A guide to wood finishing

The finish is the last thing that goes onto a piece of furniture and the first thing anyone notices when they touch it. A well-chosen finish protects the wood from moisture, stains, and wear while enhancing the natural colour and grain. A poorly chosen finish can obscure the timber, yellow over time, or wear through in months.

This guide covers the main finishing options used in furniture making and joinery — what each one does, where it works best, and the trade-offs involved. It reflects the approach used in this workshop, where most pieces leave finished in hardwax oil, but the reasoning applies regardless of which workshop builds the piece.

Hardwax oil — the workshop default

Hardwax oil (Osmo, Rubio Monocoat, Fiddes, and similar) is the finish used on the majority of pieces that leave this workshop. It's a blend of natural oils and hard waxes that penetrates the wood surface and cures to a durable, satin sheen.

What makes it the default choice:

• Natural feel. The wood still feels like wood under your hand. There's no plastic coating sitting on the surface.
• Repairability. Scratches and wear marks can be fixed locally by sanding back the damaged area and reapplying oil. No need to strip and refinish the entire piece.
• Low odour. Most hardwax oils are low-VOC and safe to use in a home environment without strong solvent smells.
• Colour enhancement. The oil brings out the natural colour and grain figure of the wood without adding the amber cast that polyurethane introduces.
• Food safety. Once cured, most hardwax oils are food-safe — important for kitchen worktops, chopping boards, and dining tables.

The trade-off is maintenance. A hardwax-oiled surface benefits from a refresh coat every 12 to 24 months on high-use surfaces (dining tables, kitchen worktops). The refresh is simple — clean the surface, apply a thin coat, buff off the excess — but it does need doing. People who want a completely maintenance-free finish should consider lacquer instead.

Danish oil and tung oil

Pure oils (tung oil, linseed oil) and blended oils (Danish oil, which is typically a mix of tung oil, linseed oil, and varnish) work by penetrating the wood fibres and curing within the grain. They give a natural, low-sheen finish that darkens the wood slightly and brings out the figure.

Danish oil is the most commonly used oil finish in UK workshops because it's easy to apply (wipe on, leave, wipe off) and builds a reasonable level of protection over three or four coats. Pure tung oil gives a harder finish but takes longer to cure between coats — up to 48 hours versus 6 to 8 hours for Danish oil.

Where oil finishes work well:

• Turned pieces (bowls, platters) where the finish needs to follow complex curves.
• Pieces that will be handled frequently — tool handles, chairs, small items.
• Restoration work where matching an existing aged finish is important.

The limitation is durability. A pure oil finish offers less surface protection than hardwax oil or lacquer. Hot cups, spilled wine, and water rings will mark an oil-only surface more readily than a waxed or lacquered one.

Lacquer — spray-applied film finishes

Lacquer (whether nitrocellulose, acrylic, or pre-catalysed) builds a clear film on the wood surface. It's the finish you see on most commercial furniture — kitchen cabinets, shop-bought dining tables, office desks. Applied by spray gun in a dust-free environment, it dries quickly and builds to a tough, wipeable surface.

Advantages:

• Durability. A good lacquer finish resists water, heat, and abrasion better than any oil-based finish.
• Low maintenance. No refresh coats needed. Wipe clean and forget.
• Consistent sheen. Available in dead-matt through high-gloss, with precise control over the final appearance.

Disadvantages:

• Plasticky feel. There's a film between your hand and the wood. Some people notice this and dislike it.
• Difficult to repair. A scratch or chip in lacquer can't be fixed locally — the entire surface often needs sanding back and respraying.
• Yellowing. Some lacquers (particularly nitrocellulose) yellow over time, especially on pale timbers like ash and sycamore.
• Application requirements. Needs a spray booth or at minimum a dust-free space and proper extraction.

This workshop uses lacquer on fitted joinery where the brief calls for a painted finish (typically pre-catalysed white lacquer on alcove cupboards). For natural-wood furniture, hardwax oil is preferred for the reasons above.

Wax — paste and liquid

Traditional furniture wax (beeswax blended with carnauba or turpentine) has been used on furniture for centuries. It gives a beautiful soft sheen and a pleasant smell, and it's the finish most people associate with "proper" antique furniture.

However, wax alone is a relatively poor protector. It sits on the surface and can be rubbed off, it offers minimal moisture protection, and it needs regular reapplication to maintain its appearance. In modern furniture making, wax is rarely used as the sole finish — it's more commonly used as a top coat over an oil finish (oil for protection, wax for sheen and feel) or over shellac on restoration pieces.

Where wax makes sense:

• As a maintenance top-coat over an oiled surface — adds sheen and a silky feel.
• On turned pieces where the wax can be applied on the lathe while the piece spins.
• On furniture that won't see heavy use (display cabinets, occasional tables, decorative pieces).
• On antique restoration work where maintaining the original finish type matters.

Polyurethane varnish

Oil-based polyurethane is the traditional "varnish" that most people think of — the amber-toned, glossy coating that was standard on 1970s and 1980s furniture. It builds a hard, durable film and offers excellent moisture resistance. Modern water-based polyurethanes have reduced the yellowing problem significantly.

Polyurethane still has a place on pieces that need maximum durability and moisture resistance — outdoor furniture, bathroom shelving, pieces that will be exposed to regular splashing. For indoor furniture where aesthetics matter, the film-on-wood feel and potential yellowing make it less popular than it once was. Most clients commissioning handmade furniture today prefer the natural feel of an oil finish to the sealed feel of polyurethane.

Choosing the right finish

The choice usually comes down to a balance between protection, feel, and maintenance commitment:

• Maximum protection, minimum maintenance: pre-catalysed lacquer or water-based polyurethane.
• Natural feel, moderate protection, some maintenance: hardwax oil (the workshop default).
• Deep natural look, lower protection, regular maintenance: Danish oil or tung oil, optionally topped with wax.
• Historical accuracy on antiques: shellac (French polish) with a wax top-coat.

For most commissioned furniture in a domestic setting — dining tables, sideboards, kitchen pieces — hardwax oil hits the right balance. It looks and feels natural, protects well enough for daily use, and can be maintained without professional help.

Questions about finishing?

If you're commissioning a piece and want to discuss finish options, or if you have existing furniture that needs refinishing advice, email [email protected]. Happy to talk through the options for your specific situation.