How to polish a wood countertop. The subtleties of flawless hand polishing

All photos from the article

The final stage of wood processing is like the final touch in a painting. A smooth shiny or glossy surface begins to "sound" quite special. The color becomes deeper, the pattern appears brighter, emphasizing the perfection of the product. Careful polishing of the material will not only emphasize its beauty, but will ensure its safety for a long time.

Chic, shine - beauty

What can and should be polished, with what and how - these are exciting questions for those who want or are forced to do this difficult but exciting business. Polishing wooden products - brand new walls or restored countertops, performs an aesthetic and protective function ().

Pros and Cons of Lacquer

Take a closer look, you are surrounded by a lot of things made of wood, the treated surface of which shines or glows matte:

decorative crafts;

decorative cutting boards, spoons;
walls / floors;
furniture;
laminate (there are also such lovers).

But polishing wooden products is not always appropriate and safe, these include:

spoons, if they are intended for food, not decoration;
kitchen knives - a very smooth handle is more difficult to hold, and if it falls, the decorative layer will inevitably crack;
gun stocks (for the same reason).

In conclusion

Every day, throughout our lives, we subject things to tests - touches, blows, put them in the scorching sun or a damp terrace. Often, thanks to the decorative coating, it is possible to preserve / restore furniture, decor elements or art objects for a long time.

If you want to get super glossy on your furniture, the video in this article will reveal all the secrets of this process.

Despite the fashion, lacquered furniture has been and remains in great demand due to its beauty and presentability. But it has a significant drawback - it is difficult to clean from dirt, so stains must be removed as they form. Furniture polish gives wood products an updated look. It also restores the polishing of furniture at home, and interior items again acquire a well-groomed appearance.

Lacquered furniture has a number of negative qualities:

Dust quickly settles on it;
There are stains from the hands;
The surface of polished products is easily scratched and cracked.

Polished furniture needs special care, if it is not followed, serious flaws may appear. In order for interior items to serve for a long time and retain their appearance, you need to pay attention to factors that harm lacquered products:

Excessive dryness of wood;
High humidity;
Direct sunlight on the wood;
Large accumulation of dust;
Proximity to heaters.

All this spoils the appearance of polished wood. Furniture becomes unattractive, quickly ages, fades in the sun, deforms. Spots and cracks appear on the varnish layer. To avoid damage to the wooden facade, furniture polishes are used. The right tool will extend the life of polished furniture. How to restore the polish for each type of wooden furniture, it will help to find out more detailed information about each of them.

Varieties

To effectively polish furniture, you need to choose the right product for a glossy surface, which will protect it from minor damage, scratches and chips. Properly applied to the surface of the furniture, the polish gives it a shine, evens out the shade and prevents the accumulation of dust. With regular use, the tool helps to restore the beauty inherent in the new product, as well as protect it from the negative effects of the environment. Car polish and conventional wood polishes differ in their action - some with a tinting effect, others - giving shine. Therefore, choosing them, you need to familiarize yourself with each type.

Furniture polish with wax

So that scratches are not visible on lacquered furniture, and shine appears on the surface, wax-based products are used that reliably protect wood from damage and also hide minor defects. The advantage of wax-based polishes is the long-term effect of the product.

It is rarely possible to cover wood with a composition, since the film keeps on it for a long time, while maintaining powerful protective properties. The negative quality of the wax composition is that traces of any touch are visible on the surface polished by it.

Tinting compositions

If minor damage and faded spots are visible on polished furniture, a polish with tinting agents is required. This composition contains antistatic components, they repel dust from the treated surface and it retains a fresh look for a long time. When using a tinting polish, the wood does not need to be varnished, as the product itself will make it bright and well-groomed. Polishing furniture with such a tool is equivalent to painting. As a result, the restored wooden surface will acquire a glossy appearance. A tool that masks scratches, as well as preventing their appearance on the facade of the headset.

If polished furniture is covered with scratches, it is recommended to use wax-based compounds. This component of the polish fills in minor damage, making them invisible. And the thick film that appears after applying the product prevents scratches on the furniture.

Compositions for varnished wood products

Such means for polishing furniture belong to a separate group. The fact is that if there is a varnish layer on interior items, they cannot be covered with universal compounds that dry the surface. In this case, the polishing liquid is required to create additional protection - a strong film over the varnish layer. Then directly varnishing becomes not needed.

