VARNISH or OIL: which is better for wooden furniture

Fireproof impregnations

Products made from wood and its derivatives are flammable materials. To protect wood from sudden fire, it is necessary to increase its fire-resistant qualities. For this purpose, special compositions that resist fire are used - fire-resistant impregnations. Such events must be carried out in houses with stove heating, in baths and saunas with electric heating. Typically, a wooden surface is treated several times, at least 2 times, and each layer is dried responsibly.

Various means are used as fire-resistant compounds, including office glue or liquid glass mixed with a small amount of aluminum powder. There are many combinations for the production of such compositions:

• liquid glass is diluted with part of the water, talc and dusty heavy spar.
• several parts of liquid glass, water, spar and zinc white.
• Ammonium sulfate is diluted with sodium phosphate and water.
• pentachlorophenol is diluted with water, with the addition of borax and boric acid.
• soaked in ammonium sulfate diluted in water.
• To prepare the impregnation, borax and boric acid are mixed.

Such compositions not only protect against fire, but also prevent the formation of smoke mold.

How to choose a wood coating product

When choosing a coating for wooden furniture, you should highlight the range of tasks that must be performed by the protective agent.

Wax, oil or clear varnish will help highlight the beauty of the wood structure. All these products can be used for furniture. However, it should be remembered that wax and oil are highly flammable, so they cannot be used for furniture intended for baths and saunas.

These materials are not suitable for kitchen sets either. Marks from hot objects and alcohol may remain on varnished and waxed surfaces.

For children's furniture and beds, it is better to choose acrylic-based varnish. It dries quickly, has no pungent odor, and does not emit volatile substances. You can use colored varnish; it will allow you to see the structure of the wood, but will give the product a noble shade.

Modern furniture paints have a dense structure, which allows you to obtain a dense protective layer on the surface of the furniture. This product is suitable for children's furniture. Painted surfaces are easy to clean, and a variety of colors will make the interior bright and colorful.

How to properly apply paint on wood. Wood finishing technologies:

Anti-mold impregnations

It is customary to treat furniture with such compositions if it is used for a long time in a humid environment. For example, in baths, saunas, indoor swimming pools and bathrooms. To prepare the mixture, use several parts of copper sulfate and potassium bichromate diluted in water.

Excellent protection is shown by a solution of magnesium fluoride or sodium fluoride solution. The easiest way to prepare a protective impregnation for furniture is to use ordinary copper sulfate diluted in water. It is important to treat the wooden surface of furniture with these compounds several times, and it is recommended to apply it to a clean, dry surface.

Each layer must be thoroughly dried before applying the next layer.

As a standard, a regular brush with hard hairs is used for application. Such compositions will protect wooden furniture from the formation of fungus and mold.

Protecting furniture from smoke fungus

Smoke fungus is a type of mold, of which there is a huge variety in nature. Where air humidity prevails above ninety percent, there is a risk of the formation of such parasitic mold. Hairy mold appears on the affected wood, resembling puffs of smoke.

The white formations turn black over time, indicating complete damage to the tree. At the same time, it is useless to fight the fungus when it has already penetrated the wood; protection had to be carried out in advance. Sometimes smoke mycelium can acquire cotton wool-like formations with a beautiful smoky color that can affect anything made of wood: a table, a bed chair, etc.

White mold formations of one type of fungus can change to gray with the formation of porous inclusions on the surface of the wood. By impregnating wood with resins, saline solutions, or applying varnish, primer and paint to the surface, you will not protect against the formation of fungus. Only impregnations containing pentachlorophenol can protect furniture from this damage.

Today on the paint market there are many impregnations with the addition of sodium pentachlorophenol or its derivatives. A table treated with this composition will last forever.

