The term ‘French Polishing’ is generally used to describe the trade of wood finishing – applying a surface coating to timber to improve it’s appearance and protect it from the environment.
French Polishing is, strictly speaking, one of many techniques used by wood finishers to apply a coating to the surface of wood that results in a beautiful deep looking finish. The technique is hundreds of years old and requires a high level of skill to achieve good results.
This type of finish is most commonly used on antique furniture to match the original finish and preserve authenticity.
Unless dealing exclusively with antiques, most wood finishers these days use other more modern coatings and application techniques that have developed over the past few decades.
A modern French Polisher will typically do a variety of work, such as:
Antique restoration
Modern furniture re-finishing
Surface damage repair
Wooden floor finishing
Internal joinery – Staircases, handrails, doors and panelling
Work can be carried out at the French Polisher’s workshop or sometimes on site.