White wash finish

White wash finish is one finish style in the wood furniture finishing. The white wash finish refer to a finish with a white color which is wiped off or washed off from the surface (although actually the naming of the finishing can be different for everyone). White wash finish leave the white color inside the pores and grains, groove, crevice, etc. The finish is the white hang up in the inside part of the furniture. It is a transparent color with a different impression. Mostly in the white wash finish we still can see the base color, pores and grains pattern  of the wood. The color result is the combination from the wood base color underneath and the washed white color on the top. The white color can be very thick until almost cover the entire color, or can also be very thin that let the wood base color with its grains and pores character is still clearly visible but with a muddy white looked. Sometimes we need to stain the wood base to produce even color or to make more color contrast with the white effect. Actually instead of white color, there are many other wash finish such as black wash, blue wash, yellow wash, etc., but the white wash color wash is the most popular wash finish in the wood furniture finishing. 

The white color could be made with some different way, but the easiest is to use a white glaze, or white filler. Glaze to make the white is very flexible and ease to be applied evenly to fill in the grains, pores and cervices and can easily be reduced and highlighted in accordance with desired thickness. We can also use the white base coat or toner to make the white, but it is more difficult in application. We need to use thinner to wipe off the white stain or white base coat, and it rather difficult in controlling. The white base coat is usually used to produce a thicker white coloration that is rather difficult to got with the glaze application. It is possible also to do the combination with the white glaze with the toner or base coat application to meet the desired final color. 

heavy white wash finish
 

The things that must be considered in the white wash finish

• Yellowing in the white wash finish.

White represents the dominant color in the white wash finish, so this finish should be treated as other white finish. The use of non-yellowing clear coating is highly recommended to prevent the yellowing on the clear coating. The yellowing will change the white color to slightly yellow and can disturb the finishing appearance. Like the other white color, it is also sensitive with the oil problem from the wood. The white wash finish should not be applied to the oily wood such as teak wood or rosewood. The oil from inside the wood if it comes out in the finish will obviously seem and ruin the color looked.

• The wood grains and pores.

The wood pores and grains are the parts would that be filled by the white color, since that the grain and pores pattern will greatly determine the outcome of the final finish. The white wash finish on the wood with deep and vast pores and grain such as oak, mindi will produce more busy and contrast appearance, opposite with the plain looked washed color in the wood with with small grain and pore texture such as pine, cherry, etc. The looked of the finish will also be highly affected with the form, shape and design of the furniture. The carved and fully shaped furniture will make a finish with more lively appearance, while the simple flat furniture model will produce a more plain color looked. 

The white was finish with light white color

• The wood base color.

The white wash finish is a transparent finish; the final color is the mixed between the wood base colors with white color thereon. The wood base color is essential factor to produce an even finish and the color consistency. The uses of sap stain and equalizer stain is recommended to produce an even wood base color before the white coloration with a glaze or a stain on it. Some white-wash color is use stain to darken the wood color underneath to make more contrasting result.



The basic finishing steps to make white wash finish.

1. Sap stain and equalizer stain to even the wood base color (if necessary}
2. Stain to darken the wood base color (if necessary}
3. Sealer or wash coat
4. White glaze or white stain
5. Highlight or wipe off the white color
6. Sealer
7. Stain to add the color (if necessary)
8. Top coat