Breed varieties

The location of timber harvesting is of primary importance. Every builder knows that wood brought from the north will be significantly stronger than the south. This is due to the short duration of summer. The distance between the annual rings of such trees is minimal, and they are thicker in size. At the same time, harsh climatic conditions bring certain benefits; accordingly, the board will not warp when moisture is lost. The following types of pine are most often used for furniture production:

• ordinary;
• northern (Siberian);
• Angara;
• Karelian

Advantages and features of carved furniture, methods of decoration

The density of ordinary pine is only 470 kg/m³. It holds heat well, but does not tolerate high humidity well. The northern variety is its subspecies. It has a higher density - 513 kg/m³, but is prone to cracking.

Angarskaya is harvested only in one region of Siberia, near the river of the same name. It has a specific amber hue, and over time acquires a red tone. With a density of 550 kg/m³, it is durable and resistant to rotting. Compared to other species, Karelian has the shortest trunk. Long service life, no risk of infection by fungus and insects are its main advantages.

All types of pines have a slightly pinkish color, which over time changes to brown, with a reddish tint. The fibers are straight, the texture is medium-coarse.

Ordinary

Northern

Angarskaya

Karelian

Moisture-resistant impregnations

A reduction in the hygroscopicity function can be achieved by treating a wooden table with a special compound that is sold in stores. After treatment, such furniture will not absorb moisture, and, therefore, will not swell and deteriorate.

The cost of such impregnations is not so high, but you can save money and prepare the solution yourself. There are actually many options and recipes, and they all perform their protective functions perfectly.

For example:

1. Several parts of ordinary drying oil are mixed with paraffin and turpentine. Paraffin is added to heated drying oil and diluted with turpentine. This mixture can be prepared in large quantities and heated before use. A table or chair is impregnated in several layers several times, with each layer drying for 24 hours.
2. Drying oil is mixed with several parts of wax, preheated. Apply to the wooden surface of the table in several layers.
3. Drying oil is mixed with kerosene without heating and the wood is impregnated with the composition several times with a drying interval of 3-5 hours.
4. Drying oil is mixed with nitro varnish, resulting in an excellent mixture for protecting the table and imparting decorative qualities.

After treatment, any paints, including oil paints, can be applied to the surface of the furniture.

Protection against parasitic beetles

Parasitic beetles readily damage old furniture, destroying the physical properties of the wood. The beetle larvae gnaw ditches in the tree, feeding on it, and the beetles themselves lay the larvae on old wood.

You can protect furniture from destruction by insects by using an aqueous solution of sodium fluoride, which is applied to the surface with a brush. Similarly, you can use the drug "Drevotox", which effectively copes with various parasites. The table is treated with solutions several times in several layers.

Let us note that even treated wood needs care, and if furniture is taken care of periodically, it will not cease to perform its functions for a long time and will delight you with its novelty. It doesn’t matter what you covered the table with: oil, wax or impregnation, it must be done regularly.

Video material

Pine is very sensitive to environmental influences, so you need to be very careful when choosing a protective coating. In addition, a big advantage will be the fact that it is not necessary to resort to the services of specialists. You can successfully handle it yourself and transform your furniture set.

Proper care and prevention for furniture

In any hardware store you will find many racks with protective furniture care products. Polishes and impregnations appear on the paint and varnish market every month. Despite their different names, they contain the same substances that can protect the table and provide a layer of protection from scratches and damage.

A synthetic resin and solvent based polish is an inexpensive care product. The substance can add shine to the product and remove accumulated dirt. Typically, such products are applied using a spray, protecting the respiratory system from the substance entering the body.

To provide furniture with a durable aesthetic appearance, polish is applied to the varnished surface. If the substance gets on furniture treated with oil paint, white spots will form on the surface, which will be difficult to remove. Over time, the polish will wear off and the protective layer will be damaged, so this procedure should be carried out regularly.

Features of painting wooden surfaces

Varnishing and painting pine products has its own characteristics. After all, as you know, wood, unlike metal, plastic and stone, is hygroscopic. In addition, paints, varnishes and solvents eat up its surface just as well as water. This can cause the wood fibers to change and the surface to become rough.

