The tree is still the most desirable and attractive for the buyer. furniture material. Cabinets, tables, chairs, chests of drawers made of natural wood are very environmentally friendly; they look nice and respectable.

Oak - wood No. 1

Wood suitable for the manufacture of furniture is usually divided into "simple" and "valuable". The first includes pine, birch, aspen, linden; to the second - ash, maple, cherry, acacia, walnut, oak, beech. In Russia and Europe, oak has been the leader among the types of wood used in the interior for many centuries in a row. The reason for this is its high hardness, beautiful grain pattern and the availability of oak compared to other valuable and exotic species. That is why oak is most often copied in other materials (chipboard, film facades), and for the same reason, most solid wood furniture in the premium segment is oak products. Companies offering high-end custom-made furniture also often use this wood.

But if you order facades, countertops, tables, chairs or a whole furniture set made of oak, the question arises how to protect it from harmful influences. environment and extend its service life.

Ways to protect wooden furniture

To make wooden furniture last longer, the paint industry offers big choice means: a variety of paints, varnishes, stains; antiseptics, oils.

Stains can be colorless and tinted; varnishes - also colored and with varying degrees of matte. And paints for wood are striking in their diversity: they differ not only in color, but also in the degree of hiding power and texture.

With what ? The choice depends on your final task. If you want to create a smooth monophonic surface (important for modern interiors), then it is better to choose alkyd-based enamel or other paints with dense texture(polyurethane, acrylic). Typically, this method of finishing is chosen for "plain" wood.

Oak has a beautiful structure and rich shades, so transparent varnishes, stains, and impregnations are used for its coloring. They can be both transparent and tinted - in the second case, the dyed oak has a noble shade.

All methods of coloring wood help protect it from harmful factors that affect the furniture during use:

• Moisture
• Humidity fluctuations
• Temperature changes
• Ultra-violet rays

In addition, coloring and toning help to fit the furniture into the surrounding interior, make the room more harmonious.

Painted oak in the interior

From oak wood covered with tinted varnish or stain, most miscellaneous items home and office environments. But most often it is used in furniture. Oak facades, as well as furniture bodies, look elegant and respectable. They go well with the natural range of finishes, traditional for the classics, and with other wooden furniture.

In the interiors of art deco, country, Provence, oak is also appropriate. Retro forms will be appropriate here (facades with panels, curly cornices, carving), and it is better to tint the paint in one of the dark shades.

IN modern furniture oak facades will bring a trendy “ecological” note, and their rich range of shades will be perfectly combined with many plain colors.

We know everything about the tree!

Meb Estet specialists have extensive experience working with solid wood. We will create for you individual pieces of furniture or a whole set that will look harmonious in your home. We also work with valuable breeds wood, including solid oak.

When choosing a finish, the vast majority of craftsmen prefer compositions made from natural ingredients, primarily oils. There are many options for soaking new board, but practice shows that the most effective solution in this matter is the use of vaseline oil, which is not difficult to find in a pharmacy.

alternative vaseline oil can become vegetable analogues, in particular, walnut or linseed oil. But, despite the environmental friendliness and simplicity of such a finish, over time it can transfer food in contact with wooden board, unpleasant rancid smell. When covering the product with linseed, vaseline or any other oil, you will have to periodically renew the impregnation, which will wear out as the plank is used.

How to oil a cutting board?

Impregnation oil is applied to a well-sanded and dried surface. Evenly distributing an abundant amount of the finishing composition with a brush or swab, it is allowed to soak into the wood structure (15-20 minutes), after which the excess is wiped off by running the swab along the fibers.

new wooden cutting board processed in at least two or three layers. Each fresh layer of oil is applied after the previous one has completely dried. This is not very convenient because vegetable oils pretty low. Drying boards must be done in a well-ventilated area.

Are other finishing compounds hazardous to health?

