Instructions / Assembly

Generally you can divide surface treatment into
two groups: 1) Surface impregnation treatment
and, 2) Film forming surface treatment.
SURFACE IMPREGNATION TREATMENT
Surface impregnation treatment in liquid form
penetrates into wood. It protects against water
and other forms of attack on the wood in the
form of decay. It is in this group you find the
large majority of surface treatments that come
directly from the vegetable kingdom and which
we could call natural. This generally includes
different types of oils like linseed oil, walnut
oil, etc). Stains are also found in this group
as well as glazes and even tar.
We recommend Swedish cold-pressed linseed
oil, which has very good protective qualities.
This is pressed from the same type of linseed
that we find in different types of food dishes -
thus it is completely organic and non-toxic.
It can also be used on bowls and spoons that
come into contact with food. Cold pressed
linseed oil is thin-bodied and has small mole-
cules that penetrate deep down into the wood.
It is important to wipe off all surplus oil once
you have saturated the wood with oil as linseed
oil forms a skin. One disadvantage of linseed oil
is that it has a long dr
ying and hardening time
.
The Swedish cold-pressed linseed oil, which
contains a high content of linoleic acid, and
which w
e use in Guine
vere Organic Oil based
Wax has a relatively short drying time, about
five (5) to eight (8) days depending on the
temperature and air humidity. Remember that
different forms of treated oils offering short
drying times have toxic additives, which should
not come in contact with f
oods
.
FILM FORMING SURFACE TREATMENT
This is, as the name implies, a surface treatment
that settles like a film on the outside of the wood.
High gloss surfaces require film forming surface
treatment. This finish is either the type that
places itself like a tight lid on the wood surface
or one that can breathe. The tight forming ones
are mainly synthetic, not permitting wood to
“breathe”, e.g. acid-resistant or polyurethane
lacquers, colored or uncolored. These treatments
when new are very strong and protect against
dirt and moisture. The disadvantages are that
1) they also lock any moisture in the wood and
2) by not allowing the wood to breathe it breaks
the wood’s hygroscopic character, i.e. its natural
ability to adapt to the surrounding moisture.
If the wood is not sufficiently dry it can rot from
the inside. Sooner or later small cracks or checks
can occur in the surface treatment through which
moisture can penetrate into the wood.
Discoloration can then occur around these
cracks. It is difficult to then repair sealed surface
finishes. The surface usually needs to be sanded
down to bare wood and a new finish applied.
Film forming surface treatments that allow the
wood to breathe come in different types of
waxes and natural resins. They are not as
resistant as sealed surface treatments, yet
are significantly more durable and easy to
maintain.
W
ax surfaces are usually polished in
several layers and with that the degree of gloss
increases. The most common waxes are
bees
w
ax and carnauba wax; the most
common resin is shellac. Organic Oil Based
Wax is reinforced with the wax from the Arctic
Bearberry Plant
(Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi).
Additional Information Regarding General Surface Treatment
GUINEVERE - 11
SAFETY
There is a risk of cloths and paper saturated in linseed oil spontaneously combusting.
You should flush any paper you have used down the toilet or burn it – safely! After use,
Guinevere brush and cloth sleeves should be kept fully sealed in glass jars.
Surface Treatment Surface treatment is a science in itself! Rough and poorly
sanded wood surfaces require a great deal of treatment; however, any wooden surface
can be treated in many different ways. They may be painted, stained, varnished,
steeped in lye, oiled, waxed, glazed, tarred, vitriol treated or French polished.
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