Types of furniture varnish, their main areas of application

Lacquered furniture never goes out of fashion. Elegant and attractive, it allows you to radically transform the interior and bring into it a touch of familiar home comfort. When processing it, modern furniture varnishes are used, which protect the surface from mechanical stress, increase resistance to moisture, and prevent cracking and deformation. The construction market offers consumers a wide selection of paints and varnishes, which should be selected depending on their composition, purpose and expected effect.

Types of furniture varnishes by effect

The choice of composition based on visual effect largely depends on the wishes of the buyer himself. Whether you want to emphasize the noble structure of wood, give it more naturalness or a characteristic shine - all this determines the characteristics of furniture varnish for wood and divides it into several categories:

• Glossy and semi-gloss – gives a mirror effect and increases the decorative properties of interior items.
• Matte and semi-matte - allows wood to look as natural as possible and hides surface defects well.
• Colored – provides the furniture with the necessary shade. With its help, you can visually transform inexpensive types of wood into rare and noble types of wood.
• Craquelure is a specific varnish for wood furniture with a cracking effect, which gives the products an aged, antique look.

Functional Features

As a rule, fixing coatings are some combination of a special film-forming substance with an organic solvent. After drying, the surface of the furniture is covered with a transparent layer, and it can be given shades of matte/glossy shine. All the protective characteristics of the varnish will depend on its composition, in other words, its variety. With the help of the substances in question, furniture can be transformed and retain its original qualities for a long time, whether it is assembled from MDF or chipboard, plywood or wood. Basically, fixing varnishes are designed to perform the following functions:

• Adding a special shine to surfaces;
• Protection from pests, water and dirt;
• Preservation of color qualities;
• Giving furniture strength and durability;
• Resists swelling/cracking over time;
• Resistance to conditions of elevated temperatures, various atmospheric aggressive factors;
• Masking of some surface defects (hiding small chips, scratches or cracks);
• Preventing accidental injury to people (eg eliminating the risk of splinters).

Types of varnishes by composition

The most extensive classification of paints and varnishes involves their division according to the main component included in the composition. Depending on this, the following furniture varnishes are distinguished:

• Water-based - products containing water, a binder (for example, acrylic or polyurethane) and various additives. Such materials are environmentally friendly, odorless and form a durable film with high wear resistance.
• Polyurethane – varnishes for wooden furniture based on urethane. They are among the most durable and abrasion resistant. Their high price is offset by the ability to create a coating with excellent performance characteristics that will last for many years.
• Oil based – materials based on natural oils. They form a waterproof film, but have a fairly long drying time.
• Nitrovarnishes are compositions that include colloxylin, synthetic resins, solvents and plasticizers. These wood furniture varnishes dry quickly and provide a durable finish, but contain toxic substances that can pose a health hazard.
• Alkyd – products based on organic solvents and alkyd resins. They are characterized by excellent water resistance, but their drying period is up to three days.
• Alcohol - varnishes based on alcohol and natural resins. They have good mechanical strength and adhesion to any surfaces. Among the disadvantages, it is worth highlighting the lack of resistance to high humidity.

Preparing the tabletop for varnishing

Before covering a wooden table with the selected composition, it is necessary to carry out a number of measures to clean the wood from the previous coating. The old varnish must be completely removed from the surface of the countertop. To do this, you can use coarse sandpaper or an electric sander.

There are modern chemicals that allow you to quickly remove old varnish. They contain a solvent that effectively removes old coating. It is important to strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the wood. The softened varnish is removed using a spatula or any convenient tool at hand.

The old varnish must be completely removed Source mastermario.ru

Types of varnishes by purpose

When making furniture varnishes for wood products, many manufacturers mix them with special additives that allow the treated items to be used under special conditions. Based on their purpose, compositions are divided into several types:

• Heat-resistant – keeps furniture in its original form when used at high or low temperatures.
• Weather resistant – provides protection for surfaces that are exposed to the elements.
• Water-repellent – ​​furniture varnish that protects against high humidity (for example, when applied to garden furniture).
• Impact-resistant – protects against mechanical influences (impacts, chips, scratches).

We fix minor defects

No matter how carefully the furniture is handled, scuffs, scratches, stains and other minor defects occur during its use. In this case, the owners have a question about how to update the furniture with their own hands. There are many ways to restore varnish:

• When a polished surface loses its shine or small stains appear, you should use any wood care product that contains orange oil. For uniform application, use a spray bottle. Then rub the product evenly over the surface with a cotton rag.
• Another way to remove stains is to use a special touch-up marker, denatured alcohol and wax. First, the surface is degreased with a weak solution of dishwashing detergent. When the moisture dries, moisten the swab with alcohol and rub the stains. If the scratch is deep, the varnish will not restore its color. In this case, use a marker. To add shine, the surface is coated with wax and rubbed with a cloth.
• If small scratches form uneven surfaces, it is better to clean them with a nail file. It allows you to do the job more delicately compared to sandpaper.
• When the wood swells from moisture that has reached it, you need to mix salt with olive oil and rub the problem area. Leave the mixture on the damaged area for half an hour. Salt absorbs moisture, and olive will give elasticity to the fibers. After drying, the paste is removed, covered with wax and rubbed with polish.
• If furniture with chips is to be restored, use wood putty. It is better to choose the color on the spot by buying a light product and adding color to it. The chipped area and adjacent surface are covered. When the putty has dried, it is sanded with fine-grained sandpaper.

