Wood, both solid and veneer, has aunique design that often leads us to buy a piece of furniture. The design made of pores, colour, mirrors, fibre form the irreplaceable image of a piece of wooden furniture. So why paint wood? How can painted wood be appreciated if we deprive it of one of its strengths - its design? There are many who would immediately say: wood doesn't get painted - end of story. And yet there are cases where painting wood increases its value. Let's see what these are.
A short history of furniture making
Don't panic, I don't start with dates and names. Just a few words about the wood used over the years to make furniture.
Hundreds of years ago, furniture was made for the privileged classes and was specially decorated to match the palaces and castles it went to. The wood used was precious, brought from the colonies - especially mahon - wood with special colours and design, and the furniture pieces were true works of art.
Later, expensive and scarce wood was replaced by more affordable wood. Species with special designs were chosen - nuc, paltin, cherry, oak - with which famous designers of the time they made special pieces for a privileged few. The rest of the people, however, lived on the bare necessities, with furniture sometimes non-existent.
With industrialisation and the emancipation revolutions, a middle class emerged that turned furniture from an art into a necessity. Industrial manufacturing began and the demand for wood grew steadily.
And that's how we end up today. The high demand for furniture led to the emergence of wood derivatives (PAL, MDF) also used in the manufacture of furniture. Solid wood furniture has rightly been positioned above that of derivatives, becoming increasingly expensive depending on the wood used. So less spectacular species began to be used in terms of design and characteristics.
Situations when staining wood is actually a very good solution
But let's go back to the situations when, by painting, the wood is improved and the furniture becomes more valuable.
1. Wood without personality
Species that were totally ignored in this respect in the past have come to be used for furniture making. This is the case poplar. It is a soft and uniform wood, and if grown on river banks it can also be sandy. When you look at it unfinished it doesn't convey much. It has a uniform yellowish-white colour without a characteristic pattern.
The furniture can be coloured, and if special baths are used, interesting effects can be achieved. Indeed, poplar wood is not easy to stain and sometimes stains and it is very difficult to get a uniform stain. However, a lot of walnut or cherry stained poplar furniture is made, which looks good and is very popular abroad.
There is also the option of being painted and patinated. Painting does not hide the fact that the furniture is made of solid wood and covers it without problems of different absorption. The wood "feels" under the paint layer and this increases the value of the furniture. In addition, finishes with skates and special finishing techniques can make poplar furniture a great value.
2. Wood with defects
Sometimes the wood has defects that are not accepted by the customer. This can be unsightly staining, too many or cracked knots, knot repairs or fibre pull-outs. It is still solid wood and the fact that some people do not consider it beautiful does not justify its removal. And in this case an inspired, cleverly chosen finish makes its value increase significantly.
A wood that can be classified in this category is resinous - spruce, fir or pine. There are many who do not appreciate a large number of knots or a yellowish colour that becomes more pronounced over time. By covering it with stain, the defects are hidden, but the fact that it is solid wood continues to show. Here too, patinas or other artifice can be used to increase its value. A variant that makes furniture to become unique is its painting.
Softwoods have a slight difference between latewood and earlywood and the fladers can really be felt when you run your hand over them. This 'play' of the wood is brought out if a patina (waxed wax) is applied over the paint. If a cream paint is used, and the patina just highlights the design, an untrained eye will not even realise that the furniture is painted.
3. Antique solid wood furniture
Even if it's solid wood, there are times when we'd like to change something about the old furniture we have because it's too dark, looks old-fashioned, doesn't fit in with the new decor or other such reasons. Unfortunately there are situations when we choose to give up such furniture, made of solid wood, and opt for modern furniture made of MDF, veneered chipboard or plastic.
An old piece of furniture can be transformed by painting it so that it fits in perfectly with the new style. A light paint job can change it radically, while wax patination, stencilling or painting can make it the centrepiece of the room.
Instead of conclusion
Solid wood is a value in itself, and wooden furniture should be appreciated whether or not the wood grain is visible. Each of the variants can bring beauty and elegance to our homes. Transparent furniture, where the wood grain is visible, is distinguished by the unique design of the wood. Painted furniture does not completely hide the wood. It "feels" under the layer of paint that comes with its own contribution of beauty.
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I agree completely!