FAQs
How do you care for your wooden plates?
Wipe down after use with a warm soapy cloth or scrubber and rinse. Do not fully submerge and allow to completely air dry vertically before putting away. After several uses, the wax moisture barrier we applied may wear. If this occurs simply use a piece of fine grit (400-600) sandpaper and smooth out any rough spots. Wipe clean and rub a small amount of natural oil into the wood. Allow to dry before use and apply wood wax if desired. To disinfect and remove stains, rub some coarse sea salt and lemon juice into the wood. Allow to sit for 5 min, then rinse. A white vinegar/warm water rinse or baking soda scrub can also assist with removing stains. Our plates are not meant for use with dishwasher or microwave.
What kinds of materials do you use and where are they sourced?
We use Canadian Sugar Maple for all of our plates. This particular Maple is from Eastern Canada. We also use some small amounts of Black Walnut for our X's & O's pieces and Mountain Stacking Puzzle. The majority of the Walnut is also from Eastern Canada. To cure our plates we use organic, food-safe Hemp oil from hemp seeds grown in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The seeds are cold pressed into an oil here in British Columbia. The beeswax we currently use is from a company called Honey Candles in Kalso, British Columbia and has been filtered through charcoal to remove even the smallest of impurities. This filtration process produces a beautiful white pearl wax. We then melt the wax down and add hemp oil and organic lemon essential oil to create our Wood Wax.
Why Maple Wood?
The Sugar Maple trees that grow in Eastern Canada endure very harsh winters and temperatures drop well below zero for months at a time. This hardens the tree and the result is a very dense, tight-grained wood which makes it ideal for plate production. We have experimented with Western Maple and it was not suitable for our plates as it had a looser grain and was too light. Maple wood, by nature, is antibacterial and will not crack like bamboo. Having said that, if you live in a very dry climate though, be sure to take extra care and oil your plate monthly to ensure they don't develop small cracks. Maple is one of our favourite woods to work with and we feel fortunate to have it grow here in Canada.
Can I purchase plates before or after a release?
Unfortunately at this time, we will not offer products for sale in between release dates. This is a first come first serve basis and once a product is sold out it won't be offered until the next release. Be sure to sign up to our newsletter so you can be notified with all the details closer to the date.
The next release date of our Tracing Boards will be December 2021. Exact date and time TBA. Signing up to our newsletter is the best way to receive details.
Can I purchase Timber Child Lifestyle products from anywhere else?
We no longer offer a wholesale program. Sorry!
Please contact us here if you don't see the answer you're looking for and require more assistance.