lacquering
hardwood protection oil
hardwax oil
microcement
bandsaw structured wood
innovative and unique design solutions

The technical features of the lacquering process

When we took over our workshop, first thing was installing a professional painting cabin with a powerful wall-mounted extraction system. Their large filter surface areas ensure effective collection of the paint mist. A powerful fan sucks in paint mist and vapours. For protecting health and the environment, a high paint particle separation efficiency is ensured via three-stage filtration.

Within this quite dust-free space, the workpiece is first getting primed. As the liquid primer swells the wood fibre on the surface, it needs to get sanded before applying the actual finish. This is usually applied in two layers.

Types of paint

The generic categories of the usual finishes are: acrylic lacquering system for furniture and waterbased paint for outdoors.

Colours

Opaque colours are either chosen according to a RAL or NCS code. We prefer to work with the NCS system:

“NCS – Natural Colour System® is a scientifically based colour system that allows for accurate cross-industrial colour communication for designers and manufacturers, retailers and customers. Since NCS is based on how we perceive colour visually, the system allows you to describe colour on all imaginable surface. This has made the colour system a global standard for definition, quality assurance and communication of colour. All surface colours can be described with a NCS Notation.” (they have a smart introduction to the system: https://education.ncscolour.com/)

Transparent finishes

Their function is obviously protecting the workpiece from stains and liquids. The aesthetic dimension is defining the gloss level. The current trend is “natural effect” paint: a super matt paint with haptic properties that remind of untreated wood.

exterior oil.jpeg — hardwood oil

for exterior and interior use

The function:

Wood oil is a protective and decorative wood finish, which can be applied directly to bare wood. Its protective qualities are not as durable as varnishes, but they are heavily favoured by woodworkers for bringing out the wood’s character with a pleasantly contrasting sheen over the wood grain.

The composition:

Teak oil is a traditional natural wood oil which is manufactured from a blend of the finest pure tung oil and linseed oil for the best natural protection and a subsequently glossier wood finish. The oil is designed to give unparalleled protection against UV light (fading) and fungi moulding. It contains no artificial resins or varnishes. The oil can be used on a complete range of woods in both internal and external applications (including teak), however it best suits the protection of exterior hardwoods.

The effect:

The wood oils engineering allows for the deep penetration of wood pores in order to nourish and protect it, before sealing; giving a long lasting and water resistant barrier. Thanks to it's deep penetrative formula the teak oil enhances the natural beauty and grain of the wood. Additionally because the teak oil doesn't have a resins or varnishes it helps to eliminate a common problem that is caused by mixed oils or pure varnishes where it permanently blocks the woods pores, restricting movement and essentially plasticising the wood.

chestnut wood.jpg — hard wax oil

natural finish

What is it?

Hardwax oil is an innovative finish that consists of wax and oil produced from natural components. Among the main ingredients of hardwax oil are organic oil, wax of Carnauba palm tree and other natural components. Hardwax oil is an oxidative finish and it dries out on open air. The oil penetrates into wood pores, strengthening and protecting it from ill effects of moisture, dirt etc. Waxes create a hard protective film on the wood surface to absorb moisture.

How does it look like?

It enhances the colour tone of wood just like other finishes, but keeps the optic haptic effect totally natural.

Hard wax oil and health

Hard wax oil is non toxic and therefore ideal for furniture of daily use like a dining table. On floorings, it helps regulating the room climate, as the wood pores are not sealed and still absorb and release air humidity.

Not to forget the low environmental impact of the product.

What is it?

Microcement is a cement that becomes very hard but also retains a certain elasticity. Unlike other cements, micro-cement is not mixed with water, but with a synthetic resin, which acts both as a hardener and as a colorant. Therefore, the naturally light grey cement can be mixed to almost any desired colour.

What do we use it for?

Normally it is a flooring or e.g. a decorative bathroom wall. We have found a solution how to apply the microcement on other carrier materials like MDF, multiplex, etc. This opens up many possibilities to incorporate this surface finish into furniture construction. We have already "cemented" kitchen fronts and worktops, or cabinet walls, tables and shelves.

How is it applied?

It is applied in several layers using various spatula or dabbing techniques. Finally, the micro-cement is sealed with a 2-component PUR/acrylic lacquer system. Here we can still influence the degree of gloss.

The inspiration: roughsawn timber. What does this expression usually mean?

Rough sawn lumber with its rough sawblade traces is cut from timber into planks of specific sizes, but is not planed—only air dried. As a result, rough sawn lumber contains more moisture than kiln-dried wood. The more the wood is dried, the more it shrinks - this is important to keep in mind when acquiring either rough-sawn or planed timber.

How did we convert this into a decorative surface treatment?

Structured surfaces are an interesting design feature. We invented a jig for our bandsaw to create the linear structure of roughsawn timber, but in a more controlled way. The planks are getting pulled vertically along the sawblade. The depth/intensity of the grooves can be adjusted with the jig. Obviously, this is only possible for plank measurements up to the throat clearance of the bandsaw. In our case this is 70cm. Here you see a video of the process:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzwu7jshQeo/

The surface then gets sanded only slightly and by hand. The finish is either transparent lacquering or oil.

Bandsaw structured wood: a unique signature of Winterhager furniture

This structure by the time became our signature feature. We used it a lot for commissioned pieces, mainly tables and storage furniture.

This is why we apply it with our furniture series:

SinFin

unique surface design:

aged brass imitation

This just as an example for the creative process some projects require.

We experimented on aged brass look for kitchen fronts. There are several products on the markets, types of microcement or metal layers. Between all samples we presented to the interior decorator, our “recipe” has been selected.

For this we use a technique that is actually used in the arts and crafts. With special paint in several layers and bitumen we achieve results that come close to aged brass.

Carpentry is also surface design.