This Handbook contains, in a form convenient for everyday use, a comprehensive digest of the knowledge of Staining, Varnishing, and Polishing Woods, scattered over ten thousand columns of WORK one of the weekly journals it is my fortune to edit and supplies concise information on the general principles of the crafts on which it treats.

In preparing for publication in book form the mass of relevant matter contained in the volumes of WORK, much that was tautological in character had to be rejected. The remainder necessarily had to be arranged a new, altered and largely re-written. From these causes the contributions of many are so blended that the writings of individuals cannot be distinguished for acknowledgment.

Headers who may desire additional information respecting special details of the matters dealt with in this Handbook, or instruction on kindred subjects, should address a question to WORK, so that it may be answered in the columns of that journal.

P. N. HASLUCK.


CHAPTER I - PROCESSES OF FINISHING WOOD.
 

By French polishing and spirit varnishing, or both in combination, household furniture and many other things are covered with a lac solution, with the object of giving them a polished mirror-like surface, showing the beauty and figure of woods to the best advantage. By painting, the latter qualities are hidden, and to an extent the cabinet-maker's skill has been so much labour in vain. The surface, as it comes from the cabinet-maker's hands, shows an unfinished article, to which dust and finger-marks would soon give a dirty appearance.

Staining is the process of imparting to the surface of wood a colour different from its natural one. Staining requires no preliminary preparation, the stain being applied directly to the wood. Most stains raise the grain of the wood to a considerable extent, so before applying varnish, it is necessary to sand-paper the wood enough to render the grain smooth again; this sometimes involves the use of a second coat of stain, after which the sand-paper must be again applied. To simply stain a piece of wood in a uniform tint, and to produce a gloss by coats of varnish, is not all that is required in these modern days of keen competition; and this is particularly true in the case of furniture of the medium and higher grades.

The method of finishing most suitable for woodwork depends on circumstances. For coarse work varnish does very well, but for articles of furniture French polishing is to be preferred, as finer results can be obtained by it. In addition to these methods, we have oil and wax polishing processes, which are to be preferred for some kinds of work, and which are treated on in a later chapter.

Choice articles of furniture, from the substantial sideboard to the flimsy fretwork ornament, may be varnished instead of polished; but such a well-finished surface cannot be got with the simpler and easier process, which is also more expeditious. To distinguish that which will be worth polishing properly, and that for which a coat of varnish is sufficient, must be left to the reader's consideration, but he will get better results from careful varnishing than from badly executed polishing; though the simple wax polishing described on p. 50 can be done by anybody who has patience.

Furniture made from pine may be considered the only kind which it is proper to varnish, though even this is sometimes French polished. However, unless particularly well made and finished, it is not customary to polish it. Its appearance is improved by polishing, like that of other woods ; but as the chief advantage in pine furniture is its cheapness, varnishing is supposed to be good enough for it. The process of japanning, by which much of the cheaper kinds of pine furniture is finished, is similar to painting. This handbook will be confined to processes in which the grain or natural figure of the wood is simply brought out and improved by a transparent covering. Mahogany, walnut, and all the finer woods used in making furniture should be polished, in order to make them look their best. The novice must form his own opinion as to when he ought to finish by polishing and when by varnishing.

A glossy surface on wood is often described indifferently as varnish or polish, and to a certain extent rightly so. An expert has no difficulty in distinguishing the mode of finishing which has been adopted for a piece of woodwork, but it is not easy to explain the distinction. He would not confound the two terms, polish and varnish; but if asked to point out the difference he would probably say in effect that varnish is laid on with a brush, while French polish is applied by means of a rubber, an explanation which will bear supplementing. In order to arrive at a clearer idea of the difference between the two processes, it will be well to understand the action .of a varnish.

Varnish is applied in a liquid state, and this liquid is a solvent for the gum or resin used. The surface of the work is coated with the varnish. The solvent evaporates, leaving a film of the resin which was dissolved in it. Wood, or anything else so treated, is said to be varnished.

The medium used to obtain a French polished surface, although really only a varnish, is one of a much finer kind than is generally suggested by that word. French polish might be described as a special varnish for French polishing. However, both the finished gloss and the material by means of which the gloss is produced are commonly spoken of as French polish. The material is thin varnish, which experience has shown to be most suitable for producing a fine, smooth, glossy surface by the French mode of polishing.

In the furniture trade the cabinet maker, the upholsterer, and the polisher are distinct persons, each often totally unfamiliar with any branch of the business beyond his own special one. But is there any sound reason for this being the case 1 The furniture- trade artisan who is able to do polishing and all that appertains to it will command a better market for his labour than he who ignores everything outside his particular groove. This applies more especially to those in country districts, but even in the larger centres of population facility in more than one branch of a trade cannot fail to be of advantage.

The celebrated Vernis Martin (which means simply Martin's Varnish) produced a very fine finished surface by means of some material or manipulation which the inventor kept a secret, and which is said to have died with him. This, however, seems improbable, for it is reasonable to suppose that his success induced others in the same line of business to imitate, and the result is French polish. This present-day French polish is Vernis Martin as nearly as we know how to imitate it. Martin's materials, and his mode of producing the gloss or polish, were, probably, different from ours; but he made his reputation by the somewhat cumbersome processes of smoothing or polishing a varnish ; but the simpler process now known as French polishing is sufficient for practical purposes, and only those prompted by curiosity will care to try a more tedious way of getting similar effects. At the same time, it must not be assumed that there is no more progress to be made in the art of wood-polishing.

The polisher of to-day is called upon to do many difficult jobs. It is not enough for him to be able to put a clear bright polish on anything that may be brought to him. He must be able to match the various coloured woods, giving to the whole an appearance of carefully- selected and joined veneers. Here a knowledge of how to use chemicals, stains, and dyed polishes must be brought into use. Some parts may require to be made darker, dark parts may have to be made lighter, or oak may have to be treated so as to present an appearance of age.

The unvarnished and unpainted oak fittings of stables have been noticed to change from their light colour to a rich brown. Observant minds have traced this result to ammoniacal fumes. Acting on this principle, many oak articles are given an appearance of age, or enriched in colour, by shutting them up for a time in a cupboard or air-tight box on the bottom of which has been placed an open dish of liquor ammonia. Failing a suitable cupboard in which to do this, chemistry comes to our aid, and we get a like result by wiping over with a solution of bichromate of potash, common soda, or lime-water. With careful management, and by the aid of these and dyed polishes, common bay wood or plain mahogany can be made to look equal to Spanish mahogany.