This question still causes heated discussions, despite the fact that unequivocal and authoritative answers have long been given to it. For decoration wooden products in contact with food, any finish can be used, including oil, polyurethane and nitrocellulose varnishes, shellac coatings and linseed drying oil. These materials are completely harmless to health, but only after complete drying. This is a very important point!

Before you start using kitchen board, which you decide to paint with one of these compositions, you need to make sure that the coating is completely hardened. Remember that the presence of a surface film does not mean that the composition has completely dried inside the wood.

How to maintain the attractiveness of the finish?

By following these simple instructions, your cutting board will look great for years to come.

1. Wash product well after use. warm water, with as little use as possible detergents. Wipe off residual moisture without much diligence and do not allow the board to stay in water for a long time.
2. The finish of the kitchen plank needs periodic updating. outer layer"Refresh" as they wear, usually once every 4-5 months, depending on the intensity of use of the product. By controlling the state of the protective layer, you will protect the board from cracking, swelling, and mold formation, while maintaining its visual appeal.
3. When the working side of the board is severely damaged by knives, it is sanded and re-finished.

Turning a cutting board into a spectacular decor

Inspired by the ideas in our gallery, you can create a product that, from ordinary household utensils turn into original decor for your kitchen. Such an expressive and functional piece of furniture will become a spectacular gift, to which no hostess will remain indifferent.

Each of us, at least once in a lifetime, faced the problem of choosing and searching for some product with a set of desired characteristics. Remember how in the famous movie:

• Do you have exactly the same, but with mother-of-pearl buttons?
• Will seek!

With a choice parquet board usually the same thing happens. Of course, if you have a lot of money and a complete lack of desire to spend time thinking through the design of your house (dacha, apartment), then you can turn to the services of a designer. In this case, you will greatly facilitate your life and your wallet, but are you sure that the result will meet your expectations?

This article was written for other categories of people:

• For those who are not ready to spend money on the services of an interior designer (due to the lack of "extra" money or because of distrust based on past experience);
• For those who have a taste and enjoy direct participation in the process of creating the interior of their hearth;
• For those who are so fastidious and pretentious that they can only be satisfied with the decision that they made on their own and only with the work that they did with their own hands.

Today you can find on sale a parquet board made of various types of wood, including breeds that are exotic for our country. Many manufacturers offer a parquet board that already has a protective coating applied at the factory and has some kind of tinting (the wood is given a certain color that differs from its natural color). On the one hand, it is very convenient, because having bought a board of the species you are interested in and the desired color, you just have to lay it and the floor is ready. But on the other hand, in most cases, you will not be able to find "exactly the same, but with mother-of-pearl buttons." Each manufacturer has in its assortment a certain number of colors and a certain number of breeds, as a protective coating - a traditional varnish. As soon as you want to buy a board of a certain breed and a certain tinting (different from the set of "standard" colors), you will run into a problem. If you decide not to use varnish as a protective coating, but, for example, oil and wax, you will encounter a problem. Is there really no way out? There is. There is only one way out - the purchase of a parquet board of the breed you have chosen, without coating.

Many people come to us and more than half of them ask the question about what options exist for the protective coating of parquet boards. What are the options for laying the board. What are the board color options?

The fact that in our country has long been forgotten, in Western Europe flourishes. Remember shops with the name "Do it yourself"? In English it sounds like Do it yourself and it has become a fashion. This phrase has evolved into an abbreviation for DIY (pronounced “DIY”) and is promoted in the Western world as a way to break the boundaries of standard solutions, let your imagination run wild and even save money at the same time. Today, in our country, more and more people choose parquet and solid-massive floorboard without cover. Buying a high-quality uncoated parquet board, you get a floor with a finely polished surface, suitable for any size of the room and not requiring scraping, primary grinding. After laying, the floor can be oiled or varnished according to wishes with the possibility of pre-tinting the floor in desired color or tone.

So, what is hardwood flooring and what are the options?

Under the protective coating of a parquet board is meant a coating that can protect the board from moisture, from pollution. The traditional protective coating is varnish, but there is another, less advertised, but widely used option - oil, wax, oil + wax.

