French Polish
Shellac and Wax Finishes
| French Polish
Currently the most sophisticated refinishing technique that can be found on Chinese furniture is the French polish finish. The process involves 5-6 layers of lacquer coatings, all wet-sanded with water by hand to a smooth perfection and allowed to dry between each layer. The precision of this smoothness is essential in producing a thicker coating with a soft "jade-like" shine. This is opposed to the more commonly seen shinier and perhaps more garish look when only one or two layers of lacquer or shellac are applied directly to the surface of the furniture without this wet-sanding process.
Because of the nature of its labor and time intensity, furniture refinished in French polish often costs several times more than ones refinished in other ways. And even though there are many wood refinishing factories in China, few can manage to produce good quality French polish. The best example of this finish would be furniture with a thick clear and smooth coating that allows the original finish and patina of the piece to show, having the character of the antiquity preserved as well as providing a clean and slick look many desire for their home furnishing. Such coating will also last much longer than wax or other type of shellac or lacquer finish.
More than two thirds of
our pieces are finished in the French Polish finish.
Shellac and Lacquer
One or two layers of shellac or lacquer applied directly onto the surface of the furniture without the alternating wet-sanding process like French polish.
Wax
Wax applied directly to the surface of the furniture, allowed to dry then wiped until a shine has appeared.
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Chinese Symbolism
Store:
860-567-5607
