch my Rêve Furniture, and what should I do?
No worries, we have a Rêve Finish Touch-Up Kit. We will send this to you at no charge. It is a stain and a sealer.
Q. How do I re-oil my furniture?
An application of a high-quality, boiled linseed oil (available at your local hardware store) every 1-3 months is important to help extend the life and uniformity of the red color. As far as applying, please follow the linseed oil manufacturer's instructions.
Q. Why does New River recommend boiled linseed oil rather than regular linseed oil?
Boiled linseed oil will dry much faster than regular linseed oil.
Q. What is the weight capacity of the rockers and/or swings?
Our rockers can support up to 300 lbs and the swing up to 500 lbs.