Caring for your Chorus® furniture
Your Chorus furniture is made to last. Here’s how to care for surfaces and service your drawer slides (if they ever need it!)…
For the record!
The Chorus extending shelf assembly and drawer slides have been tested as follows:
More than a lifetime of open-close cycles under excess load (3,800 to be precise)
In environments with humidity levels ranging from 50% to 85%
And temperatures ranging from 9-27 degrees celsius
Zero re-greasing or cleaning of drawer slides throughout the test
No issues were encountered.
So do I need to service the drawer slides?
The majority of customers may never need to service their slides. It depends on use, the atmospheric conditions in your home and the condition of your collection. Dust is the most important factor. When extending shelves are closed, the design of the shelf minimises dust ingress (and for simple safety reasons, you should always close your shelves!).
However, you may have old albums with covers that are somewhat damaged, especially at the open end of the cover (opposite the spine). Dust or grit falling off those edges may enter the back of the shelf and some may fall into the drawer slides. You’ll know this is happening if your slides feel a bit less smooth or gritty. Then, it’s time for a service…
How do I service the drawer slides?
If you ever need to service your slides, you should start with an easy clean first and see if your slides run nicely again. They usually do:
An easy clean is a partial service that can be done in minutes:
Remove your albums from the tray
Lift the tray off the mounting plate
Pull the mounting plate fully forward to expose the rear half of the slide mechanism
First wipe: use dry paper towels and run the paper along the insides and outsides of the runners. Come as far forward on the slide as you can. The paper will remove grease and larger dust particles
Second wipe: use a damp cotton bud to get into the ball-bearing channels
Third wipe: spray a water-based degreaser into the slide runners (be careful to avoid spraying veneered or painted surfaces), then wipe away with a damp cloth
Dry: use dry paper towels to dry the runners
Re-grease: Apply a small amount of multi-purpose white lithium grease (NLGI #2 – car parts stores sell this) to the ball-bearing channels as far forward as you can. Slide the drawer back and forward multiple times to spread the grease through the ball bearings and the channels. You might need to do it a second time
It should take no more than 10 minutes. And you should be running fine!
In the rare event that a full service is needed, the procedure is straightforward but will take longer. It requires removing the whole shelf assembly from the cabinet. This is covered in your manual.
We suggest you try the partial service first as it will likely improve the situation to your satisfaction. If not, then full removal enables more comprehensive cleaning of the ball-bearing mechanism.
Can the entire extending shelf assembly be removed?
Yes, but you will only need to do this for a full service of slides (if that is ever required). It’s straightforward to do and how to do it is explained in your install / de-install manual.
How do I care for the album tray’s powder coat finish?
A damp microfibre cloth should be all that’s needed. Don’t use any cleaning product and there’s no need to press too hard. Please note that the rounded front edge of the tray may show light scratching and hazing over time – this is caused by dust or grit on the bottom edge of album covers (or vinyl that is protruding through a damaged cover). To reduce the visibility of any light scratches, try a light covering of beeswax.
How do I care for a veneer cabinet finish?
First up! LongPlayer’s Chorus veneered cabinets are hand oiled, not lacquered. It’s a more time-consuming process but an oiled finish removes the big problem of scratched or chipped lacquer. If you knick lacquer, you’re basically stuffed.
The oiled finish on your veneer can be wiped clean with a barely damp cotton cloth and little pressure. Never use any cleaning product!
If your exterior cabinet surfaces get dull or very dry, you may occasionally want to replenish the oil. Heres how:
Use damp ‘0000’ plastic wire wool pad to clean the veneer surface, rubbing along the grain. Wipe clean with a damp cloth
Leave to fully dry
Re-oil with a good quality Danish oil. Use a cotton, lint-free cloth and rub the oil along the grain. When done, put your used cloth outside and lay it flat to dry out (in some rare circumstances it may self-combust!)
Leave the veneer surfaces to fully dry for about four hours, then use a clean, dry ‘0000’ plastic wire wool pad to ‘finish’ the surface
Will the colour of the veneer change over time?
Yes, like all real wood, oiled finishes the veneer colour will change over time. That’s part of its beauty. How fast it changes depends on your room environment. American Black Walnut lightens and matures to a beautiful, warm, more orangey colour. But not orange! The colour change will happen faster if the furniture is next to a window and the cabinet is exposed to direct sunlight. Oak may darken a little, but very slowly.
How do I care for a painted cabinet finish?
A damp microfibre cloth should be all that’s needed. Please don’t use any cleaning product and don’t press too hard.