Industrial

The most famous furniture polishes:

Pronto - the tool cleans stains from furniture well, and also masks scratches on its surface;
Chirton is a wax-based product that removes dust and dirt from the wood surface well, improves its structure;
Emsal - quickly copes with dust, as well as stains from water and grease. Due to the presence of natural oils in the composition of the polish, it refreshes the color of the wood, giving it a natural shine;
Luxus - cleans the surface of wooden furniture, gives it a neat, well-groomed look;
Mebelux - designed to care for wooden surfaces, extending their service life.

These, as well as other types of polish, can be bought at a hardware store or in the market.

Folk remedies

In addition to industrial compositions, it is permissible to cover wooden sets with folk remedies. They also carefully care for the surface, eliminating scratches and minor damage. They are considered the best.

potato tubers

To polish the wood, take 1 tuber, clean it and cut it in half. For this, it is advisable to take a large potato. Then we draw it along the facade of the wood, which needs to be polished. After that, dry the headset with a rag. Cleaning furniture should not be done with a damp cloth or sponge, as this will remove the gloss and erase the polish. Lacquered interior items cannot be cleaned with soapy water, it spoils the surface of the product.

We cut potatoes

We process the coating

Wipe with a dry cloth

Burdock oil

To restore polished furniture, you need to apply oil to a cotton swab or soft cloth, and then gently wipe the wood. Upon completion of work, the treated surface is wiped with a flannel patch.

Choosing a burdock

Vegetable oil and flour

Polish the wooden furniture pieces with flour and oil. The products must be mixed in the same proportion, and then distributed over the surface of the furniture with a rag. This tool polishes the surface of scratched furniture well, which, after processing, acquires a well-groomed appearance and gloss.

We combine the ingredients

Wipe the surface

table vinegar

If the headset is heavily soiled, it can be treated with vinegar. It will give shine to glossy furniture, and mask damage. After using vinegar, as a rule, the room must be ventilated so that the unpleasant smell stops “chasing” the headset.

Wiping furniture with vinegar

We ventilate the room

Sauerkraut pickle

Furniture is wiped with a rag soaked in brine. The stronger the brine, the better it polishes the surface. These are not all folk methods that restore the base of wooden furniture. But such recipes are considered the most effective, they retain the result for a long time, are safe and affordable.

How to apply

Any store composition, whether it be painting the surface or restoring shine, is applied according to certain rules, failure to comply with which will ruin the furniture. To restore polishing, the composition is applied to a dry surface, previously cleaned of contaminants. Aerosol polish should be sprayed evenly.

At the same time, the distance from the cylinder to the furniture is 30 cm, which will avoid the formation of drops. Do not immediately apply a thick layer of polish, it is better to wait until the first is completely dry, then carefully apply the second.

Polishes in the form of a cream are squeezed onto a cloth or napkin, after which they are rubbed into the wood until it becomes monophonic and shiny. Before application, the surface must be clean and dry so that the product is evenly distributed and completely absorbed. How often you should use a cream or spray depends on the brand of the product, the surface of the furniture and the function of the composition.

Professionals advise treating wood with polish 1-2 times a month. This applies to cabinets, cabinets, chests of drawers and other interior items. But it is recommended to cover the countertop with the agent every week, since this piece of furniture is used more often than others. If regular care is neglected, restoration may be necessary.

How to choose

In order for the polish to give a noticeable result, you need to know additional selection criteria. This will help you choose a product that is not only ideal for a particular coating, but also does not cause discomfort to the person using it. If there is no silicone in the polish, then this tool can cover not only a wooden surface, but also marble, plastic, glass and ceramics.

As a rule, conscientious manufacturers care about the convenience of potential consumers and make packaging with polish in the form of sprays, aerosols and creams that are easy to apply, dose, and then tightly close until the next use. The popularity of the product can speak about the quality. In order to verify the authenticity of advertising, you can interview friends who have already used the polish. If the polish is of poor quality, it will be immediately noticeable.

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Wood is a rather delicate material, so poor selection of inappropriate wood treatment products can lead to irreversible damage to products and surfaces. Although or can be made from a variety of materials, wood is most commonly used to make them. Fortunately, there are many natural ways that wood surfaces can be polished to restore their shine.

1st way - polishing tree beeswax and turpentine

This natural product does not change the color of the wood, it consists of turpentine and beeswax, two natural oily substances, after polishing with which the surface of the wood looks smooth and shiny. To prepare, you will need 1/4 cup of beeswax, which must be melted by stirring with a wooden spoon. After the wax has dissolved, it must be removed from the heat and slowly add 1/4 cup of turpentine to the container, after cooling, pour into a closed container, where it is recommended to store the product. Optionally, essential oils can be added to the polishing paste to neutralize the strong smell of turpentine. The agent is applied in a small amount to a rag and rubbed into the furniture or floor.

