Tips for those making rustic style furniture

I recently saw a piece of bedroom furniture, made of solid wood from cherrymade in rustic style. I liked the neatly paired wood, the neatly made joints, the fact that the less visible parts were worked as well as the visible ones. Unfortunately, if it were in a shop, it would hardly sell, if at all. Everything about the lacquering was far from fine. The lake had scumit was unevenly applied and where it was thicker it made orange peel. It wasn't sanding between layers and because of this the surface was rough. And the varnish used was very shiny. I always say that wood is very important, but furniture is sold on design and finish. This furniture was made as if to emphasize that.

Around the same time, on Facebook, someone was asking what to finish the wooden furniture they had just finished. The question was asked in a profile group, where there are many talented craftsmen. Unfortunately, some of the advice he received was far from helpful and showed exactly this lack of wood finishing experience. The problem is that there are no schools or places where you can learn to varnish or wood, find out about the characteristics of varnishes, be told which ones are best suited to the type of furniture or what their main characteristics are. Those who want to learn should "steal" the craft from older people, from those who have worked abroad or find out as much information as possible from the technicians of professional wood varnish and paint distribution companies. That's why I decided at some point to share some of the knowledge I have gained over time.

But let's get back to rustic furniture. Rustic is a simple, peasant style of furniture, characterised by the most discreet finish and classic, natural colours. The craftsmen made furniture out of wood that was intended to be primarily functional and which they embellished with items they had at hand. They painted or carved flowers or animals, elements that defined their universe.

For staining and protection they used natural materials - earths, pitch dissolved in turpentine or other natural dyes, waxes or wood oils. It would be best to use such materials for rustic furniture, but because they are no longer available, are expensive, or are not very durable, modern materials are often preferred.

When using modern varnishes and paints, certain rules should be followed. In my view, the most important ones are:

• The varnish layer applied must not be thick. Thick, plastic-like varnish will ruin the rustic look of the furniture. In addition, a thick layer of varnish can crack due to the natural movement of the wood.
• Use varnish with as low a gloss as possible. Although gloss is appreciated by many, it has nothing in common with rustic furniture. Rustic means wood as natural as possible, and natural wood does not shine. Indeed in DIY stores it is hard to find varnishes with different gloss levels. There are, however, professional wood varnish suppliers who have such products. You can also find them in smaller packaging from their distributors. There are, for example, varnishes with natural effect. By applying such products the wood is protected, but it looks as if nothing has been given on top. Of course, unless many coats are applied.

• Apply thin coats, add thinner to varnish. The varnish will spread and set much better.
• Apply a minimum of 2 (thin) coats of varnish so that you can sand between layers. No matter how well the wood is sanded white, applying varnish makes the wood grain rise - more so when the products are water-based, less to solvent. When varnish dries the varnish-soaked grain becomes rough and the surface of the wood very rough. In order to become smooth again, sanding must be done between coats with sandpaper with a grain size of min.240 or with fine abrasive sponges. The next coat is applied after the sanded surface has been sanded.

• Beware of the coloured lake. It will give a plastic look to the wood, especially if the varnish coat is thick. The wood will look much better if you apply varnish first and then varnish. The varnish will bring out the design of the wood and its natural beauty. If you still want to achieve a more even stain, apply a first coat of coloured varnish (or coloured primer), thinned down, and then apply a coat of clear varnish.

Rustic furniture is simple and natural. Its main asset is the wood, its natural colour and pattern, the unfinished shapes, the cracks, the knots. Coating the wood with thick, glossy layers of varnish, coloured or not, makes it look plastic, which has nothing in common with rustic. That's why try to find the right finishing products. Otherwise, it's a shame about both the wood and the effort.