Our approach to both traditional and contemporary wood finishing is the same; we use only the best techniques and the best materials to ensure the best results.

We continue to favour the traditional approach to wood finishing, as it is so superior to most of the modern techniques and materials in use today.

Why is this? 

We use only the best techniques and the best materials to ensure the best results.

Why traditional

There are of course many different ways to finish wood, we choose traditional techniques over the majority of new finishes available, not merely for nostalgic reasons but rather to maintain what are unquestionably the best and most effective ways of achieving a great wood finish. These techniques have taken hundreds of years to perfect and when compared to new ones are shown to be far superior.

Many of the wood finishes we see today are sprayed on a factory production line or applied by workers who are unskilled in this sort of work, for instance, the woodwork found in buildings (doors, architraves, skirting, etc.) is often finished by operatives who will simply apply a coat or two of varnish. These finishes tend to be overbearingly glossy, with a treacle type look or, when sprayed, are completely void of any life or character. The techniques we use expose the true beauty of the wood rather than hide it behind the finish. They are also long lasting; unlike many of the modern finishes which often start to chip and flake after just a short while.

In addition to the techniques, the materials we generally use can’t be found in the average DIY store, these are specialised products, which sometimes require us to make them from scratch using the raw materials.

Finishing wood is a project in itself. To fill the grain of the wood fully, colour correctly and achieve a truly professional finish is an art that requires far more than a few coats of DIY product. To apply a long lasting, professional French Polish finish to a door, for example, can take days to build up the many layers of polish and to colour it correctly.

But are traditional techniques limited to finishing traditional pieces? 

These techniques have taken hundreds of years to perfect and when compared to new ones are shown to be far superior.

Is tradition limiting?

The use of traditional techniques does not limit the finish to a traditional one; many of our customers have benefited from our services to achieve extremely modern and contemporary wood finishes. The traditional techniques we use do, however, ensure a finish far superior to many of the modern ones now available.

In saying this, we understand that, as with any art, it is important to evolve the techniques – we are not caught up with tradition for its own sake, but rather keep traditional techniques as our base and incorporate new techniques and materials as and when we see fit.

Note though that sometimes the type of finish is something that cannot or should not be changed. For instance a finish that is modern and in need of repair, usually requires modern materials to fix it, likewise, to repair an antique with modern materials, using modern techniques, would likely ruin the item.

So why can’t a person, unskilled in wood finishing, simply buy the right materials and apply them themselves?

It is important to evolve the techniques – we are not caught up with tradition for its own sake.

Understanding Wood

The need to truly understand each different type of wood and each different finish is paramount to moving from a mediocre finish to a beautiful one.

We continue to learn about wood and the effects of different finishes on them. It is essential to good wood finishing to understand how wood works and ages and also how, over time, the finish changes. Some finishes react badly with light, some finishes weather badly, others simply don’t work with certain types of wood.

Our service is not merely an application of a product, but rather an application backed by in-depth knowledge of our subject; experience working with a vast variety of woods, wood finishes, repairs and expert techniques, which have taken years to master.

Our service is not merely an application of a product, but rather an application backed by in-depth knowledge of our subject.