Varnishing wood

Today I’ll be trying to unravel what can truly earn the right to be called a lacquer.

The first thing to establish is the difference between a lacquer and a varnish. It may be surprising to learn that lacquer and varnish are, in fact, the same thing!

What we’ve noticed is the trade tend to refer to them as ‘lacquers’ and the general public tend to call them ‘varnishes’.

I’m now left with the dilemma of how to refer to them for the rest of this blog – eeny, meeny, miny, mo… I’ll go for lacquer!

What Is Lacquer?

The Origins of Lacquer

The word lacquer derives from the Portuguese word lac, and the word varnish derives from the Latin word vernix. Vernix means odorous resin and lac is the word for a resin that comes from certain insects. Well, whatever their roots both words have simply been integrated into the English language.  A bit like the words rapid and swift, same meanings, different roots.

Facts About Lacquer

• They have been used on wooden objects for at least 4,000 years
• A French Polisher applies shellac varnish with an applicator called a rubber, although there is no rubber in it!
• By using a rubber a French polisher can typically apply 50 thin coats of French polish to a table (for example) in under an hour!
• Most experts believe that lacquers were first used in China, but there is evidence to suggest that India may have been using them before the Chinese
• Gold and silver lacquers contain real gold and silver!
• Gold and silver are harder to produce in a water based formula because being a metal they can oxidise in the water (becoming a bit ‘rust-like’)

What’s It Made Of?

In short a lacquer is a resin, mixed with a solvent. When the lacquer is applied, the solvent evaporates and the hard resin is left on the surface of the wood forming a clear, durable seal. There may be other additives, such as binding agents that make up a small percentage of the blend.

The most popular resins are lac, acrylic, polyurethane (aka PU), nitrocellulose and alkyd. Briefly their origins are as follows:

• Lac is from a lac bug
• Polyurethane is a synthetic material derived through a polymerization process
• Acrylic could be described as a liquid plastic
• Alkyd is a modified polyester

Toxicodendron vernicifluum aka Chinese Lacquer Tree Leaves

We don’t see much Chinese lacquer in Europe, but you’ve probably heard of it. So, for the record it is a (toxic) sap taken from a tree (called toxicodendron vernicifluum) that grows in mainly in China and Japan. It’s probably the most ancient of all the resins used in lacquers.

All lacquers are gloss when they are first manufactured. An ingredient called a matting agent is then added to them to reduce the sheen level. Therefore a gloss is the most durable, although it’s fair to say the difference is minimal.

No More 70’s ‘You’ve Been Tangoed’ Effect!

Lacquers are termed as clear and indeed they are, in as much as they don’t contain pigment but their ingredients will inevitably influence the colour to some degree. Polyurethane lacquers tend to add a slight, warm brown effect to the wood. They don’t add that disliked orange effect that lacquers of the 70’s and 80’s were renowned for, which could be described as resembling the appearance of a toffee apple. Today’s good PU lacquers are much clearer. Shellac lacquers also add quite a lot of colour to the wood. The clearest lacquers are the pure acrylic ones. Our pure acrylic lacquer is called Interior Varnish.

Try The Lacquer Look At Home Before You Buy!

If you want to get an idea of how your wood will look without making a purchase, then simply apply a little water to the surface. The look you get when the wood is wet (after about 10 seconds) is how it will look once varnished.

The following lacquers will give the look of wet wood:

• Extra Tough Clear Varnish
• Polyurethane Varnish
• Floor Varnish
• Bona Mega
• Bona Traffic
• 2 Pack Varnish

Other Lacquer Resources

Some more interesting info can be read on the following link:

• http://woodworking.about.com/od/finishing/p/LacquerFinishes.htm

Well I hope I didn’t give you too much detail. I didn’t want to gloss over it!

Features of the garden that tend to get a raw deal over the winter period are the wooden fixtures and fittings such as sheds, garden fences, decking and wooden patio furniture. Exposed to the ravishes of wind, rain, snow and frost, the once warm, vibrant shades and tones of exterior wood have dulled or turned to a lifeless green or grey.

If you’re heading out to the garden for the first time in the next couple of weeks and are looking to restore exterior wooden features back to their former glory, here are some superior quality, environmentally friendly products to consider:

