Furniture finishing should not only look beautiful but also protect the wood from dust, moisture, and vapors. In kitchens, shelves, and storage cabinets, oil-based paints and enamels are commonly used for finishing. This is the simplest method of finishing.
A cost-effective, attractive, and practical option is to use nitro and nitro-glyftal enamels, as well as alcohol-based varnishes. These finishes provide a durable shine and come in various colors and shades. High-end wooden furniture is polished with quality polish.
For surfaces that are not polished, you can occasionally wipe them down with warm soapy water or a weak solution of the cleaning powder “Novost.” Avoid using baking soda or laundry detergents for wiping. Polished furniture or furniture painted with clear varnishes should never be wiped with a damp cloth.
Unpainted wooden items can be washed with soapy water and baking soda, and even scrubbed with wet, sifted clean sand. The sand should be heated over a strong flame and then rinsed with clean water.
**Removing Stains from Polished Surfaces**
Before attempting to remove a stain, it’s essential to identify its origin. For unknown stains, wipe them with a cloth soaked in pure gasoline. If the stain has set in, repeat the process with gasoline several times. After the stain is removed, polish the cleaned area with a clean cloth until it shines. Sometimes, the substance that left the stain can damage the underlying polish. In such cases, to restore the polish, mix equal parts of alcohol or denatured alcohol with linseed oil. Instead of oil, you can use purified turpentine. Apply the prepared liquid to the stain with a clean cloth, let it dry, and then polish with a cloth.
If a hot object has been placed on a polished surface, you can restore the polish using the following methods. Wipe the stain with a pad soaked in a few drops of alcohol or denatured alcohol. Alternatively, you can make a pad from dense fabric filled with fine table salt. Soak this pad in denatured alcohol and linseed oil, mixed in equal parts. The next day, polish with a soft cloth.
To remove fly stains, wipe with a cloth soaked in vinegar, then polish the cleaned areas with a dry, soft cloth. Mold stains can be removed by wiping them with kerosene. Stains on polished oak furniture (or oak-like finishes) can be treated with colorless shoe cream or turpentine mastic for parquet floors.
Preparing a polish for oak furniture is simple: grate a tablespoon of beeswax, melt it over low heat, then remove from heat and stir in three tablespoons of turpentine. Apply this mixture to the wood surface. After it dries, polish with a cloth.
**Cleaning Upholstered Furniture**
Start by thoroughly beating the upholstery of soft furniture, then clean it with a brush or vacuum. Refresh the fabric by wiping it with a brush soaked in warm soapy water, then remove any soap residue with a damp cloth and dry it with a clean cloth.
For leather upholstery, remove stains with a mixture of equal parts pure gasoline and dry potato starch. Rub the paste into the stain and clean it off after it dries. For heavy stains, repeat the cleaning process.
To give leather upholstery a shine, prepare a mixture of shellac varnish and a 10% borax solution, using equal parts of each. Slightly warm the mixture, then filter it. Apply a thin, even layer of the shellac mixture to the leather surface. Once dry, a thin film remains on the leather, known as shellac finish, which has a beautiful shine. This same mixture can be used on any leather items. If desired, the finish can be tinted with dye for wool fabric.
**Restoring Polished Furniture**
After several years of use, the polish on furniture can dull and develop fine hairline cracks. Severely dulled polish must be removed, and the surface polished anew.
There are two methods for removing old polish: 1) scraping, which involves removing the polish with a sharpened steel blade called a scraper; 2) chemically, using ammonia to dissolve the polish. Instead of a scraper, you can use pieces of glass with a straight, unbroken edge.
A homemade holder can be made for the glass to protect your hands from cuts. Alternatively, you can use sandpaper or glass paper. Start with coarse sandpaper, and after removing the layers of polish, switch to finer sandpaper. For convenience, you can make small wooden blocks covered with felt or wool, on which you can attach the sandpaper, securing the ends with small nails. You may need to change the sandpaper several times when sanding large surfaces, such as a wardrobe.
Using a chemical method, you can remove layers of polish with strong ammonia, preferably 25% concentration. When working with strong ammonia, wear rubber gloves and protect your clothing from splashes. After using ammonia, ventilate the room.
Once the old polish is removed, you can begin applying a new one. If you’re polishing for the first time, it’s best to start with the less visible side surfaces before moving on to the more prominent front surfaces.
It’s easier to polish on horizontal surfaces; for example, remove cabinet doors and place them on a prepared work table. Secure the piece you are polishing. The temperature in the room where polishing is done should be no lower than 65°F.
For polishing, use only shellac polish, which can be purchased at hardware stores. The polish should be of high quality, so it’s better to use standard materials that meet GOST (the Russian national standard). The quality of the polish significantly affects the beauty and durability of the finish.
If the wood has a beautiful grain, wipe the entire surface with a thin layer of high-quality natural linseed oil before starting the polishing process, and only after a day begin the actual polishing.
The “tool” for polishing is a pad made from wool fabric covered with knit or linen cloth. The first polish is done with shellac varnish diluted with denatured alcohol (one part varnish to three parts alcohol). Sprinkle the pad soaked in varnish with fine pumice powder. Rub the pumice-varnish mixture thoroughly into the wood grain. After this treatment, proceed to polish with pure varnish without pumice powder. Then allow it to dry.
Even standard varnish contains undissolved suspended particles that create a cloudiness. To achieve sufficient shine on the polished surface, these particles should be filtered through cotton, filter paper, or felt.
During further polishing, add a few drops of natural linseed oil to the pad soaked in varnish. Ensure that the varnish on the pad does not dry out, especially at the edges, as this can cause scratches during polishing.
When moving the pad, the “strokes” should closely follow each other or partially overlap. As the varnish thickens, gradually thin it with denatured alcohol. The speed of movement should gradually increase, and polishing movements in the shape of eights should be very quick.
When applying each subsequent layer of varnish, the first two passes should be made without oil, which helps better bond adjacent layers. While polishing, try not to lift the pad from the surface to avoid creating spots. If necessary to lift or reposition the pad, do so with sliding movements.
**Matte Polishing of Furniture**
Coarse-grained types of wood do not lend themselves to high-gloss polishing. Woods like oak are polished to achieve a matte sheen. This is done using a wax polishing compound prepared as follows: finely grate 100g of natural beeswax and melt it over low heat. Separately, slightly warm 300g of purified turpentine (pharmaceutical grade) by placing it in a vessel with hot water. Pour the melted wax into the warm turpentine while stirring. Allow the mixture to cool, resulting in a paste-like substance used for matte polishing of coarse-grained wood.
Apply the wax paste to the wood surface in a thin layer. After it dries, polish with a cloth until shiny, then finish with flannel or another soft fabric.
If using shellac varnish, add about 6% warm wax paste to the regular varnish. Shake the mixture well. For this type of polishing, do not soak the pad in oil; instead, lightly moisten it with denatured alcohol. The shellac-wax polishing mixture provides beautiful, durable finishes.