MPF Conservation specializes in furniture conservation; often a large part of this is finish reparation.
Right, a table layout during a studio opening, showing many types of raw finish elements.
This page discusses finishes of all types on wooden objects: shellac, wax, paint, oil and lacquer finishes.
There are many aspects to finish work, as many approaches as there are types of finishes. In these pages we will discuss the following:
- Shellac
- Tree Resin Varnish
- Barriers
- Oil Varnishes
- Burn-ins (or molten infills) and Infills
- Waxes
- Paint
- Lacquer
- Jappan or japan finishes
- Polymerizing Oils
- Earth-Based pigments and Dyes
In many instances, especially in the USA, the use of barriers between historic and new layers of finishes are standard protocol. This is not true in many instances in other countries, and we discuss when we do and do not use barriers on the pages that follow.
Image from Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian: Sitting among pieces of Mason Monterey,
Mitchell Powell discusses the differences between conservation, preservation and restoration
processes — differences that, at times, can be quite nuanced.
To see the many other objects we restore, visit our home page.
To understand how to care for these and many objects, read the article below:
Note: Our studio is not open for drop-in-business;
please make an appointment with us to make sure we are available.