• Exterior Wood Oil – UV Resistant and water repellent in 3 coats, this exterior wood oil is resistant to weathering and the bleaching effects of the sun. Perfect for garden furniture, decking and other exterior wooden surfaces, this exterior hardwood preservative offers unrivalled protection and performance. It is recommended that a coat of clear wood preservative is applied to the wooden surface before this product.
• Osmo Wood Stain and Protector – Ideal for all exterior woodwork. This oil based product, that also contains natural waxes is available in a range of colours and can be used to maintain the natural appearance of exterior wood. Using this product retains the original appearance of the wood texture and grain.
• Osmo Country Colour – Perfect on all wood types, new or weathered, rough or smooth, Osmo Country Colour can be used to renew previously stained, weathered or discoloured wooden surfaces ensuring further protection for many years to come. A range of colours are available. This product gives the look of a  paint and covers over the texture and  grain of the wood to leave a smooth finish.
• Spray On Fence Stain – Provides a quick and easy solution to stain and protect your fence or shed. Economical and easy to use, spray on fence treatment can extend the life of garden fence panels and sheds by protecting against the damaging effects of weathering. This product can be quickly and easily applied with an affordable hand pump spray system or by paint brush.
• Wood Preservative – An all in one solution for the treatment and prevention of damage from wood rot and fungi on timber. Wood preservatives can be left as they are or over-coated with oil or one of the above products when dry to achieve the desired finish.

Revitalising tired, external wooden items can be a job that many wish to avoid, however in a matter of hours, these surfaces can be treated to look like new again. Before grabbing a tub of Creosote, (a product soon to be outlawed because of its high toxicity and environmental impact) it is worth considering the newer, safer and environmentally friendly products now available. The natural oils and waxes that these products contain offer far superior protection and will bring tired looking sheds, fences, decking and patio furniture, back to life and ready for the summer season and beyond once again.

This process isn’t just about the cosmetics of making wood look good for another summer, it’s  a maintenance program that will help to protect your investments and help prolong the life of garden sheds, fences and decking for many years to come.

If you’re unsure of what you need, contact Wood Finishes Direct whose team are on hand to offer guidance and advice on what products are suitable. No matter what the job, whether interior or exterior, big or small, they have it all.

Fear not! With a little knowledge and the right products, your weathered sheds, fences and exterior wood can be brought back to life in an instant.

Here at Wood-Finishes-Direct.com, we have a wide range of quality wood finishes, wood stains and treatments to help you protect and restore your exterior wood to its former natural beauty. So here’s our advice on some top selling products that stand up to the job.

Shed and Fence Stains

Normally the summer air is filled with the smell of creosote but today, there’s a much better choice of low odour shed and fence stain alternatives. No longer limited to the traditional brown that creosote used to offer, new safer and more environmentally friendly exterior stains and treatments have emerged in colours such as Harvest Gold, Country Pine and Rosewood. If you have large areas to stain, such as a garden fence or shed, we recommend our simple hand operated spray system. These easy to use hand operated pumps don’t require a compressor or electricity to build up air pressure, they are light, portable and at under £16 are great value saving on the much more expensive elbow grease.

One such product that works hand-in-hand with these spray systems is Barrettines Shed and Fence stain – a product that is both an exterior stain and wood preservative offering unrivalled protection against weathering.

Garden Furniture

The British climate can be quite ruthless on our wooden garden furniture, even brand new tables and chairs can look second hand by the end of the year. There are a reasonable number of products available but if you wish to enhance and maintain the natural colour of your garden furniture, the best protective wood finishes are the products that penetrate deep in to the wood grain to replace essential natural oils.

Our Exterior wood oil, Garden Furniture Oil and Osmo wood stain protector all offer superior protection whilst enhancing the natural wood grain and warmth. If you fancy changing the character of your wood, then there are some great exterior oil based paints available in a range of colours through our online shop. We have had very good feedback with our Osmo Country Colour range, which blocks out the wood grain, and the equally popular Osmo Wood Stain Protector which allows the wood grain to show through. We’re also getting excited about adding some up and coming exterior varnishes to our Morrells range. They will be available in wood tones, ideal for exterior doors and garden furniture, or as primary colours which could be used to brighten up a child’s climbing frame, gazebo or a drab garden shed!

Decking Oils and Stains

Wooden decking presents the toughest challenge for any product as it is a high-traffic area and is normally always exposed to the elements. For those of you that want to preserve the wood’s original appearance, we recommend choosing a decking oil that has mostly pure natural ingredients, such as our Tung oil or Decking oil. From the decking stains that are available, our Barrettine Decking Stain and Treatment offers an all-in-one solution for decking that is harmless to pets and specially formulated to help prevent timber from splitting and cracking.

Protect don’t replace

Finally, it needn’t just be the old wood in the garden that needs looking after. Although the majority of new garden furniture, sheds, fences and decking come pre-treated, it doesn’t take long for the effects of the weather to start taking its toll. Even during summer, the ultraviolet rays of the sun can bleach wood stains and strip away the natural oils leaving them jaded, greying and vulnerable to wind and rain.

By using the right treatments with the right tools, decking, sheds, fences and garden furniture can be quickly and easily treated so they can be enjoyed again and again for many years to come.

As with any product always apply to a test area first as different wood types and ages will greatly influence the overall finish.