French Polishing

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French polishing is a term typically applied to the cosmetic finishing of antique furniture, but it is only one particular method of applying liquid shellac. In reality, historic finishes may comprise oils, waxes, gums or resin-based varnishes or lacquers, and more often a mixture accrued over an item’s life.

Halford Restorations undertakes many aspects of traditional furniture finishing, the suitability of which depends on period, construction and intended use, with careful consideration given to patina, colour, sheen and surface character.

Please use the contact button if you have an enquiry regarding a cosmetically damaged piece, whether it involves polished timber, or a painted, lacquered, japanned or gilded surface.

The preferred approach is usually to retain and enhance existing finishes, using appropriate techniques to revive degraded polish, disguise stains and blemishes, colour-match repairs, and restore clarity and sheen to reveal the beauty of the wood.

Where an original coating is beyond recovery, or where new material has been introduced, a full finishing process may be required, including the careful reinstatement of lost patina.

Patina is the accepted and desirable evidence of age and use, comprising surface wear, burnishing, tonal development, oxidation of timber, and even the accumulation of historic dirt and coatings. Such surfaces can evolve into exceptionally attractive finishes which, having taken decades or centuries to develop, are extremely difficult to reproduce.

One should not be easily persuaded to opt for a complete re-finish, yet nor should one be afraid of sympathetic cleaning or revival, as this can help conserve a valued and historic surface.