Resources:

Wood Types

Construction Methods

Finishes

What is Arts and Crafts Style

Lacquer Finish

Lacquers fall into three categories: non-catalyzed, pre-catalyzed and post catalyzed. They also come in four standard sheens: flat, satin, semi-gloss and gloss. the lacquer that we use was first developed in Europe which has environmental restrictions that are higher than the most strict American standards, such as found in California. The solids used in the lacquer are inert once all of the thinners have evaporated so though lacquers are an irritant they are not toxic. Lacquers are typically used for furniture that will be exposed to alot of moisture, such as in a kitchen or bath or a table or night stands. Anything that might come in contact with moisture should be sealed with lacquer. Also, lacquer finishes tend to bring out the beauty of the wood, more so than oil finish.

Oil Finishes

Ther'e are two commonly used oils for finishing furniture; Tung and Linseed. These oils both "cure". Which means that they eventually dry into the wood and don't leave a sticky surface on the wood or keep seeping into the wood. Oils are of course, a more "natural" way to finish your piece for those that are opposed to lacquer finishes. another advantage is that by simply wiping more oil you can often repair minor scratches. Some disadvantages are; Oil finishes tend to be duller in appearance; they don't bring out the wood as brilliantly as lacquer. They also offer less protection because they don't seal wood as well as lacquer. Oil finish is good for pieces that will come in contact with food like cutting boards and bowls etc...

For most projects we use a special blend/combindation of oil and lacquer. If you have questions about any of the methods or products that we use, please send us an email or give us a call.

Arts and Crafts Defined>