John Girouard wrote:


I would think that SHINY isn't necessarily the
only reason for using such finishes, and perhaps not the biggest. Sealing
the wood in order to minimize moisture exchange, and thus movement is a
valid goal IMHO.

It's going to take on or lose moisture regardless of what you do
short
of encapsulating it in plastic or keeping it in a hermetically
sealed,
atmospherically controlled space. Wood will "move".

Today's furniture needs and wants are different from those
of pre-poly days. Sure, lots of those wants include changing aesthetics, but
quite a bit of today's furniture is larger. Computer desks immediately
spring to mind, but I'm sure there are others. Larger furniture implies
larger panels, and thus more potential for wood movement.

Actually, they got around the "large" problem" with frame and panel
methods. You need something taller - do more panels. You need
something longer - do more panels. For table tops - breadboard
ends and slots rather than holes where they attach to their supports.

If wood movement is a big issue there's always furniture grade
ply in whatever hardwood you want to see on the visbile face
or faces. Granted you have to hide the edges but that's not hard
to do - on straight, square edges at least.

I'm always curious as to exactly what those who are offended by poly see
differently than I do. Perhaps they assume poly == a 1/2" thick bar-top
pour. I put 5 coats of Minwax (min-whacks for the more clever in the group)
poly on the crib I built for my son, and sure I'm biased, but it doesn't
look at all plasticy to me. Perhaps I applied it wrong, or the coats were
thinned too much. I can still feel the grain of the ash just fine through
the finish.

Most of the "new" finishes - like poly - add a subtle hue to the
wood,
commonly blue, a color not normally found in wood (ok so Persian
Walnut has purple in it sometimes but that's the exception to the
rule). Most of the "traditional" finishes are in the yellow to
yellow
red part of the spectrum and can add warmth wood, in addition to
popping the grain - something poly doesn't do. I guess it's that
many of the newer finishes don't add the the "woodness" look and
feel of the piece.

There's still the repair problem with the New AND Improved
finishes. Takes a bit of work and some skill to hide "witness
rings" on a dining table top when repairing a problem in
poly or lacquer.

Bottom line is - if you like the finish you're using that's what
matters - to you. But at least try one of the "old" finishes,
at least once.


Powdered coated wood - IS NOTHING SACRED?!

Shiney shows less than perfect work and therefore
indicates quality and craftsmanship
Or it can try to make up for lousy wood and
bad joinery hidden under stains, maybe some
putty and lots of shiny surfaces


charlie b