Polishing Furniture; an introduction.

Whether we are building up a surface or repairing a damaged finish, polishing is the final process after making or repairing and some will say the most important. Because a mistake here can render an otherwise splendid job a disaster. Or on the other hand, poor work can be made to look superficially good, as can be seen with a few items to be found on offer along the high street. Not that I would advocate covering up poor work, however a tired and used piece can be given a completly new lease of life with a few simple techniques.

There are a number of finishes that can be used on furniture and which one you choose will depend on the piece to be finished and its intended use, or the existing finish which requires repair. The main finish types are Shellac, oil, varnish, wax or paint.
I’m going to leave paint aside for the moment as it is quite a varied subject in its own right and deal with it in the future. Of the three remaining finish types Shellac is by far the most common finish to be found on antique furniture after the 18th century. Its also one of the most versatile and useful finishes we can use on new work; however it can be easily susceptible to water and heat damage. Therefore final use is an important consideration.
Oil also an attractive finish and one that can either be mat or highly polished. It’s extremely easy to apply, is quite resistant to heat and liquid and can easily be repaired in the event of an accident.
Varnish today comes in two main different types, oil based or water based. Within these two categories is any number of sub-categories, each designed to solve one problem or another; not always successfully.
Wax can be used over any of the other finishes to enhance them or it can be used on its own, however being the most delicate of all the finishes it is not really suitable on its own for areas that will receive heavy or constant use.
It will not be possible to adequately explain or teach all the nuances or the ‘’feel’’ that is necessary to produce some finishes to professional standard. That would require personal tuition. It should however be possible to dispel some of the mystique that surrounds polishing and explain the rudiments that will allow you to experiment and achieve satisfactory results.