When it comes to producing beautifully finished woodwork, there are many ways to achieve the desired look. Sometimes a simple varnish or lacquer will suffice. Other times, a richer deeper French Polish or shellac is needed and then again sometimes, something a bit different like a crackle glaze or scumble finish may be required.
We are often asked which product would be best suited for a particular job. Therefore, we have compiled this guide of the various available products to show what each one is ideally used for.
Shellacs
French Polish
French polishing is a method of applying shellac to wood furniture, musical instruments or producing decorative accents. Typically applied over several layers that result in a smooth high gloss finish that will pick out the depth and beauty of the wood grain. Mylands French Polish is a traditional polish that will produce a rich, medium brown colour more associated with darker timbers such as: walnut, oak and mahogany which cannot be reproduced by modern synthetic lacquers.
Superfine White Polish
Superfine White Polish is better suited to lighter timber such as: oak, beech, maple, ash and sycamore and produces a beautiful high gloss finish. It gives a softer finish than other polishes, and so should not be used for dining table tops or high durability areas. White polish has a hazy white appearance in the liquid form but dries to a clear film.
Pure and Studio Button Polish
Pure Button Polish is a traditional, high quality Polish mostly used with both antique and reproduction furniture. Button Polish produces a warm, dark transparent film, with a unique appearance that cannot be recreated with modern lacquers and finishing techniques. Button Polish is a solution of unbleached shellac, dispersed in a fast drying alcohol carrier (Methylated Spirits), it produces a slightly warmer patina and gives a lighter colour on timbers such as oak, as opposed to the more traditional browns produced with French Polish. Mylands Studio Button Polish is a more affordable version of Studio Button Polish, perfect for studios and sets looking to reproduce a more temporary antique look of a traditional french polish.
Garnet Polish
If a darker finish is required then Garnet Polish is ideal for use on darker timbers such as: Black Walnut, Patagonian Rosewood and European Oaks. Garnet Polish does not emit the warm glow associated with Button Polish but gives a cold, brown colour.
Special Pale Polish
Special Pale Polish is a classic pale polish which produces a superb finish and is suitable for antique table tops and preserving the colour on marquetry work. Special Pale Polish is best suited for lighter coloured timbers such as: oak, beech, maple, ash and sycamore and can be applied with a French Polishing mop or with a rubber.
Black and Red Polish
As with all our shellac polishes the depth of colour can be dramatically darkened by simply adding Black Polish which is tinted black and can be used for ebonising all the shellac polishes in the range. Alternatively, adding Red Polish which is tinted to a strong red colour and can also be used to tint all the shellac polishes in the range.
2000 Pale Shellac Sealer / Basecoat
When preparing and sanding your timber you may wish to use a sealer before applying a polish. A Pale Shellac Sealer / Basecoat is a pale coloured medium viscosity, easy-to-apply Shellac Sanding Sealer, used by french polishers and furniture restorers. Best suited as a basecoat under our range of Mylands Shellac Polishes.
Fire Retardant Glazes
Flame retardant of glazes are designed to be used as a top coat or mixed directly with water based paints for protecting artwork and other such surfaces. These flame retardant glazes also allows you to change the sheen of an emulsion paint. The Gloss Glaze will produce a good gloss finish, whereas, the Matt Glaze will produce a low reflectance. Both the gloss and the matt will provide a reliable clear finish and can be wiped down with a damp cloth.
Lacquers and Varnishes
Clear Lacquer
The term lacquer is used for a number of hard and potentially shiny finishes applied to materials such as wood or metal. Their fast drying properties are ideal for both interior and exterior work. Our high quality lacquers dry to a hard crystal clear, Satin or Gloss finish that provide excellent sanding properties. Polyvine Crystal Clear Lacquer can also be used as a multi surface primer.
Decorators Varnish
Varnish is a clear transparent hard protective finish typically used to seal stained or unstained timber surfaces. Polyvine have designed a range of varnishes perfectly suited for both interior and exterior work. Decorators Dead Flat Varnish, Decorators Gloss Varnish and Decorators Satin Varnishes produce durable finishes that are resistant to scuffing and marking and can be applied to most surfaces including: timber, plaster work, paintwork, murals and fabrics.