2nd way - polishing wooden surfaces with olive oil and lemon

Natural oil for polishing wooden surfaces leaves behind a protective layer from dust, and lemon juice disinfects and cleans the surface. To prepare, thoroughly mix 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup lemon juice. After pouring the finished product into a plastic bottle with a spray, with which it will be convenient to evenly distribute the polishing agent on the surface. Any soft cloth can be used for polishing.

3rd method - Polishing wood with Vaseline

The oily texture of petroleum jelly helps matt wooden surfaces look like new. For cooking you need to mix 3 tablespoons of petroleum jelly and 2 tablespoons of alcohol. It is recommended to apply the product in a thin layer on a wooden floor or furniture; any soft, clean cloth can be used for polishing.

4th way - using an almond oil and white vinegar remedy

Homemade wood polish is a great alternative for aging wood surfaces as well as removing stubborn stains. The product is excellent for removing round stains from glasses, in addition, it restores the natural shine of surfaces. To prepare, mix 3/4 cup almond oil and 1/4 cup white vinegar. The method of application and polishing is the same as in the previous three options.

5th way - using linseed oil

To prepare a wood polish, you need 1/2 cup of linseed oil, which must be brought to a boil and add 1/4 cup of turpentine to it. It is recommended to apply the product in a thin layer, polish with a soft cloth.

Wood polishing is a process that allows you to achieve a glossy or matte sheen of wood while maintaining the pattern and texture of the material. Polishing wood with your own hands is not very difficult to perform, but it requires accuracy and time. Let's figure out how to polish a tree at home, and what materials and tools will be needed for this.

Not all types of wood are suitable for polishing. So, conifers are not at all suitable for polishing (the exception is cypress), as well as other large-layered varieties. But small-layer varieties -, mahogany, etc. - will fit for polishing. In general, the harder the wood, the better it can be polished. Soft wood can also be polished, but it will not work to achieve a completely glossy sheen.
Wood polishing consists in using finely dispersed abrasives to give the coating film the desired degree of gloss.. First you need to decide what kind of shine you want to give the wood - matte or glossy. The purchase of a finishing composition and the use of abrasive materials will depend on this.

Polishing wood: choosing and applying varnish

Without which wood polishing is impossible, it is without a sufficiently thick coating film.. The thin film can be rubbed through during processing. Therefore, the first stage of preparation for polishing wood will be the application of several layers of varnish. Polishing varnish on wood is carried out only after the varnish has completely dried and hardened - you cannot add shine to soft, elastic varnish.
You also need to choose the right materials for polishing wood - abrasives. When abrasives are rubbed on a varnished surface, small scratches remain, reflecting light. Ultimately, it is the size of these strokes-scratches that determines the degree of gloss. The smaller the grains of abrasive, the more glossy the surface will be, the larger, the more dull and matte.
But not only the abrasive determines the degree of gloss of the coating. So, the composition for finishing (polish for wood) may contain silica particles, which reflect light in a special way and give the wood a matte sheen. Such material will no longer allow you to make wood glossy. But when using a glossy composition, the level of gloss can be reduced. Therefore, as already mentioned, decide in advance how you want to see the product:
1) A glossy sheen can be achieved by using nitrolac or shellac to polish wood. Since these compositions are made on organic solvents, each of their subsequent layers will merge with the previous one. As a result, you will get one continuous layer of coating, which is quite easy to polish. Shellac for wood is easy to prepare at home: for 0.5 liters of 90-95% ethyl alcohol, add 60 grams of crushed shellac resin to ceramic or glassware. Then the vessel should be tightly closed with a lid, stirring the composition from time to time until the shellac is completely dissolved. The mixture is then filtered.
2) For semi-matt, with a slight silky sheen, it is recommended to take water, penftal or polyurethane varnishes. Layers of such compositions do not merge into one, as in the previous case, but dry out as separate layers. Therefore, when grinding, you need to be careful - if you overdo it, spots of the lower layers will be visible.
3) And for an absolutely matte sheen, oil-varnish compositions or oil varnishes are taken.

