The wood finisher’s ideal must necessarily be simply that of making the most of what he has to work with, producing the maximum of beauty and serviceability under the circumstances. For no two jobs are alike in all respects and he is seldom consulted in the selection of the wood before erection.
In undertaking a job of interior wood finishing there are four factors which must be considered: the kind of wood, the color decorative plan for the room, the durability of the finish expected and the cost or investment of money to be made.
The kind of wood to be finished determines broadly the character of the finish to be employed. We may say that in common practice woods are finished as indicated by these groups:
- Stain Natural
- Mahogany Gumwood
- Hickory Redwood
- Chestnut Cedar
- Oak Mahogany
In addition to the kind of wood, the grade has much to do with the selection of the finish. The cheaper grades, and even the better grades which have not been selected for grain, figure and color by the mill, often leave one with no choice of finish except as between paint and enamel.
Trim lumber which is not selected is apt to show great differences in color, contrast and size of the grain and figure. To finish such surfaces in natural or stained color to have anything like a uniform color tone is quite impractical, because of the cost of bleaching, touching-up and blending off-colored boards. So it pays to have the trim lumber carefully selected and matched at the mill. The increased cost there is less than to have the wood finisher do the matching.
The color scheme or decorative plan for a room must be considered by the wood finisher if he is to make the most .of his opportunity. It is his function to enhance by his finishing methods the natural color shadings and grain figure of the wood, to subdue too much contrast and harshness of coarse grain and figure of some woods, to carry out the color scheme by coloring the trim wood to become part of the background of the room, to make it match or harmonize with the furniture, to so finish it that the surface will be enduring,and finally, the finish must protect both the color and the wood from moisture and gases which discolor, crack and warp the wood.
Wood trim ought never to be finished with color or grain figure so strong as to call attention to itself. It is really part of the background, with the walls, ceiling and floor, the background for the furnishings of the room and not the focal point of interest in the picture. The display of strong, fantastic grain figure in either cheap or expensive woods, except for special novelty finishes, is evidence of poor taste as a rule.
The beauty of the natural grain and of the color of wood or stain ought not to be obscured by finishes which lack transparency but woods finished to subdue strong contrasts of grain color and to reveal only simple, graceful contours of figure are pleasing to behold, and as one lives with them day after day they sustain interest and grow in appreciation of all who love the beauty of harmony and simplicity.