That is why you can paint a pine staircase with your own hands only with a coating that is intended specifically for these purposes.

Due to its unique resinous structure, pine wood requires a special approach and certain knowledge

Does wood need to be painted?

The texture of the wood itself is quite beautiful and can be used as part of the decor. In this case, its coating can be made transparent or translucent.

Pine has a high content of resin that impregnates the material. Therefore, not all paint will apply evenly to the tarred area.

By painting wood, you not only make it more attractive, but also protect it from external factors

stain

This layer is mandatory and should be the first when processing wood. Its advantages:

• firstly, it prevents the tree from fungus;
• secondly, it protects against rotting;
• thirdly, it does not allow midges to breed in the wood.

In addition, the stain forms a barrier against moisture and prevents the pine from cracking.

Pine wood releases a large amount of resin and therefore requires very careful processing

However, this coating alone is not enough, since it is not able to protect the wood from mechanical wear. And you will agree that walking along the soaked stairs only barefoot or in slippers is not very comfortable.

What coating to apply

The second layer after applying the stain should be varnish or enamel.

The appearance of the entire structure depends on the correct choice of high-quality coating.

Enamel

For painting wooden stairs made of low-grade wood, enamel is the best choice. It will hide the putty on knots and cracks and protect the surface from wear and mechanical damage. In addition, the enamel layer is very easy to care for – you just need to wash it periodically.

Enamel can hide all imperfections in wood texture

Varnish

If the surface of a pine staircase is smooth and free of any damage, then varnish would be the best choice. It will highlight the beauty of the texture and elevate its appearance.

If the pine wood is of the highest quality, then it can be varnished

The varnished surface of a pine staircase looks extremely beautiful.

When to paint

Many novice craftsmen are interested in the question of when to paint and varnish a pine staircase - before installation or after.

You can paint the stairs both after assembly and before, depending on the type of structure

According to many experts, you need to coat a product with varnish or paint like this:

• If anchor bolts, screws and studs are used to install a staircase structure, then it is best to apply a layer of coating to the components before connecting them together. This will reliably protect from negative external influences those planes that will be inaccessible after installation of the system.
• If, when building a staircase with your own hands, you use glue to connect its components, then you need to coat the surface with varnish or paint on a ready-made staircase structure.

It is better to varnish the stairs already in a ready-made, fully assembled form.

Oil-based impregnations

The use of natural components to protect wood - oils - is aimed at giving shine and newness to products, both new and old. Furniture coated with oil is treated once every six months or a year. This impregnation allows you to strengthen the old protective layer of varnish by forming a thin film on the surface.

The use of wax polishes as universal protective agents is applied to any furniture, including those that have a protective wax layer. Additional waxing and polishing renews the appearance of the racks, creating a shine on the surface. As soon as it becomes visually noticeable that the wax coating has been damaged, it is worth carrying out restoration work to protect it. Wax polish is applied to the surface in the usual way and rubbed.

It is worth noting that all methods are aimed only at restoring furniture, and complete resuscitation is carried out by removing the wax layer, appropriately processing the furniture and applying a new coating.

Preparation of materials and tools

Regardless of how your handmade masterpiece turns out, you will need some materials and tools. To paint wooden furniture you may need:

• LMB. Paint can be purchased in cans or spray cans;
• varnish or stain. Protective coating, matte or glossy, your choice;
• primer and putty are necessary to prepare wood for painting;
• plastic film or newspaper will be useful for covering glass, non-removable fittings and other structural elements;
• sandpaper. It is better to stock up on several types with different grain sizes, which will be needed to remove the old coating and eliminate base defects;
• auxiliary materials, such as a spatula, a container for diluting paint, a solvent;
• brushes (narrow and wide), rubber roller;
• respirator, rubber gloves, safety glasses.

Having prepared everything you need, you can move on. And the first step in painting furniture at home is choosing the right paint.

