French Polishing

French polishing is a traditional method of finishing wood using shellac dissolved in alcohol and applied by hand in many very thin layers. The polish is worked onto the surface with a soft pad, gradually building a smooth, lustrous finish that can range from a soft sheen to a high gloss.

The technique became established in Britain during the early nineteenth century. The origin of the name is uncertain, although it became known as ‘French polishing’ apparently through its association with French methods and craftsmen. By the 1820s, craftsmen specialising in the technique were working in London, particularly in the East End, and French polishing quickly became established as a specialist trade within the capital’s extensive furniture and cabinetmaking industry.

Shellac is a natural resin produced by the lac insect and refined into flakes before being dissolved in alcohol. During polishing, successive applications partially dissolve and blend with the previous layers, allowing the finish to build gradually while enhancing the colour, depth and figure of the wood.

French polishing became particularly important in nineteenth-century cabinetmaking and was widely used on fine furniture and boxes. The technique remains particularly valuable in restoration because worn or damaged areas can often be repaired and blended into the existing finish rather than requiring the entire surface to be stripped.