Polishes designed for a matte sheen hide minor defects much better than shellac or nitro lacquer used for a glossy sheen.
Between the application of layers of varnish when polishing wood, it is desirable to grind them. You can sand with stearate coated paper (for dry sanding), silicon carbide abrasive paper or waterproof silicon carbide paper (for water-based varnishes).
If you want to sand wet, use paper without a stearate coating. In order to prevent the paper from becoming clogged during the grinding process, you need to use a lubricant: , kerosene, soapy water. Otherwise, the coating particles may coalesce and leave marks on the coating. Lubricants act in different ways: for example, with oil, paper does not get greasy for a long time, but work is slow; with soap, grinding progresses quickly, but it is possible to grind “to holes”. Therefore, you need to grind very carefully.

Polishing wood: polishing polish

So, the varnish for the wood has already been applied, completely dried, you can proceed to the actual polishing of the wood. On the varnished surface, it is recommended to apply a wax paste using a swab made of non-woven material (so that there are no lint left). Pastes are used at the last stage of wood polishing.

Spread the paste over the surface with smooth movements - this way you smooth out dust particles and correct small bumps, streaks and bubbles. Particularly large defects can be removed with a blade, dried dust -. In principle, soap or white spirit can be used instead of special wax, but wax can do this job much better.
Wax pastes are rubbed over the surface with a swab or a piece of felt cloth. In stores, wax pastes, thanks to which you can achieve a matte sheen when polishing wood, have an orange color. In order to achieve a glossy sheen, white polishing pastes are used.
After applying the paste, the wood is polished directly. Polished wood will be beautiful if you use lambswool rollers, polishers or eccentric machines with a special polishing sole. At the very end of polishing the wood, apply a layer of paste and carefully polish it - this will protect the wood from wear.
As you can see, polishing a tree is a laborious process, but in principle it is not difficult. In addition to accuracy, it requires careful selection of wood polish, abrasives and other materials for polishing wood.

Tatyana Kuzmenko, member of the editorial board of the Sobcorrespondent of the online publication "AtmWood. Wood-industrial bulletin"

Painting wood with varnish with your own hands is the final operation in wood processing, similar to the final touch when creating a picture. Glossy, smooth and radiant surface "sounds" very special.

The color becomes deeper, the pattern is more visible, the perfection of the product, its beauty is emphasized, and the safety for a long time is ensured. What paints and varnishes can be used on wood, when finishing furniture.

Wood is a material used for many purposes: from construction to the manufacture of furniture, souvenirs and dishes. However, structures and wood products can not lose their properties and attractiveness for a long time only if they are well protected from harmful factors.

Wood is affected by:

Dampness.
Ultraviolet.
Fire.
Various insect pests.

Tip: Logs, boards, wooden parts for furniture assembly, floor laying should be pre-treated with varnishes. This will not only help preserve the attractiveness of wood, but also emphasize its natural color or give the product a different shade.

After application, wood varnish on the surface should create a hard film that protects the tree for the entire period of operation. Before choosing paints and varnishes for wood (see Which paint is better to paint a tree: making a choice), you need to determine the desired composition - they are all designed for specific tasks.

At the same time, varnishes, depending on the proportion of oil and resin in them, can be:

oily, which are divided into:

fatty;
bold;
skinny.

Such coatings have a relatively short shelf life, and after thickening they become unusable. Oil varnishes are used for applying them to wooden floors.

Modern varnishes have a synthetic base and additives that protect wood from ultraviolet radiation. Before application, they are diluted with water or a solvent.

Phenolic and alkyd. To achieve saturation of tone, these materials can be applied several times. In doing so, they:

wear-resistant;
strong enough;
are not exposed to the weather.

Varnish is selected depending on the purpose of the treated surface:

internal work should be carried out only with compounds that are safe for health;
outdoor - with good resistance to environmental influences.

Acrylic. These are water-soluble, universal formulations. The presence of additives, allows you to protect surfaces from discoloration from sunlight, such a coating can:

apply to logs and beams during the construction of facades and fences;
apply to cover ceilings and walls made of wood, doors (see How to paint a door: we select an option). Their difference from other coatings is a lower consumption per unit area.

Urethane-alkyd or yacht. Used to treat a wide variety of wooden surfaces, which can be:

furniture;
floors;
railing;
all kinds of interior details.

Such a coating forms a quick-drying and high-strength layer on the surface.

In appearance, varnishes are:

Glossy.
Semi-gloss.
Matte.

Instructions for choosing a varnish suggests taking into account its features.