Heavy Duty Varnish
Similar to a standard varnish but as the name would suggest a heavy duty varnish is even more hard wearing, Ideal for when that little extra protection is needed. Polyvine have developed one of the strongest single pack varnishes on the market, Heavy Duty Extreme Dead Flat Varnish and Heavy Duty Extreme Satin Varnish combines a water based crosslinked polyurethane with advanced resin technology to bring you the highest protection available. Suitable for both interior and exterior use, it's inbuilt UV and biocides protect against the elements all year round. Ideal for use on most surfaces such as: interior/exterior woodwork, concrete paving, unglazed tiles, brick and slate. Just like a heavy duty varnish, Polyvine have also developed an ultra hard wearing floor varnish Heavy Duty Floor Varnish Dead Flat Varnish and Heavy Duty Floor Varnish Satin Varnish that dries to a crystal clear finish that provides excellent sanding properties. This highly durable and stain resistant varnish can be applied to most wooden floors but can also be used on surfaces such as: cork tiles, stone/slate, brick and quarry tiles. Wooden worktops that require that little extra protection, simply apply one or two coats for a tough finish. Unlike floor varnishes where typically a glossy or satin finish is produced. By using a floor lacquer you have more control of the overall appearance from a high gloss to an ultra matt finish. Bona Mega is a leading industry single pack floor lacquer. This easy to use product is ideal for most wood floors, available in Extra Matt, Matt, Silk and Gloss finishes. Bona Mega easy to clean and offers great resistance to chemicals and scratches. Bona Mega is the perfect solution when protecting surfaces with underfloor heating. Heavy duty floor lacquers are an choice for areas of high traffic such as shopping malls, entertainment venues, municipal buildings and other public locations. Very often with these types of location, there isn't always the opportunity to apply a more slower curing product where minimal downtime is paramount. Bona have developed an extremely fast drying and hard wearing two pack floor lacquer. Bona Traffic HD allows full traffic after 12 hours, produces little to no odour and is friction approved to both EN 14904:2006 and DIN 18032:2. Bona Traffic HD is available in Extra Matt, Matt and Silk Finishes. Scumbling is a painting technique in which parts are overlayed with opaque or semi-opaque colour applied lightly with an almost dry brush. This technique is often used when a wood grain or marble effect is desired. Traditionally, scumble glaze was always an oil based product such as Polyvine's Oil Based Scumble which provides an extended drying time for decorative paint work. Oil Based Colourant can be added to the scumble glaze to re-create an authentic wood effect. However, using modern techniques, Polyvine have developed a range of acrylic water based scumbles: Original Acrylic Scumble that provides up to one hour working time and dries to a durable water resistant finish on a wide range of surfaces. Original Acrylic Scumble can be tinted to almost any colour by simply adding Universal Acrylic Colourant. Classic Colour Acrylic Scumble which when coloured with satin or matt emulsion/latex can be used to produce semi transparent coloured paint effects. By using either a Double Graining Rocker or a Combination Comb wood grain and marble effects can be achieved.
Floor Lacquers and Varnishes
Heavy Duty Floor Varnish
Floor Lacquer
Heavy Duty Floor Lacquer
Special Effects
Scumble Glaze
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Crackle Glaze
Crackle glazes are a range of products designed to recreate a distressed or antique look for furniture, picture frames, pottery, architrave and other surfaces where that aged appearance is required. This effect can be achieved in a number of ways. Firstly, paint your desired surface with a water based emulsion paint base colour, then apply a coat of Polyvine Crackle Glaze or Mylands Crackle Glaze then simply apply a different colour water based emulsion paint as the top coat. As the crackle glaze cures it starts to split and crack revealing the the base coat colour beneath.
A way of recreating a crazed pattern effect, as often seen on old pottery and paintings, would be to use Polyvine Craquelure Top Coat and Base Coat system. Simply apply the base coat to your desired surface, once dry, apply the the top coat and as this cures the crazed effect comes through. By applying Polyvine Craquelure Highligter Light and Dark you can pick out the crazed pattern for that little extra detail.