Wood Finishing Services
Read more about the wood finishing services we offer to the people of Baildon, Shipley, Guiseley, Bingley and Ilkley. Duncan works locally in order to provide an effective, personal service so it is unlikely he would travel outside these areas, especially given the size and nature of the products he works on.
Special circumstances are considered, please get in touch if you feel you have something really special that needs Duncan’s unique attention.
French Polishing
French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss surface bringing out the grain and deep colour of natural hard wood. French polishing consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in alcohol using a rubbing pad lubricated with oil.
French polish is a process, not a material. The main material is shellac, although there are several other shellac-based finishes, not all of which are classified as French polishing. The finish is widely considered the most beautiful way to finish highly figured wood, but can also be considered fragile in some heavy use areas. It is softer than modern varnishes and lacquers and can be sensitive to spills of water or alcohol, which can produce white cloudy marks. That said, it is also easier to repair than a damaged varnish finish, as patch repairs to French polish are easily blended into the existing finish.
Furniture Lacquering
Lacquer is the fastest-drying finish used with wooden furniture. It is more durable than shellac, although it is very thin, so it must be applied in numerous thin coats. Furniture Lacquer finishes are high-gloss, shelp match your existing room design.
Because lacquer dries so fast, sometimes almost instantly, it is very difficult to work with and takes an expert hand. That’s where Duncan’s vast experience comes to the fore; brushing lacquers are not recommended for amateur use. Spraying lacquers must be applied with a motorized spray gun. It’s imperative you use the right type of lacquer for the job.
The restrictions of lacquer
Lacquer cannot be used on mahogany and rosewood as the oils in these woods will bleed through the finish. Lacquer can be used over lacquer-base, non-grain-raising (NGR), and water stains, and over lacquer-base fillers. It cannot be used to cover other finishes, or over oil-base stains or many fillers as the solvents will dissolve other finishes and incompatible stains and fillers. Thinned lacquer or shellac or a compatible lacquer-base sanding sealer should be used as a sealer under a lacquer finish.
Furniture Restoration
Furniture restoration is always the right option when talking of antique furniture. New furniture just doesn’t cut it, at least within a reasonable budget it doesn’t.
Besides, you’re likely to be very attached to an heirloom piece that has been passed down through the family. Restoring it to its former glory is the ONLY way to go! Duncan can restore almost any item of furniture using many years of well honed furniture restoration techniques – not only bringing your furniture back to life, but also likely increasing the item’s value.
We undertake furniture repair work on both antique and modern furniture. For example:
- An antique chest of drawers often has drawers which need to be made to run smoothly
- Dining tables with years worth of marks and scratches that need sanding out
- Lacquered finish or french polished surfaces that have deteriorated need refinishing
- Chairs commonly need re-jointing as they come loose over the years
- Antique chair finishes, stuffing, leather work
- Veneers that lift or break will need flattening and repairing
The list is endless and we are here to help.
Don’t throw away your history! Get in touch with Duncan E Gaunt, today.
Spray Paint Finishing
Spray painting is an easy way of achieving a smooth, even finish on wood furniture.
This is especially true of items that have intricate designs.
Whereas painting with a brush can result in drips and brush marks, spray paint can bring you a near perfect look. Like all other materials, wood requires some preparatory steps before the application of spray paint.
When spraying wood furniture we always use one or two coats of primer before painting letting it dry completely before spray painting.
The use of primer results in a smooth, glossy finish overall.
Furniture Re-veneering
Veneer is usually a thin layer of wood attached with glue to a base material. Over time, old wooden furniture is vulnerable to damage as the glue that holds the veneer is often not water-resistant thereby presenting you with a problem.
Prolonged humidity or exposure to water can soften the glue, letting the veneer blister, crack, or peel. Veneer is also easily damaged from the surface, and old veneers are often cracked, buckled, or broken, with chips or entire pieces missing.
In many cases, as long as the veneer layer is in good shape, the thinness that makes it damage-prone also makes it easy to repair.
Undamaged veneer can be reglued. Chips and bare spots can be filled with matching veneer.