Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Furniture Lingo: Finishes

Next up in our discussion of furniture lingo: Finishes.

We offer 4 different finish options: wax, painted, stain and lacquered or stain and wax.

Wax Finishes
The wax finish is our standard finish and is the least expensive of the finishes. The wax comes in Antique Pine (also called light wax) or Dark Wax. A wax finish looks wonderful on all the wood types we offer. The wax we use is called Flag Wax and it is not sold in stores. On occasion we will use other brands of wax. 

With a wax finish water and heat spots are possible so we recommend using coasters, place-mats and trivets for protection. To clean a waxed piece of furniture simply  wipe down with a slightly damp washcloth. Over time a wax finish may dull a little and can easily be brought back to life by buffing the piece with a soft cloth or you can easily apply a fresh coat of wax.

 New pine kitchen island with the light wax finish.

 Old wood pedestal end table with the dark wax finish.

Old wood kitchen island with a light wax finish.

Old wood sofa table with a dark wax. This particular piece was waxed with a brand wax that comes out darker than the brand we typically use. 

Cherry TV Armoire with a light wax finish.

 Old wood trestle table with a dark wax finish.
Old wood trestle table with a light wax finish.

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Painted Finishes

Clients can choose to have their furniture painted any color. Once a piece is painted we can distress it (light, medium or heavy) to give it more character if desired. We apply a wax finish to all of our painted pieces to help seal and protect the paint. (Note that the wax finish has a brown tint to it; therefore, the wax will slightly change the color of the paint.) The care for a painted piece is the same as a waxed piece. Coasters, place-mats and trivets are recommended to protect the piece from possible heat and water spots. To clean wipe the piece down with a slightly damp washcloth. Although a painted finish looks great on all of our wood types, we recommend the pine wood for painted pieces. Of course we will paint the reclaimed wood or the cherry at the client's request.

 New pine buffet with a painted finish and heavy distress.

 New pine 2 over 3 chest with a painted finish and medium distress.

 New pine pencil post bed with painted finish and medium distress.

 Cherry server with painted finish and light distress.

Both of the Habersham buffets above are made from pine wood with painted and lightly distressed finish.


We also have a skilled artist and a skilled carver that can accommodate most custom painted and carved requests. All of this work is done by hand.  

 This pine buffet was painted with multiple colors. Once the piece was rubbed back with a high distress the different colors show through. This piece also has two hand-carved corbels.

 This is a painted cherry chest of drawers with a custom painted finish and light distressing. 

This pine server was painted with multiple colors and has hand painted designs throughout. The egg & dart molding at the top of the piece is hand-carved. (Picture taken before hardware was added.)

 This reclaimed wood pedestal coffee table has a beautiful base that features hand-carving. 

This cherry bath vanity not only has a hand carved design, but it also features a custom painted finish. This piece has lovely gold accents and if you look closely you can see that this piece has a crackle painted finish. 

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Stain and Lacquered 

The stain and lacquered finish is the more formal of all our finishes and is also the most expensive. The stain and lacquered finish looks beautiful on the cherry wood. We use Minwax stains and there are several colors to choose from. To view a chart of the available colors you can visit MINWAX online or visit one of the major home improvement centers. The lacquer finish protects against water spots; however, we recommend using trivets or place-mats for extremely hot dishes to avoid the possible chance of heat spots. To clean  a lacquered piece simply use a damp cloth to wipe down the piece.

* On a personal note: I have used Pledge-type products on my own lacquered furniture at home and have never had any issues with the product ruining my the finish. 

 King size cherry panel bed with a Dark Walnut stain and lacquered finish.

 Cherry server with a Special Walnut stain and lacquered finish.

 Cherry 3 over 3 chest of drawers with a mixture of Dark Cherry and Dark Walnut stain with a lacquered finish.

 Cherry day bed with a Dark Cherry and Dark Walnut stain and lacquered finish.

 Cherry china cabinet with an Ebony stain and lacquered finish.

Cherry panel bed with a Dark Walnut stain and lacquered finish. 

Cherry dining table with an Ebony stain and lacquered finish.

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Stain and Waxed

For clients who love the look of a stained piece, but do not want it to look overly formal the stain and waxed finish is a great choice. This option looks fantastic on the reclaimed wood. As with the other finishes coasters, place-mats and trivets are recommended for protection. To clean a stain and waxed piece of furniture you use a slightly damp washcloth.

King size cherry pencil post bed with Dark Walnut stain and wax finish.

 Square old wood coffee table with Dark Walnut stain and wax finish.

 Old wood coffee table with Dark Walnut stain and wax finish.

Old wood farm table and bench with a Dark Walnut stain and wax finish.

As you can see from the pictures above the Dark Walnut stain is our most requested stain color! 

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On occasion we will have clients that want to incorporate multiple finishes on one piece which always gives a unique look.

 This painted pine piece has a multi-colored painted finish as well as a stain and waxed old wood bead-board backing.

This triple arch cherry bookcase has a dark walnut stain and lacquered finish, but the bead-board backing was painted and then waxed.

This pine kitchen hutch has a painted and wax finish while the bead-board backing has only a wax finish.

 This cherry kitchen island is painted black, but notice the bead-board backing for the shelf is waxed. the top of this piece has been stain and lacquered.

This cherry dresser features two different colored stains and has a lacquered finish.

This old wood end table is made from old wood and has a painted and wax finish.


As you can see there are numerous options to choose from when it comes to picking a finish for your custom furniture. This can sometimes pose a problem to clients as they have a hard time picking out exactly what they want which is understandable with so may choices!

If you have any further questions regarding finish please give us a call. We are more than happy to discuss the different options with you so you can find what will work best for you and your family. 



Nature's Pine
4462 Bretton Court, Suite 5
Acworth, GA 30101
770.917.9477


1 comment:

  1. I like to buy a pine furniture for my bedroom because it will add class to my bedroom space.

    ReplyDelete