Arriving at the store for furniture varnish, it’s difficult to make a choice, so now there are many types of this product on sale. Take expensive or cheaper? Light or dark? Domestic or imported? There are always a lot of questions, and everyone wants answers. About what is the best varnish for furniture, our article tells.
Types of varnishes on sale
Experts identify several popular options:
- Nitrocellulose. It is used for applying to furniture, is considered to be of high quality. It is based on resin, colloxylin, various organic components. The product is used for processing furniture, which can be used in any room, including a residential building or apartment. Its decorative qualities, long shelf life and smoothness during application are noted. It does not take much time to dry. The composition is completely safe for humans.
- Water based varnish. Most of the craftsmen use it when processing furniture. The main plus is environmental friendliness, since its composition is completely water-based. Its fire resistance and the absence of a strong odor are also noted. Reviews say that this varnish dries quickly at a temperature of +20 degrees, durable and elastic. The presence of pluses does not exclude cons. So, you can not apply the composition in places with high humidity. Experts also claim that two-component varnishes have a solid foundation and are most often used than single-component varnishes.
Subcategories
Water-based varnish is divided into two categories. It:
- Acrylic varnish for furniture. It is considered quality and reliable. Its great advantage is that the furniture made of wood, covered with such a tool, retains a natural shade. Over time, yellowness does not appear on it. Since the base is water, it is unacceptable to use this product in rooms with high humidity.
- Polyurethane varnish for furniture. The composition contains diisocyanate and polyesters. So that the application is high-quality and accurate, before starting the finishing work, its components are connected. The level of strength is high, which allows it to be used in various rooms. After a long period of time, such a coating does not form cracks and does not wear out.
Having data on the characteristics of each varnish, it is easy for a beginner to choose a coating that is suitable for repair. In shops, the assortment is diverse. When choosing you will have to consider other criteria.
Colorless or color
Most often, the choice is made towards the colorless. After all, he does not change the natural shades. Furniture made of rich wood should leave its original appearance. Varnishes with a color scheme are used at least because there is enough wood furniture that does not have interesting color schemes. Such material has its main goals:
- Protective. It is important to prevent exposure to UV rays and mechanical damage.
- Creating the right color scheme. You can change the color of furniture by creating an imitation of expensive wood.
Colored varnishes amaze with their variety of applied shades. But when applying, you need to know that they all have the ability to absorb and change shine. Because of this, the coating becomes less bright or saturated. When a tree has a dark color, it is difficult to lighten it with varnish. We must not forget that over time, natural shades will begin to appear.
Modern designers say that people began to choose materials that look closer to natural ones. Therefore, furniture manufacturers now prefer white or colorless varnishes. When applied to a parquet board, the product is able to make the room voluminous and add sophistication to the interior. If it’s a classic, black will do. It gives an original look to the whole design.
Dull
Furniture varnish can be matte or glossy. To preserve the natural shades of furniture, the manufacturer chooses the first option. The wood must undergo thorough preparation before processing.
After this application, the furniture becomes unpretentious, since no stains are visible and care is simplified.
Gloss
It has its own gloss and features. If the room is small, then glossy furniture options are relevant. If there is damage to the wood, they will have to be carefully masked. For this purpose, glossy varnish is also suitable, and matte will only emphasize defects. In terms of strength, glossy and matte varnishes are the same and will protect furniture for a long time. According to the masters, it is worth paying attention to the condition of the furniture.
Are there any odorless compounds
What varnish to cover the furniture so that there is no smell? If the choice is focused on the composition, it should have a minimum amount of dyes and other chemical additives. In the presence of solvent, the varnish acquires a sharp unpleasant odor.
Nitrocellulose varnish is in demand among craftsmen. The product is durable and stays with the initial application for a long time. It dries quickly at a temperature of at least +20 degrees. But for the human body, this product is dangerous. Blame the solvent. However, such varnishes are often used. When choosing such a product, you should think about additional protective measures.
It turns out that all of these varnishes due to one component will have an unpleasant odor. Are odorless furniture varnishes on the market? The basis should be water. Acrylic is considered the best. It is used for any finishing repairs and is completely safe for humans. High strength and ease of application allow craftsmen to expand the range of its use. The composition does not change the natural colors of the surface to be coated. Smell (or rather, its absence) is a very important indicator that indicates quality.
Application Method
The question often arises of how to varnish furniture. A lot of techniques. One of them is to apply the product to furniture from an aerosol can. You can save money, buy an aerosol, since no additional tools are required (roller, brush, cleaning agent).
Consumption with a traditional application method is greater than spraying. The entire surface is painted evenly and takes less time. Another plus of the aerosol is that it is possible to varnish furniture even in the most inaccessible places for a classic brush. Find such a product is not difficult. Each hardware store has it in its assortment. Furniture varnish in the form of an aerosol is most often used for restoration work. In the initial coating, it is better to choose the usual composition.
Reviews and recommendations
Before purchasing any product, many are interested in information from customers. They can tell you exactly which varnishes for wood furniture are the best and which have many disadvantages. There are a lot of people who are ready to share their experience, highlighting quality and proven brands, and naming the shortcomings of individual products. Furniture varnish, reviews of which are only positive, is definitely worth considering for a purchase.
According to reviews of those involved in the manufacture of furniture, you need to use environmentally friendly varnishes. They are suitable for any purpose, do not harm human health. There are many manufacturers. In our market you can find Chinese, Turkish and Russian building materials. They differ in quality and cost. When you want to varnish a small surface, you can opt for an inexpensive product. Most of all positive reviews come to the products of the following manufacturers:
- Sigmar Vernici.
- Adler
- Arboritec.
- Chimiver.
- Mapei.
It is not always convenient to use a water-based product. Some craftsmen require quick drying. Each furniture varnish has its positive and negative sides. When choosing a varnish, you need to focus on the most important product characteristics for you.
Modern brands
Each time period differs in its design directions. Today, antique furniture is in demand. Therefore, for manufacturers has become very relevant way of giving it this look. Using craquelure varnish to achieve the effect of aging of furniture is not very difficult. The main thing is to know how to apply it.
When applied, a special drying process occurs. It is he who gives the new furniture the "old" look. The top layer is dehydrated, which causes the formation of islands and cracks over the entire surface. The wizard chooses his application method. The result is an unusual and antique look of each piece of furniture.
With the help of furniture varnish, you can very easily change the appearance of your furniture, update the coating, hide existing defects on it. It should be added that this method extends the period of operation and makes the surface protected. It remains only to correctly make a choice.