The material must be:

wear resistance. Varnish should be selected depending on the level of expected load and the purpose of the surface. With a light load, it is enough to use a regular varnish, and for a floor covering you will need a varnish with increased wear resistance.
Smell. Outdoor work can be carried out with varnishes with any smell, including harsh and heavy, which have polyester, acrylic and polyurethane compounds. It is advisable to carry out internal work with odorless varnishes made on a water basis.
fire safety. If the surface will be exposed to high temperatures with a high risk of fire, a heat-resistant varnish is selected.
The number of components in the composition. Lacquers are produced one- and two-component. After applying a one-component varnish, a protective film is formed, obtained by evaporating the solvent and drying its residues. Formation of a film from a two-component composition is different:

solvent and hardener begin to enter into a chemical reaction;
the protective layer is more reliable.

How to polish wooden surfaces after varnishing

Tip: To give a wooden lacquered surface the look of glass, polish the lacquer. Lacquer coating does not give the expected effect. All wood villi smoothed by polishing will rise from the varnish and disturb the appearance of the product.

There are several ways to give a mirror finish to a wooden surface with your own hands.

The most famous of them:

Lacquering. In this process, all micropores are filled with varnish, which will not allow a new pile to appear. The resulting film will become resistant to water and dust, and the surface will get a deeper and richer pattern. Processing is carried out with a cotton swab, pre-wrapped in a clean canvas cloth that will not leave lint on the surface to be treated.

Wax coating. This is not a difficult process that you can do yourself at home. After processing with wax mastic, the natural texture of wood will become more clearly manifested, visually the surface will become soft and velvety. This method is great for hardwoods:

ash;
walnut;
oak.

To improve the effect on soft wood species: birch, alder, linden, wood must first be tinted.

When waxing, the spaces between the hairs of the wood are carefully filled until the surface is sufficiently smooth, after which varnish is applied.

Polishing. This technology allows you to create the most beautiful texture, while maintaining the pattern of wood. The resulting surface resembles a mirror.

Tip: Do not polish wood with a large texture.

How to wax wood

Waxing technology is as follows:

Wood, previously cleaned of lint by sanding, is covered with a small layer of mastic.
After drying, the surface is wiped with a soft cloth against wood fibers.

Tip: After applying one layer, you need to check the entire plane. Existing pores and cracks must be filled with wax. The surface must have a smooth appearance.

The floor covering or product is kept warm for two hours.
The second layer of mastic is applied with a soft rag, gradually increasing the pressure on the surface, it should be smooth and matte.
Paints, varnishes for wood based on shellac, applied in a thin layer, will give the polished surface its final look.

The disadvantage of this method is low resistance to moisture, even a drop of water leaves its mark.

How to varnish the surface

Works are carried out with shellac or oil varnish.

When applied with the first composition:

The varnish is applied in two thick layers. In this case, all the irregularities are well filled with the composition.
All lacquer coating is removed with sanding materials. The varnish remains only in cracks and pores.
The second layer is applied. This is considered a pre-priming of the surface.
Dust is carefully removed.
The third, thinnest layer of varnish is applied and left indoors for two days.

Tip: After applying this layer of varnish, it is impossible for dust to fall on it.

One or two coats of top coat are applied.

It is necessary to ensure that there are no smudges on the surface, which subsequently form stains. This can be avoided by applying a very thin layer of varnish, without destroying the film formed after the previous operation. Everything is done quickly, evenly, efficiently, without stopping.

Tip: When applying oil varnish, it must be taken into account that the composition dries for a long time.

For priming with oil varnish, a solution of:

Varnish -200 grams.
Water - one liter.

Liquid varnish is applied with a thick brush on the dried and carefully polished surface. When the solution thickens, turpentine is added. The brush should be moved evenly, without applying sudden movements, the excess coating is removed. Do not allow the formation of bubbles when moving the brush.

How to polish the surface

The order of the process is as follows:

The surface is primed in three layers of varnish. After applying the first layer, grinding is performed and dust is carefully removed. After that, two layers of varnish are applied to the dried surface.
A tampon is used for polishing, polish is applied in a thin layer. The product is dried and subjected to grinding with a grinder or abrasive materials. This process is quite long, it is better to use technology for this. Several layers of varnish are applied, each of them is dried and polished. As a result, the surface acquires a good gloss. To prevent sticking of the tampon, two drops of oil are added during the work.
The product is polished with polish, to which a small amount of oil is added, as in the photo.

Swab the surface with a swab until the desired shine is obtained. So that the previous layers do not dissolve, oil is added, at the rate of two drops per 10 cm². The process is repeated several times. Each layer of the coating is wiped with a rag, which is pre-impregnated with a solution of polish with water.

In order for the price of work to be minimal, and the quality of the applied coating to be good, it is necessary to follow the technology and sequence of operations, and apply the required number of layers. How to properly apply paints, varnishes on wood, and further care for the product shows the video in this article.