You can refresh the polish on old furniture using the following mixtures:

1. 2 parts of turpentine, 2 parts of linseed oil, 1 part of vinegar are mixed and applied with a swab to defects or abrasions.
2. 25 parts of turpentine, 15 parts of alcohol, 1 part of a 10% soap solution, 5 parts of drying oil, 4 parts of shellac and 45 parts of water are thoroughly mixed. Use the product cold. It is best to apply the mixture with a flannel cloth.

Water-based furniture varnishes

Water-based compositions are among the most popular paints and varnishes because they are safe for health, easy to apply and have a short curing period. The product is characterized by the formation of an elastic coating, which not only decorates the tree, but also provides its preventive protection. On the other hand, it is undesirable to use such furniture wood varnish in places with high humidity, since it does not have water-repellent properties.

If you are looking for high-quality water-based formulations, in the TBM-Market store catalog you can find a wide range of products that meet the accepted criteria of quality and environmental friendliness.

Instead of an epilogue

A study of the assortment of fixative varnishes on the Russian market found that most of it is occupied by the lower price segment, represented by domestic manufacturers. Budget prices are explained only by the small volume of the container in which the varnishes are supplied, since they are primarily intended for fixing/repairing various damages, rather than for fixing the decor applied to furniture. Moreover, these samples are applied with a brush and, with rare exceptions, are sprays. The middle segment turned out to be divided by both price and quality indicators. For repair work, the buyer prefers Russian high-quality aerosols, and for large-scale work, Western samples are already selected, which are applied either with a roller or a large brush. The price for both is approximately the same. The premium class is represented exclusively by foreign-made universal sprays, which have a considerable cost and are capable of both fixing decorative patterns and performing repair tasks.

Polyurethane varnishes

Urethane-based materials can be used for both internal surface treatment and external use. Furniture polyurethane varnish for wood is not afraid of humidity, solar radiation and negative environmental influences (including sea water), therefore it is successfully used even in difficult operating conditions.

Its main advantages include increased strength and wear resistance, the ability not to crack during deformation, and excellent adhesion to all types of wood. Depending on the composition, the product is divided into one-component (completely ready for use) and two-component, which must be mixed with a hardener before application.

comparison table

Based on the rating compiled above, we organized the main technical parameters of varnishes and placed them in a table. With this organized information, you can track down the most suitable remedy for yourself.

Criterias of choice

To purchase the most suitable varnish for furniture, you should pay attention to the key features of the proposed items. When purchasing, it is recommended to consider the following criteria:

• Ecological cleanliness. Water-based products are considered the safest, while varnishes based on organic solvents have an unpleasant odor, so they require the use of respirators during application.
• Fire resistance. The most fire-resistant varnishes for wood furniture are those that do not contain solvents.
• Method of application. One-component materials are easier to process because they do not require pre-mixing, but two-component materials are considered to be of higher quality and more reliable in further use.
• Decorative. Oil-based products provide the greatest decorative value. If you want to give your furniture an antique effect, you should choose craquelure materials.

If you find it difficult to purchase the optimal composition, consultants will help you choose and select exactly the furniture wood varnish that is best suited for your interior items.

An easy way to repaint furniture and doors

Often, in order to change the interior, renovation is not necessary. It is enough to refresh the textiles, decorate one accent wall with wallpaper, change the carpet and do something with the furniture. But what? Should I buy a new one? Do-it-yourself renovation expert Kristina Nikiforova shared tips that will help save time and nerves if you decide to repaint an Ikea table or grandfather’s old chair yourself.

I won’t tell you a very easy way to repaint, you need to make an effort everywhere. But if you have the desire and the mood, then everything will work out. I have the following sequence of actions: wash, sand a little, remove dust, degrease, cover with primer in 1-2 layers, paint in 2-3 layers, then wax. I'll tell you more!

What can be painted:

— furniture made of chipboard in film; — MDF in film, for example, a kitchen; - lacquered furniture; — doors, both made of wood and in film; - tables, cabinets, beds, wardrobes.

Where to start?

First thing to do is wash! Thoroughly remove stains, grease, dirt and odors—all the things that make old furniture look old. To do this, move the furniture away from the wall, cover the walls and floor with protective film, prepare a soap solution and wipe your product with a sponge soaked in it. Try removing stubborn stains with vinegar, alcohol, white spirit or acetone. Don't forget to wear gloves and a protective mask!