Creating an Antique Look

Vintage and Provence styles imply aging in the appearance of the interior. Some designers purposefully add antique aging to furniture, increasing its value. This effect can be achieved using paint or physically aging the furniture with an abrasive compound.

Any furniture can be artificially aged in various ways, but with the help of acrylic and varnish this is much easier to do. The effect of antiquity and faded wooden shelving can be achieved by applying color schemes of the same tone. The standard color used is white paint, which is tinted by adding additives.

This is done very simply. It is enough to apply a dark color of paint to a wood surface cleaned of dirt, previously primed, and after drying the layer, apply a second light layer. After complete drying, sand the white layer a little until a slightly dark color appears.

After sanding, cover the product with a thin layer of varnish. If you apply varnish and acrylic paint, you can achieve the effect of cracked furniture. To do this, first of all you need to apply varnish and immediately, without allowing it to dry, apply a layer of acrylic paint. Cracking will occur after drying due to the fact that the drying time interval for the compositions differs, and a network of cracks is formed over the entire surface.

Design and style

Most types of pine products are successfully combined with other materials, which allows them to be used in various design solutions. Wooden furniture is often found in both classic and modern styles:

1. Provence. Optimal for furnishing country houses. It involves the use of light green, blue, lavender and other soft shades in combination with patination and aging. Cabinet doors are decorated with carvings, contours are smoothed, fabric of the same tone or with a small floral print is used on sofas and armchairs.
2. French country. The color schemes and round outlines of the furniture are reminiscent of Provence. The facades are decorated with paintings, bunches of wheat, and images of roosters. In this style you can often find country furniture made of pine.
3. Loft. It implies a combination of old and new. In this case, metal, leather, and coarse fabrics are used together with solid wood. In this case, preference is often given to old furniture that has undergone thorough restoration.
4. Modern. Individual features of this style: a large amount of wood, eco-patterns, stained glass, forging, lack of symmetry, muted colors. Pine furniture is complemented by wooden window frames, arches, parquet floors, and ceilings. Used to organize space in the bedroom, living room, hallway, kitchen.
5. High tech. The complete opposite of traditional styles. The emphasis is on minimalism, conciseness and extravagance. Wood is used as an auxiliary element; the main materials are glass, stone, and metal.

Algorithms for creating wicker furniture with your own hands, tips for beginners
The most popular, perhaps, were and remain classic pine furniture facades with clear shapes, straight or rounded corners. To create the effect of an antique item, designers resort to brushing. Untreated furniture with preserved natural colors is also in high demand.

Classic

Provence

French country

Loft

Modern

High tech

Impregnations for children's furniture

Particular attention should be paid to paints and impregnations for arranging children's premises, processing furniture in children's institutions, camps, gardens and nurseries. The paint for such objects is selected especially carefully, taking into account all possible nuances. For dining rooms, paint compositions are chosen that are easily treated with chemicals that are impervious to water. After wiping off porridge residues and juice stains, the furniture should not lose its appearance, so the products must be resistant to detergents.

A separate material contains information that will help you determine what to paint a crib with.

An important factor is the environmental friendliness of the components for wood processing. The composition should not cause irritation to the skin of children and fully comply with all quality standards of child care institutions. Paint manufacturers will assure you that it is safe to use certain compounds, but it would be a good idea to get to know the manufacturer better and read the instructions. Recommendations for the use of paint should indicate that the contents are one hundred percent neutral. As a standard, such products are accompanied by a corresponding quality certificate.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that today a large number of components with antibacterial properties are produced. Most often, silver is present in the composition, and the paint itself provides antibacterial protection. Children's furniture should be original, and if you apply special slate paint to the surface, the furniture will perform magnetization functions. Thus, you can draw on furniture and easily erase drawings, attach magnets just like on a refrigerator.

As you can see, there are a great variety of impregnation options for furniture and shelving, and all of them are freely sold on the construction market.