Lacquer, oil, wax? Advantages, disadvantages, features.

PARQUET VARNISH, GENERAL INFORMATION

Parquet varnish- is the most durable protective coating. Its strength will depend on the chosen brand of varnish and on its type. Parquet varnishes come in water based(this does not mean that after application it can be washed off with water), alkyd-based, acrylic-based and nitro-varnishes. Nitro-varnishes dry almost instantly, the drying time of water-based, acrylic and alkyd-based parquet varnishes is longer. IN Lately specially designed "deck" varnishes or varnishes for yachts are gaining popularity. Distinctive feature deck varnishes is their increased strength (resistance to wear, abrasion) and increased resistance to moisture.

Today, water-based parquet varnishes are produced on two binding bases: polyurethane and/or acrylate.

Water-based parquet varnishes based on pure polyurethane have good wear resistance. But they are not resistant enough to chemical influences, besides, they do not tolerate alcohol well. If vodka is poured onto such a floor, then an irremovable stain may remain on the varnish film.

Acrylic resin-based water-based varnishes dry faster and are quite difficult to scratch (which is important if there is a dog in the house). True, it is still worn out faster than polyurethane varnish. This, you understand, is bad, because the main function of varnish is to protect the parquet. But at a price, acrylic-based varnishes are cheaper.

New hybrid varnishes containing polyurethane and acrylic are improved polyurethane varnishes on fatty acids. Such varnishes have exceptional wear resistance, which is very important, as you probably already understood. They are also chemical resistant. When such a varnish is applied to wood, especially oak, the wood is slightly "set on fire".

Acetate nitro-varnishes are now out of use due to the content in them a large number aggressive volatile substances, which imposes increased requirements for compliance with safety measures when applying these varnishes.

PARQUET VARNISHES, APPLICATION

Usually the varnish is not applied directly to the board. First, the board is covered with a primer varnish. The primer must be compatible with the varnish - have the same base (water, acrylic, alkyd or nitro) as the varnish. If you ignore this rule and apply, for example, nitro-lacquer over an alkyd-based primer, you may experience curdling. It looks about the same as curdled milk (the primer may flake off and flake). When choosing a primer and finishing parquet varnish, carefully read the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations. The use of primer and finishing varnish from the same manufacturer will save you from unpleasant surprises.

Application methods may vary different manufacturers, but in general they are common:

• a primer (priming varnish) is applied to a sanded, dry, dust-free board. After hardening, the surface is polished. Grinding is necessary because the first layer, whether it is a primer varnish or a regular parquet varnish, is raised on the wood pile;
• then parquet varnish is applied in several layers with intermediate drying of the layers. If necessary, repeat intermediate grinding. The recommended number of layers of parquet varnish is 2-3. For an area with high load(the number of residents is more than 6 people and there are animals) it is recommended to apply 4 layers. You can apply more layers, but keep in mind that this will significantly increase the time of work (taking into account the need for intermediate drying of each layer).

PARQUET VARNISHES, DISADVANTAGES

Having undoubted advantages, parquet varnishes, however, are not without drawbacks, which include the following:

• the complexity and duration of the application procedure on a wooden floor;
• the need to attach felt pads to furniture legs and use special parquet rollers for armchairs and sofas in order to protect the parquet varnish from scratches;
• fear of alcoholic liquids, various household chemicals(depending on the type of parquet varnish);
• fear of freezing and overheating, as a result of which the varnish may irreversibly turn white or even peel off (depending on the type of parquet varnish chosen);
• parquet lacquer is prone to scratches, you can’t walk on it in shoes with metal heels;
• in case of damage varnish coating(the formation of deep scratches, chips, the appearance of white spots) it is often impossible to carry out local repairs. In this case, there is a need for a complete scraping of the parquet, followed by the application of a new varnish coating.

