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Our Mahogany and Walnut finish process
1. Sanded over 3 grades to 0000 wire wool stringently oil free
2. Stained accordingly for our Mahogany and Walnut finish
3. Furniture grade Clay washed this fills the grain enabling even application of lacquers later in the process.
4. De nibbed with 0000 wire wool
5. Wiped with thinner using washed cotton cloth to ensure there is no oil or silicone contamination
6. Step 3 repeated
7. Step 4 repeated
8. Step 5 repeated
9. First application of highest quality Japanese (clearwater) Nippon nitrocellulose lacquer. This choice of lacquer is v important as cheap lacquers revealing an amber colour in the tin given ten years or more can yellow and crack over time and give a slightly plastic look which is undesireable!
10. Allowed to harden fully over 24 hrs, wiped with thinner using washed cotton cloth to ensure there is no oil or silicone contamination.
11. Step 9 repeated
12. Step 10 repeated
13. Step 9 repeated
14. Step 10 repeated
15. Step 9 repeated with final colour correction requiring a keen eye and judgment.
16. Step 10 repeated
17. Polish with rottenstone suspended fine particle liquid abrasive using wool or cotton pads lubricated further with water.
18. Left for 5 days to fully harden before foam and card protection.
Total time taken 13 days 20 step process
This finish gives depth and clarity to the grain and character for which, Swietenia Mahogany is regarded over all others. In your home, you will see on a repeated basis different grain and character under different light conditions. On our bed we get deep dark chocolate streaks at the top of the footboard under a dimmed light bulb at night. In daylight even the pattern of grain disappears into another and changes to dramatically different colours. It's this sort of character that the highest quality wax finish regardless of number of applications and time taken is incapable of repeating.
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Our Painted distressed finish
This finish is actually the most expensive and time consuming finish of we apply. Despite fewer individual techniques, each is repeated more often than in our other finishes. Also, paint takes longer to harden before you can move on to the next stage, which inevitably carries a cost in production.
Our methods are all done by hand using highly skilled craftsmen, using original techniques. You are unlikely to see the care and attention in products sold in chain or department stores, who deal in mass manufactured furniture.
1. Once cabinet furniture is completed in the raw (bare wood) we sand over 3 grades the last using furniture finishing wool which, is much finer than for example wet and dry, to give you an idea you can rub your face on it without discomfort.
2. Timber is sealed using a white primer, as mahogany has a rich grain and colour variation and high levels of natural oils, it needs to be completely sealed or the base colour of the timber will continue to bleed through. This means not just any primer can be used. We add dried fine clay to the primer ensuring subsequent layers are not discoloured and ensures consistent colour across the piece.
3. Seven coats are applied of the final colour each of these you have to allow to harden and then fine sand before applying the next coat.
4. The same distressing techniques we use on the walnut distressed finish is applied using a cat o' nine tails with random metal objects attached to whip the finish and stress the timber also. Also used is glass or blades adding an additional stressing element.
5. The furniture once painted and distressed has an application of finishers wax this protect and softens the final look of the finish and gives it a tactile feel ie you dont feel like your touching dried paint. It also protects the finish from marks and stains as it is used over time.
6. The wax application is fine sanded with wet and dry grade sandpaper.
7. Supersoft wire wool is used to polish the final finish.
8. When combining colours the second colour is done only after the first is finished. As you can imagine, 2 colours adds a considerable amount of processes and time.
This Process requires 22 steps in total and when combining colours 32 which, gives a high quality hand finish that is virtually impossible to find on the high street.
When we mix the walnut distressed finish with painted distressed finishes this can total 62 processes! |
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Our Walnut distressed finish
1. Sanded over 3 grades to 0000 wire wool stringently oil free.
2. Whipped in the raw using cat o' nine tail whip with random metal objects such as brass fittings, small padlocks, keys, nuts etc.
3. Scraped using glass or blades.
4. Stained accordingly for our Walnut finish.
5. Furniture grade Clay washed this fills the grain enabling even application of lacquers later in the process.
6. De nibbed with 0000 wire wool.
7. Wiped with thinner using washed cotton cloth to ensure there is no oil or silicone contamination.
8. Step 3 repeated
9. Step 4 repeated
10. Step 5 repeated
11. Step 6 repeated
12. First application of highest quality Japanese ("clearwater") Nippon nitrocellulose lacquer. This choice of lacquer is very important as cheap lacquers revealing an amber colour in the tin given 10 years or more can yellow and crack over time and give a slightly plastic look which you don't want!
13. Allowed to harden fully over 24 hrs, wiped with thinner using washed cotton cloth to ensure there is no oil or silicone contamination.
14. Whipped using cat o' nine tail whip with random metal objects such as brass fittings, small padlocks, keys, nuts etc.
15. Scraped using glass or blades.
16. Dark antique scrumble stain brushed on and then cleaned off it then sits in the stress marks from the cat o'nine tail and scraping.
17. Step 12 & 13 repeated.
18. Step 14, 15, & 16 repeated.
19. Step 12 & 13 repeated.
20. Step 14, 15, 16 repeated.
21. Step 12 repeated with final colour correction requiring a keen eye and judgment then step 13.
22. Polish with rottenstone suspended fine particle liquid abrasive using wool or cotton pads lubricated further with water.
23. Left for 5 days to fully harden before foam and card protection.
This is a total of 23 steps taking a total time of 15 days. |
