Polishing raw wood and finished wood does have some needs because it involves a particular method of polishing. Techniques on how to burnish wood furniture enable your wood to keep a good glow. Burnishing is one of the most critical moves in having it appear beautiful and safe. This method may sound complex to some newbies compare to carving or a thousand tools to choose from. If you’re a DIYer like me, burnishing the wood requires an effort and gentle brush of the right mixture. This guide will help you address some simple questions regarding wood polishing, often called wood burnishing.
What Is Burnishing?
Burning is a finishing process used on wood. It provides the wood a polished, smooth finish comparable to that obtained if using polyurethane or lacquer.
Burnishing is a procedure where woodcarvers do not want compounds added to their goods or woodcraft. Burnishing is achieved by rubbing together two bits of wood. Friction heat robs away delicate, dry cell walls and reveals the harder cells. These hard walls do not accumulate stain or finishes because they have a glossy shine that excessively makes finished products.
You may also rub small shavings or chips onto the wood. Burnishing is when practitioners don’t have time to dry chemical surfaces, but they also use the procedure to achieve a design. You can apply to burnish for chairs, shelves, floors, and other things inside the house.
Advantages of Burnishing Wood
It isn’t strange if you haven’t heard of the term “burnish” before. In the woodworking field, this word is a technical expression. Burnishing is a process that uses rotations of brush on the metal or wood surface to produce a smooth surface.
All surfaces, especially metal surfaces, have a series of bumps and peaks, which render the surface rough and unappealing. We have come up with several various ways to correct such errors and have the surface appear like a mirror.
To explain my points, below are certain benefits you can find of burnished wood.
- Mirror finishing class with fine dimensions and near tolerances, helping to reduce lapping and honing.
- Improve steelmaking properties that may help increase strength.
- No extra tools or machines are needed.
- Not too many skills are required.
It would be best if you use qualified wood burnishing equipment to get the desired performance. Now let’s keep reading the next section to work out how to burnish wood furniture correctly and efficiently.
How to Burnish Wood Furniture
Burnishing applies to combine wood fibers and provide a high gloss finish to the wood. After the final lacquer coat is fully dried, the cycle is added to the wood furnish. The method by the old world’s craftsmen is rarely used in present-day woodworking because it requires time. The procedures are as follows for burnishing wood furniture.
- Rub the Lacquer Finish
The professional aggressively rub the dried lacquer finish with a tiny denim sheet. Experts suggested wrapping the denim into a tiny sheet and then rolling the sheet in repetitive movements across the lacquer finish with the fingertips. - Work Section by Section
The woodcarver will rub the finish into tiny pieces, which would be around 6 inches in diameter. The woodcarver needs to massage the pieces until it feels smooth to the lacquer surface. Users move in the direction of food, and the second section overlaps the first part. - Allow the Light to Reflect Off the Surface
The craftsman has to lean back to let the lacquer finish bounce the light off the wall. If you fail to see the wider polished look at the surface’s brushed areas, he will need to rub the area the second time. - Rub Two Sections Together
When rubbing the whole furniture section by section, the woodcarver has to follow that by brushing two parts together. Experts also suggested that the pad be rubbed over the lacquer finish in clear movements back and forth into the wood grain position. The phase should blend into the straight lines as well as smooth out the circular swirls. You should perform rubbing aggressively to provide a high gloss finish to the lacquer board.
What Is Burnishing Cream?
A more significant element in wood burnishing is burnishing cream. The first thing that you’ll need to polish the surface is cream. Burnishing cream helps make surfaces like varnishes, lacquers, and French polish spotless and restore. Specific objects may use the product to eliminate bloom and glare or to mask chips or scratches.
Burnishing cream is ideal for new furniture as far as I learn because it can erase all the scratches on the floor without rubbing at all.
On how to burnish wood furniture using burnishing cream:
- Prepare: I recommend you use the wax or polish remover to ensure clean paint.
- Use: Shake the compound hard before using it. Soak the cream in a cloth and carefully rub it in.
Note: Make sure to test the cream on the furniture before direct application. - Precaution: This cream, when freshly applied, can cause broken finishes or appear some scratches.
Some individuals could use candle wax wood finish when burning their floor as they think this candlewax will help efficient and easy processing. It is optional. You can move on and continue polishing wood using the cream; however, it needs more time. I advised using special ingredients for better results. Know more about wood furniture care.
Conclusion
Burning wood isn’t as hard as people might imagine. You need to learn how to burnish wood furniture as the correct tools and materials to go for. When you burnish wood furniture or floor, it requires a bit of carefulness. One little note from me is that you’re expected to have the equipment because poor quality burnishes will offer some surprising effects.