Refinishing a Dining Room Table Catalyze

Finishing, or the application of a protective or refining coating to forest, is the final step in the making of fine wood furniture. The end on forest furniture can aid bring out the grain and arm-twist a cute luster, while likewise providing protection to moisture, oils and other elements and making it easier to clean.

Merely which finish is all-time for yous? Each finish has its own benefits and drawbacks, generally balancing beauty with durability and ease of maintenance. Will your furniture be in a high traffic area? Will it be frequently handled? Will it be exposed to liquids, equally with a tabular array top? These considerations are the kickoff step to choosing new hardwood article of furniture with the best terminate for your family's needs.

VARNISH

Naturally heat, h2o and ultraviolet (UV) resistant (spar varnish specifically), this resin, oil and solvent mixture is both flexible and durable due to its loftier solids content. Builder Dan Maxham of Westward.A. Mitchell Fine Article of furniture in Farmington, Maine is especially attentive to the natural motion of wood. " The wood nosotros apply in building fine piece of furniture is constantly either expanding or contracting in response to temperature and humidity." He uses a variant chosen conversion varnish on his furniture for its elasticity and forgiveness to varying humidity without keen. Conversion varnish provides an excellent protective finish. Its drawbacks are that it tin can be hard to contrary in one case applied, and harder to refinish. As for its appearance, varnish has a low- or semi-gloss terminate, and conveys a mitt rubbed look.

Live edge Acadia dark stand up, built in cherry with a varnish finish

LACQUER

Lacquer, specifically pre-catalyzed lacquer, is considered past many professional woodworkers to be the all-time finish for hardwood article of furniture, in terms of balance betwixt beauty, protective qualities and ease of awarding and care. Without delving too far into the scientific complexities, pre-catalyzed lacquer uses a catalyst to initiate a chemical reaction that dries even harder than the durable evaporative drying method of traditional lacquer (though even lacquer is not invincible and will still scratch from excessive wear and tear). In addition to abrasion and water resistant properties, lacquer is a thinner finish so it is sprayed on in thin layers. This creates an ultra smoothen, clear and natural look, allowing the forest itself to exist the star of the bear witness.

Shaker executive desk, built in cherry with a lacquer terminate

You volition find the lowest gloss, pre-catalyzed lacquer finish on many of our pieces at Chilton Piece of furniture, including those congenital by Joy Valley Woodworks of Buxton, Maine. Atomic number 82 finisher Charlie Westberry uses a lower-VOC-emitting and formaldehyde-costless pre-catalyzed lacquer called EnviroMax. This lacquer is tested to withstand more than 25 of the toughest common kitchen and bathroom cleaning solutions.

POLYURETHANE

A cousin of varnish, polyurethane also provides an extremely protective top coat. Its characteristics vary depending on the base material. In addition to immovability, oil-based poly is quite resistant to heat, h2o and chemicals and comes in a diverseness of gloss options including satin, semi or loftier gloss. Oil-based as well has an bister tone that is peculiarly evident in the sunlight, and brings out the richness of the wood. Water-based poly is a newer pick. While a h2o-based finish will have a lower volatile organic compound (VOC) content (making it more environmentally friendly) and won't add a color to your furniture, it won't hold upward as well to estrus and chemicals.

SHELLAC

I centuries-quondam, tried and truthful finish is shellac. Made of an booze solvent combined with secretions from the lac bug of Southeast Asia, this end dries as a glossy, hard superlative coat. Some builders prefer this finish for its durability and protection from abrasions and water harm, as well as its sleeky clear or amber advent and nontoxic, nutrient-safe qualities. Shellac does take a few kryptonites, withal, including heat and alcohol based liquids. Prevention of liquor and even cologne spills is key, and avoiding white estrus rings from mugs and plates with coasters and trivets is suggested. For this reason shellac may non exist the best finish for a kitchen tabular array.

WAX

If beauty is a leading factor for your cease determination, a wax finish is a skillful place to start. It enhances the natural grains and pores of wood with a soft luster that will not xanthous over time. W axes practise not penetrate or seep into woods, only provide a protective coating on meridian of it. This helps preserve wood in its natural color without oxidizing, simply information technology does not particularly intensify the wood. For this reason, wax is often used as a height glaze in combination with oil.

Wax and lacquer comparison, shown on ash

Wax is the perfect finish for your statement wood piece that volition not exist exposed to excessive clothing or tear. The drawback to this finish is durability and maintenance. Wax does give a few minutes of resistance to clean upwardly water spills, but lacks in protection from heat and scratches or dents. Additionally, wax should exist invigorated yearly with a quick buff (dry cloth for matte finish, damp fabric for loftier-gloss). Keeping this in mind, wax is generally best used on hardwood shelving, display cases, picture frames and other low-wear items, or used equally a height coat to a more durable terminate, like shellac.

Soap

A less ordinarily used, but creative culling to wax, is lather. Similar to a wax coating, a natural soap chip and water mixture volition create a matte, soft-to-the-bear upon terminate, with a white or grey bandage. As the coloring might suggest, soap is best used on low-cal woods like maple, ash, or white oak, as the grains and rich colors of darker woods would be obscured by a lather cease. Though this cease doesn't wear well to scratches, heat, or water exposure, information technology is simple to repair and brushoff every six-months or so, and is a safe option for loved ones at home every bit the "greenest" cease on the market. Best suited to those willing to invest the time needed for ongoing care.

Live border coffee table, built in sugar maple with a lye and soap finish

OIL

Oil is the cease of choice for designer, woodworker and writer Kevin Rodel . "O il finishes have been effectually for hundreds of years, and take been used to protect and bring out the natural beauty of whatsoever wood species." Most unremarkably found in ii varieties, linseed and tung, these drying oils (the non-VOC-emitting variant) penetrate the wood and dry as a thin film once the molecules are exposed to air. Equally the oil is paw rubbed into the forest, it leaves a natural, yet luxurious rich finish that highlights the depth and dimensions of the forest grains. Well-nigh oil finishes will give your furniture some resistance to moisture, specially when topped with a wax finish, and they are too flexible as woods expands and contracts with irresolute humidity. As with wax and lather, oil is not as protective from nicks and dings as other surface finishes, just for those willing to invest time and energy into proper maintenance, the look may exist worth the trade off. Co-ordinate to Rodel, "an oil finish is easy to maintain and refresh subsequently many years of apply." But clean the surface with "0000" steel wool and recoat to remove whatever scratches or water band marks.

Matrimony demote superlative, built in cherry-red with an oil and wax end

Choosing a end can be difficult. In that location are many options, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. They tin even be combined and layered to capitalize on the strengths of multiple finish types. The end you cull should depend on the expect you want to accomplish, the protection the piece requires, and the level of intendance and maintenance you are prepared to expend. At Chilton, we tend to use lacquer and conversion varnish, because of the overall protective qualities and ease of care for these finishes. Some of our pieces are also available with an oil and wax cease.

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Source: https://www.chiltons.com/blogs/blog/understanding-wood-furniture-finishes

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