Installing wooden furniture or flooring requires a lot of care and maintenance at a continuous rate because of which wood finishing is required which helps the wood to stay shiny and moisturized for a long time. Wood furniture finishes, or simply wood finishes, is a process developed to protect the wooden artifacts and pieces of furniture from environmental damage such as moisture, air, pollution, etc.

What is Wood Furnishing and what does it do?

Wood Finishing is a method that is used to protect the wooden surfaces at your homes from moisture and make their appearance richer and deeper for a very long period of time. Wood furnishing improves the quality of the wooden surfaces keeping their shine and originality intact. Finishing a wood surface is highly recommended no matter is if it is a new piece of furniture or an old one.

Wooden Finishing is done by adding a liquid to the surface of the wood. Thus wood finishing creates a wood material looking like dashing and adds a protective layer. However, although the primary goal of each type of wood finish is to add a protective layer, it can also help improve the aesthetic appeal of the wood.

Wood finishing is broadly categorized into 2 parts which are followed by the methods of wood finishing. The two different types and techniques of wood finishes are given below.

1: Penetrating Wood Finish

Penetrating Wood finishing is a type of finishing which is applied inside the pieces of furniture and is very durable. But, it does not provide a natural look on walls. Penetrating wood finishes offer a more natural look once and after they enter deep into the surface of the wood. With the penetrating wood finish, you may have to use some old clothes to add a protective layer of wood oils to ensure a better sheen and surface penetration. These oils are very easy to apply.

Here are some of the oil used in giving the wood a long-lasting and more natural appearance. These oils are used in Penetration finishing.

1: Tung Oil-

Tung oil is obtained from the nut or seed of the tung tree. Tung oil is one of the most common oils which is used for penetrating finishes and giving the wood a more natural look. Tung oil is an environment-friendly wood finish oil and is relatively safe on wooden pieces of furniture when completely cured. Tung oil is responsible for giving a warm glow on wooden surfaces or on wooden floorings. You can apply this oil very easily with the help of a cloth or a brush.

2: Danish Oil-

Moving on with the types and techniques of Wood finishing, the next technique which is used for penetrating finish is by using Danish Oil.

Danish oil is a mixture of oil that is made by boiling linseed oil and tung oil and mixing them with varnish and thinner. Danish oil offers the best surface protection which is better than plain oil wood finishes. Danish oil is very easy to apply and is moderately durable on pieces of furniture or floorings.

3:- Cedar Oil-

Next, in the list of types and techniques of wood finish, we want to grab your focus on Cedar oil, which is popularly known as cedarwood oil. Cedar oil is known for its better wood finish and having a characteristic woody odour which makes it special. Cedar oil can help in increasing the lifespan of the pieces of furniture it is applied on as it has a natural resistance to insects, disease, and rot resulting from exposure to moisture or water and also in the long life of the wooden surface.

4: Linseed Oil-

Last, but not least, in the list of the different types of techniques used for wood finishing comes Linseed oil. Linseed oil is extracted from flax plant seeds and is easy to apply a wood finish, with a brush or cloth. Linseed oil is also used in the making of Danish oil, however, if we use Linseed oil, curing of the wood may take longer. It soaks into the pores, resulting in a shiny appearance of the pieces of furniture in your house.

Coming on to the next type of wood finishing, the second type of wood finishing is known as “Surface Finishing”

Surface Finishing-

As the name suggests, surface finishes are applied on the top of the wood to create a protective layer over the wooden surface of the pieces of furniture. This type of wood finish makes an excellent choice for furniture and materials that are exposed to a lot of wear and tear, moisture, and pollution. Surface finishing is only done on the surface and no oils are used in this process.

Yet, there are some techniques that are used in surface finishing and are given below:

1: Lacquer-

Introducing the first technique which is used for surface finishing, Lacquer. Lacquer technique is a combination of different shiny wood finishes making it the best choice to use on pieces of furniture that are exposed to severe harshness. Usually, the drying process involves solvent evaporation, resulting in a hard and durable finish. Lacquer surface finish is ideal for Wooden pieces of furniture like cabinets, doors, and shelves.

2: Wax-

Waxing is the most common and the most effective type of surface finishing considered in the market. Waxing the food surface makes it shinier and protects the outer layer of the wooden surface. Waxing is commonly done on the floors and the pieces of furniture which are kept for showcase purposes.

Thus, these were the two types of wood finishing available in the market followed by the techniques which are used under these board categories. Wood finishing is very necessary for every individual as it maintains the quality of the wood and leverages its shine and gloss throughout.