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French Polishing
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French Polishing is a term typically applied to the
cosmetics of antique furniture, but is only one
particular application process of liquid shellac. In
reality a finish may be an oil, a wax, gum or resin
based varnish or lacquer, or more typically a
mixture accrued over an items life.
Halford Restorations undertakes many aspects of
traditional furniture finishing, suitability of which
depend on period, type and intended use, with
consideration for the patina, colour, sheen and feel
of a surface.
Please use the contact us button if you have an
inquiry about a cosmetically damaged piece, whether it
is polished timber, or a painted, lacquered, japanned
or gilded item.
The best policy is usually to retain and enhance
existing finishes, using various processes to revive a
degraded polish, remove or disguise stains and
blemishes, colour match repairs and return clarity and
sheen to reveal the beauty of the wood.
When an old coating is beyond recovery, or if a
missing part is reinstated, then the complete
finishing process may be required, along with
reinstating lost patina.
The patina is the generally acceptable and desirable
development of signs of age and use. Consisting of
accrued surface imperfections, burnishing and
development of polish characteristics, also the timber
colour, oxidization, and even accumulation of dirt and
subsequent coatings. Such patina can sometimes evolve
to a very beautiful desirable finish, and having taken
the full age of the piece to develop, it is difficult
to reproduced. You must not be easily persuaded to opt
for a complete re-finish, but neither must you be
scared to have the piece cleaned or revived, as this
can help conserve a valued surface.
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