Overview

This page provides information about the different techniques that are used in traditional and modern wood finishing. Click on the topics below to scroll to the relevant topic.

• Finishes used on new furniture (1950's onward)
• Traditional French polish
• Nitro-cellulose lacquer
• Fire retardant lacquers
• Types of wood stain
• Fillers and glues
• Veneers and inlays

Reproduction or modern furniture is usually polished by the manufacturer with a substance called polyurethane. This is used because it is cheap and is easy to spray on with the appropriate tint. Unfortunately, it is not easy to maintain the finish. To remove a scratch or mark, all of the polish from the surface in question must first be removed (or stripped).

Traditional French polish is the finish that was normally used on antique furniture. It is completely organic. Now, this finish is often used to maintain the authenticity of the piece. Unlike polyurethane, any change to the colour of the natural wood must be made by staining the wood itself with a dye. In addition, the French polish always dries glossy. To take the shine off, it must be skilfully rubbed with fine wire wool or pumice powder. To keep a French polished item in good condition, waxes can be rubbed into the polish. Any scratches can be removed by a skilful French polisher without stripping the whole finish. However, heat, alcohol or even water can cause marks to appear which may not be so easy to remove.

Nitro-cellulose lacquer has been used by wood finishers since the 1940's. It produces a finish akin to that achieved by the ancient Japanese. This lacquer is that of choice if a modern item of furniture needs to be re-polished. It is also advisable to use this finish if antique furniture is to be used in the home. This is because it is resistant to heat, water and alcohol. As with French polish, scratches can be removed without stripping, by softening the finish with a special chemical. This chemical is similar to that in nail polish remover, so care must be taken not to spill such substances on the finish. Again, the wood must be stained prior to applying the lacquer. The shine of the finish can be adjusted between gloss and matt by adding a special chemical.

Special lacquers that are fire retardant when applied in thick coats are also available. These are usually used in public places to meet health and safety regulations. Unfortunately, the finish that can be achieved is of a lower quality than with cellulose or French polish. This is because its thickness reduces the visibility of the natural grain of the wood.

Traditionally, an organic water based stain would have been used (Vandyke mahogany water crystal or Vandyke brown water crystal). This can still be used to maintain authenticity of the piece, but then it must be kept out of the sun because the colour can fade within a year!

Modern stains are much more resistant and some ethanol based stains come with a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will not fade.

A filler is something that is used to repair small gaps in wood. DIY enthusiasts use Polyfiller, but Beumatage should be used for quality wood repair. This is a mixture of Rosin and Beeswax and is completely natural. It is the traditional method and is still used today because its properties give the ability to level and colour match it exactly to that of the wood.

On antique furniture, animal glues should be used as these are organic and reminiscent of the period when the furniture was made. It's drawback is that they are dissolvable in water, so things can become 'unstuck' if moisture penetrates the varnish and wood. On modern furniture, or where this effect is not acceptable, glues such as PVA can be used.

Veneers are very thin (less than 0.5mm) sheets of wood. Often these are used to cover cheaper wood to give them the grain and feel of the wood that the veneer is made from. On modern pieces of furniture made from chipboard it is very common to use a strip of veneer along the edges of the board.

Veneers can also be used to decorate furniture by cutting out pieces and gluing them together like a mosaic or puzzle. This is type of inlaying is called Marquetry and by knowing the properties of many different types of wood, realistic scenes can be drawn as well as decorative patterns.

Another type of decoration used on furniture or trinket boxes is Mother of Pearl. This material is harder to work than veneer and must be ground to the correct shape before inlaying in the wood.

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