Waltopine Furniture

Hand finishing

All of cabinets are finished to the highest specifications to ensure superior durability and wear for years of enjoyment. We offer a vast array of stains, paints, and finishes and can also custom mix paints and finishing treatments to meet your unique specifications. Our skilled craftsmen are adept at applying hand-rubbed stains, manually applied glazes and  paints and clear coat finishes to accentuate the beauty of any wood grain selection.

French Polish

French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss, deep colour and tough surface. It consists of applying many thin coats of french polish (shellac dissolved in alcohol) using a rubbing pad. The rubbing pad is made up of wadding inside a square piece of cotton and is referred to as a fad.

The process is lengthy and very repetitive. The finish is obtained through a specific combination of different rubbing motions (generally circles and figure-eights), waiting for considerable time, building up layers of polish and then spiriting off any streaks left in the surface.

The 'fad' is commonly lubricated with an oil, e.g. linseed oil, that is integrated into the overall finish[1]. This helps to prevent the 'fad' from lifting previously applied layers of shellac. Which particular oil is used greatly influences the overall finish. Typically, "softer" oils, such as mineral oil, will produce a glossier and less durable finish whereas "harder" oils, such as walnut oil, will produce a more durable finish.

In the Victorian era, French polishing was commonly used on mahogany and other expensive woods, and was considered to give the best possible finish to exclusive furniture. The process was very labour intensive, however, and many major manufacturers abandoned the technique around 1930, instead preferring the cheaper arks on it. However it is also worth keeping in mind that the French polish is far more forgiving than any other finish in the sense that unlike lacquers, it can be efficiently repaired.

 

Urethane Finishes

Acrylic Urethane A Great Modern Wood Finish

A truly modern wood finish is acrylic urethane. I first used this type of clear finish 10 or more years ago. At that time most painters were apprehensive about using something new, especially when finishing stained wood. Since then many improvements have been made.

Today's acrylic urethane still has some of the old attributes, but with significant improvements. Most improvements have come from the increase of different manufactures. Now almost every brand of paint manufacture offers a water-based wood finish.

  • Excellent brushing qualities. This is dependent on the manufacture, but great strides have been made allowing for better flowing on the surface. Plus, some brands are considerably thicker allowing a faster build of the film with fewer coats.
  • Fast drying. All the types I have used still dry fast to the touch. Typically 30 minutes or less depending on the temperature and humidity. Recoat times can be 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on job site conditions and manufactures apply a small amount of the acrylic urethane to your sample.
  • Can be used over water based paints and delicate finishes. Some faux finishes and specialized paints, such as stone paints, can benefit from the extra protection. This especially applies to bathrooms or other wet areas.specifications.
  • Excellent flexibility and scratch resistance. You don't need to worry about light scratches or the finish cracking. Many brands can be used on hardwood floors with great results.
  • Drastic improvements with UV stability. Many brands are rated for exterior use. Allowing this type of wood finish to be used on interior windows or exterior doors. Usually exterior rated products have a semi-gloss or gloss sheen.
  • Resistance to water and mild cleaning chemicals has been improved. I have used a finished piece of 1x4 wood as a coaster with a glass of ice water. After a week of the glass "sweating" no adverse effects happened to the finish.
  • Dries crystal clear without an amber affect. This type of wood finish dries without adding any color to the wood. All oil base products add a amber color to the wood when applied.
  • Multiple sheens available. The sheens available range from eggshell to gloss. Just like paint, each manufacture has their own ideas about what is a specific sheen. If you need a particular sheen, test before buying. Most paint stores will apply a small amount of the acrylic urethane to your sample

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