TIANLICHUJU — PERSONAL VERIFICATION WORKSHEET
Rustic living materials with smooth contact edges
https://tianlichuju.com/journal/rustic-living-materials-with-smooth-contact-edges/

PROPOSED CHECKS — NO MEASURED RESULTS SUPPLIED
Date: __________________  Units: __________________
Room / product reference: __________________

1. Contact map
Where: Along table edges, chair arms, cabinet pulls and the path used to retrieve a blanket.
Record: List the surface touched by hands, bare feet or fabric and note snagging or uncomfortable edges.
Your observation: ______________________________________________
Interpretation: Decorative texture and contact texture have different requirements even on the same piece.
Alternative: Refine appropriate touch edges or move expressive roughness to a less handled location.

2. Reclaimed material information
Where: In supplier records for the actual timber or furniture, before purchase or irreversible refinishing.
Record: Record known previous use, treatment, preparation and unanswered condition questions.
Your observation: ______________________________________________
Interpretation: A reclaimed label does not establish that unknown coatings or material are suitable for indoor furniture.
Alternative: Choose material with a clearer specification or obtain appropriate assessment before proceeding.

3. Condition versus character
Where: At joints, feet, loose masonry and the underside of frequently handled surfaces.
Record: Separate visible grain or color variation from movement, loose material and damaged connections.
Your observation: ______________________________________________
Interpretation: Instability and shedding should not be accepted merely as an aged appearance.
Alternative: Resolve condition with suitable repair advice before introducing the piece into everyday use.

PRACTICAL TRIAL
1. With permission, pass a representative cloth gently across an approved sample and inspect the edges it catches.
2. Sit in every regular place and use the drawer, drink surface and textile storage under normal evening light.
3. Obtain material-specific cleaning and repair instructions before combining oils, waxes or other finishes.

COMPARE THE SAME SCOPE
- Actual contact surfaces and edge treatment
- Documented reclaimed preparation
- Structural and surface condition
- Permitted cleaning and local repair method
Cost drivers: Assessment and preparation of reclaimed material; Joinery or surface repairs; Suitable finishing and specialist conservation where relevant
Choose another route when: Do not retain a rough or aged effect where it prevents dependable handling or conceals an unresolved material or structural problem.

EVIDENCE BOUNDARY
These are observation and documentation checks. They do not identify contamination, certify structural condition or replace specialist assessment of significant old material.

PHOTO REFERENCE
A curved ceiling and extensive timber-toned surfaces frame seating and a rug in the centre of the room.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Modern_wooden_house_interior_(Unsplash).jpg

DECISION CONDITIONS
choose: Choose visible rustic character where its prepared contact surfaces remain comfortable and sound, keeping rougher expression in places that do not snag fabrics or interrupt ordinary movement.
alternative: Use a smoother suitable edge or another known timber piece when a favored texture fails the touch trial; preserve character through grain and contrast rather than compulsory roughness.
stop: Stop sanding or refinishing an uncertain old coating until its condition and relevant hazards are understood; an aged appearance is not evidence of an appropriate indoor surface.

PUBLISHED REFERENCES
US EPA: Lead-safe renovations for DIYers
https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-safe-renovations-diyers
EPA warns that renovation disturbing lead-based paint in older US housing can create hazardous dust and recommends suitable lead-safe assessment and work practices. This supports pausing before mechanically stripping an uncertain painted building component; appearance alone cannot identify a coating or make sanding an appropriate default.
Scope: The source concerns US pre-1978 housing and lead-based paint disturbance; it does not test every reclaimed object or establish its provenance.
Photographer: Jolene Hardy jolene
Licence: CC0 http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en

Notes: ________________________________________________________