what is french polish?

You found the most beautiful antique table in an antique store. You just couldn’t leave the shop without it! As you were checking out, the shop’s owner said that the piece was French polished.

What did she mean? 

What is French polish? is it anything like Pledge or Old English furniture polish?

How do you use French polish?

French polish is a "how," not a "what."

It isn’t actually a product. It's a method of applying a variety of shellac-resin finishes.

French polishing has become increasingly rare these days, but results in one of the most beautiful finishes a wooden piece can have.

It relies on applying hundreds or sometimes even thousands of very thin layers of a shellac-resin mixture. These thin layers allow the solvent to evaporate quickly.

As these layers build, you begin to see a depth in the finish. French polishing specialists call this appearance of depth “chatoyance,” a term used by gem experts when they describe stones like tiger’s eye.

The grain takes on a 3D appearance and can appear to change when you view it from a different angle.

French polishing has the benefit of being a relatively safe, non-toxic option, as it uses only shellac flakes, resins, and grain alcohol (or denatured alcohol, if you prefer). That means you can safely french polish indoors. 

Additionally, if you have a French polished piece with an area of damaged finish, it is possible that a master French polisher can repair the area without removing the previous finish. This makes French polishing one of the best ways to preserve your antique furniture and respect the journey it's had!

What is in this shellac-resin finish?

The composition is different for every stage.

The foundation layer is entirely shellac. 

The next dozens or hundreds of layers are combinations of shellac flakes dissolved in grain alcohol along with very specific amounts of:

• Gum mastic
• Sanarac
• Benzoin
• Paraloid B-72

The particular resin-shellac mixture depends on whether you are building the initial, middle, or final layers. 

The beautiful Swiss music box below needed some attention. Our master French polisher completed marquetry and veneer repairs and then began the painstaking process of French polishing. His work paid off and this music box is as lovely as ever!

Why do you need resins? Isn’t shellac a finish all by itself?

In French polishing, shellac itself is only the base layer.

It will not provide enough protection to the piece without the addition of resins.

The resin additives are what give french polish its depth and clarity as well as some durability.

A table finished only in shellac will lose its finish if its owner spills a glass of wine on it. Alcohol dissolves shellac if the shellac has no other additives. 

A French polished table that has sufficient resin additives are less likely to be affected by spilled alcohol (if the spill is wiped up immediately).

A good French polisher wants their finish to last and protect the wood beneath it. Therefore, they will take great care that their French polish has the proper mix of resins. 

Is French polishing's shellac-resin finish better than modern lacquers?

There really isn’t a “better” or “worse.”

It all depends on what piece you want to finish and what your goal is.

You might consider French polishing if any of the following apply:

• The piece is a wooden musical instrument such as a guitar, violin, cello, etc
• The piece was originally french polished
• The piece’s current finish was applied by french polish and just needs to be rejuvenated
• The piece is a fine antique whose wood would respond well to french polish (mahogany, walnut, etc.)

French polishing might be a poor choice if:

• The piece is made of wood that has large pores (Oak, for example)
• The piece was clearly intended for ordinary, household use (ex a pie safe, a work table, etc)

How do you French polish wooden furniture or instruments?

The French polish expert begins by cleaning the surface. If the piece has not been French polished previously, the existing finish must be gently stripped away by hand. No dip stripping!

While modern lacquers sit mostly on the surface of the wood, the French polish materials need to be pushed deeper into the pores of the wood. Any pre-existing finish will prevent the material from sinking in. 

The French polish specialist will prepare a “pad” consisting of a mass of wool or other soft material wrapped in a square piece of smooth, tightly-woven cotton. They will use pads like this throughout the entire process. 

Using a pad, the specialist will apply an initial layer of shellac without any resins mixed in. This just provides a smooth surface and adds a bit of material into the pores of the wood. 

The rest of the layers will be applied in the same manner, but will use a specific shellac-resin mixture. 

If the wood’s pores need to be filled a bit more, the French polish specialist will use an extremely fine powder made of crushed pumice. This pumice powder becomes transparent when exposed to shellac, so it will fill the pores without compromising the clarity of the finish. 

Our video below will give you a brief summary of the French polishing process and then you'll hear from our master French polisher, who will describe the hows and whys of this art form. 

Can I French polish my furniture by myself?

French polishing takes lots of practice and trial-and-error.

If you want to learn simply for the challenge of it, we applaud you! French polishing is a time-honored and rewarding skill. 

If you want to refinish a piece over the course of a weekend, you may end up a bit frustrated. 

There are certainly French polishing experts who learned the art by dedicating themselves to careful research and practice, but it is an art form.

Like any art, your first results will not be immediate or perfect. It will take years of dedicated practice to become a solid French polisher.

If you want to French polish a piece of extremely fine, expensive furniture, we encourage you to research the process thoroughly. 

You might ultimately decide that the time and material expense involved would be too great. 

An experienced French polisher can achieve results that are both high quality and on a timeline better suited to your goals.

How do you care for French polished pieces?

The resins used in the polish solution should protect gently used pieces. 

However, there are things you should keep in mind to protect your furniture.

As mentioned earlier, you should keep alcohol-based liquids away from the piece. This includes, nail polish remover, wine, liquors, some cleaning solutions, etc. 

Heat can also affect the finish. If you have a French polished table, always put down a trivet before you place any hot or warm dishes on the table. 

Spills should be wiped up immediately. 

Avoid using furniture polishes you see in big chain stores. These mass-produced polishes often contain silicone, which can dull the finish. 

Generally, French polished pieces will only need to be wiped down with a clean cloth. Adding polishes or waxes may dull your furniture's beautiful shine!

Does Mumford Restoration offer French polish services?

Yes! 

We have French polished many antiques, including mahogany desks, rosewood music boxes, and more. 

If you have a piece that you would like to have French polished, reach out to us today! 

Call us at 919-510-6310

or

Submit a form with pictures.