Collectors of antique cabinetwork are well apprehensive of the need to cover and save it in order to enhance its aesthetic appeal. therefore, in addition to the regular dusting and cleaning, polishing woodwork is a regular point of its conservation authority. Not only for antique cabinetwork, but other woodwork as well a candescent fleece of polish makes it stand out beautifully at the same time adding its resistance against damage.
utmost cabinetwork tradesmen and experts go their plutocrat on a polishing fashion called French polishing. The lacquer used contains an important element, shellac. This resin is buried by the womanish lac beetle and is deposited on the trees it occupies in the form of tube conformations. The lac beetle is generally spotted India and Thailand. The lac deposits are scraped from the dinghy of the trees and are farther melted either into brittle pieces or thin wastes. It’s combined with alcohol to form liquid shellac. Although it comes across as a ultramodern invention, French polishing for cabinetwork isn’t new. It was first used during the puritanical period.
The Advantages of Using French Polish
There are several advantages of using French polish. The first one among them is its vacuity in different tones and colors. The color of the shellac variety depends on the tree the lac beetle lives on. It comes in a deep sanguine- brown shade stylish suited for mahogany, deep garnet, tones of orange, tones of unheroic and translucent white tones for light- colored forestland.
Shellac greatly enhances the appearance of timber. Wood carpeted with shellac develops a tough face and a lustrous glass- suchlike finish. Not only this, the rich color and luster of the polish can be used to conceal natural excrescencies in the wood and punctuate its attributes. Another advantage of using French polishing is that it’s easy to repair.
Like every other lacquer used to cover wood, French polish seals the wood. It makes it less pervious and thereby protects it from damage by environmental rudiments similar as water, moisture and sun. It also doesn’t allow water marks and other stains to come deep set.
The Process
Despite the benefits of French Polishing, we can not deny that it a tedious and labor ferocious job. It follows a series of way to complete the woodworking design successfully. It involves working the alcohol weakened shellac in layers on the wood.
It starts with grinding the face of the cabinetwork piece that needs to be carpeted with the French polish. Creating a smooth face enables the polish to spread out unevenly. later, it’s wiped with a damp cloth to get relieve of the sawdust. The polish is applied either using a polish mop or a pad. The polish is applied in the direction of the grain. Shellac is sticky and hence, needs to be spread out as soon as it applied. The polish is reapplied after the first fleece has dried fully.
Why get it done professionally?
Precious wood kinds similar as Walnut, Mahogany and Rosewood respond best to French polishing. A quality polish is largely determined by the skill and ways used. An unsteady and unskilled hand creates for a shy job. Professionals trained in the task are suitable to complete it in the minimal time possible taking smaller accoutrements . Shellac is commercially available. still, a many wood tradesmen also make their own composites.
