French polish facts for kids

French polishing a table

French polishing is a way of giving a high standard of finish to wood.

The careful and skilled multiple-layering of shellac polish on properly prepared wood when completed results in a lusterous, perfectly flat shine of an exceedingly high standard. Indeed when applied correctly a French polished application can rarely be matched for sheer quality of finish.

Normally practiced by highly skilled craftsmen and women one might normally fine excellent examples of this superb finish in some of our stately homes although plenty of other examples exist. The advent of lacquered wood finishes has tended to make French polishing less needed in today's world.