PARQUET OIL & WAX

PARQUET OIL AND WAX, GENERAL INFORMATION

An oiled parquet floor has a much more natural look than a varnished parquet floor. The oil impregnates the wood, beautifully emphasizing its texture. Oil and wax composition can be applied to the surface of the parquet board without special equipment. The application process is quite simple and fast, which in itself is a significant advantage. of this type protective coating. There are several types of wood floor coatings based on oil and wax:

• wood flooring with oil;
• waxing a wooden floor;
• covering the wooden floor with an oil-wax composition;

PARQUET OIL, APPLICATION

In this case, oil is applied to the already finished coating (laid parquet floor or floorboard). Oil is recommended to be applied ... with a spatula! Do not be embarrassed, usually the oil is a viscous, but very fluid liquid and has the consistency of a motor or sunflower oil. Spatula application is recommended. Basically, you just spill some oil on the floor and spread it thinly with a spatula. You can use cotton fabric. The oil is applied in a thin layer. Approximately 20 minutes later, a second layer is applied. No puddles should be allowed to form. Excess oil is removed with a cotton cloth. The oil is then allowed to soak into the wood and harden for approximately 10 hours, however it is recommended that the floor be allowed to stand for at least 24 hours without stress. The oil is always applied in at least two coats. The oil impregnates the pores of the wood, preventing the ingress of water and dirt into them and, in addition, forms on the floor surface protective layer. The oiled coating of a wooden floor is protective, has its own advantages and disadvantages. The oil can be both transparent and with the addition of dyes (two in one - impregnating floor protection and its simultaneous tinting in the desired color or shade). An oiled wood floor looks very natural, but will usually be matte (no gloss). Need a gloss? No problem - read below!

PARQUET WAX, APPLICATION

Wax is applied to the wood floor either as a stand-alone coating or as an additional coating on top of the oil and enhances the protective properties of the resulting coating. In addition, wax is used to give the floorboard glossy shine. Wax is usually a non-flowing substance, reminiscent of the color and consistency of candied honey. Wax is applied to the surface of the parquet board in a thin layer, after which it must be allowed to dry and you can start polishing. Polishing can be done with a floor polisher, polishing machine, manually using a cotton cloth or using grinder with a polishing pad attached to it.

Hybrid oil-wax formulations

There are hybrid oil-wax compositions designed to protect the wooden floor, which, like oil, impregnate the wood and, in addition, form a thin, fairly hard, slightly glossy film on the surface that protects the board from mechanical stress. Such compositions, in essence, are "two in one".

ADVANTAGES of coatings based on oil and wax:

• Ease and speed of application;
• Absolute environmental friendliness and harmlessness;
• Ease of repair - allows for local repairs in case of mechanical damage to the wood, simply by re-impregnating the damaged area with oil and applying wax (if used before) without sanding the entire floor. Repair time no more than 1 hour;
• Ease of resurfacing (bringing the floor back to its original cleanliness and shine) by applying care products from the same manufacturer whose wax and oil were used. The essence of the action of these agents is the dissolution and washing off of the upper layer of wax, which accumulates dust in microcracks, along with this dust. After that, the floor can be waxed again and it will look like new;
• The possibility of using not only colorless, transparent oil, but also oil with the addition of dyes of a certain color. In this case, impregnating the board with such an oily composition, you not only protect it, but also paint it in the desired tone or color at the same time;
• It is worth noting that for an artificially aged board, it is recommended to apply a protective coating exclusively based on oil and wax, since this is the most natural combination for an old style. Before finishing the surface of an aged board, it is tinted in one of the many ways to give the effect of darkening over time or, for example, the effect of oak staining.

PARQUET OIL, DISADVANTAGES

The disadvantages of parquet coatings based on oil and wax include the need to refresh them 1-3 times a year (depending on the type of materials chosen and the specifics of floor operation in a particular case). Compared to conventional varnish oil formulations more labor-intensive to care for, but over time they only become more beautiful.

• Bona (Sweden) www.bona.com
• Loba (Germany) www.loba.de
• Belinka (Slovenia) www.belinka.si