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Monday 27 March 2017

Using Natural Wood & Colour Stains!

The principal reason for staining wood boxes with natural wood and colour stains is to provide a beautiful, alternative finish to imported hardwoods, which can be expensive!

However, wood is an organic material that has variations in colour, texture and grain etc., even from the same log, which means there is not always an exact match from one wooden box to the next.

Polmac Natural Wood Stain Finishes

These variations are perfectly acceptable and indeed desirable, in order to maintain the natural beauty and character of wood, as long as they're within reasonable limits!

However, the goal is always to keep the final colour and finish as consistent as possible, which is why it's so important to visually select the wood and use the best wood stain available!

Wood comprises millions of cells (or pores) that absorb the liquid stain. The rate at which the stain is absorbed, along with other factors such as the colour of the cells, will determine the final colour, when the wood stain is applied!

The very best wood stains are intended to reveal the natural grain of the wood. This is one of the main attractions, because by revealing the grain, a beautiful, translucent effect is produced, that many people find irresistible!

It follows that the darker the stain, the more consistent the final colour will look, because darker wood stains will mask the wood grain and any blemishes more effectively than lighter wood stains!

However, grain pattern can also affect the stain matching process.

Wood pores in a piece of wood are arranged more or less consistently. It's this grain pattern, combined with the natural colour of the wood, which distinguishes one piece of wood from the next.

However, the grain pattern in each piece of wood can still vary, due to naturally occurring blemishes and the differences become even more pronounced when a stain is applied!

Other factors that influence the final colour of the wood are the way the logs are cut in the saw mill, the absorption time of the liquid stain, the age of the wood and the moisture content. 

For instance, wood that's extremely dry can absorb more wood stain than one that has a higher, moisture content, which means the colour will be darker!

Keep in mind that there are a wide range of wood stains from oil-based to water-based and these will also affect the final colour and appearance.

As a general rule, using oil-based wood stains will provide better protection from finger marks and will keep wood boxes pristine for longer than water based wood stains!

Only by removing or reducing the differences in natural colour, grain pattern, cut, absorption time, age and moisture content between the different pieces of wood can a more consistent colour match be obtained. This is key!


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Monday 13 March 2017

Should I Use Wood Presentation Boxes To Sell My Products?

For those businesses that sell tangible products that you can pick up and touch, one of the first questions they may ask is "How do I sell my products"?

One of the best ways to sell tangible products is to use high quality, wood presentation packaging, because this type of packaging has been proved to increase sales and boost profits!

Many businesses, particularly small to medium size businesses, believe that using presentation packaging will stymie sales, due to the inevitable hike in price. "My products will be too expensive for my customers, if I buy your wooden boxes" is a typical comment!

Polmac F&M Condiments Box

However, the most successful companies know that high quality, presentation packaging adds value to the products inside, so it attracts more customers, which means they'll make more sales!

Furthermore, because of the 'added value' created, a psychological transformation takes place and customers will even be prepared to pay more!

"But my products are relatively low value and do not lend themselves to this type of packaging!" I hear you say! This may be true. Wood, presentation packaging is best used for selling high value products, such as single-malt whisky, cutlery and precision instruments etc. 

However, the perception that customers have of low value products can be raised significantly by selling them in gift sets!

In other words, by using gifts boxes, your products are now perceived as high value and will be much more attractive to potential buyers!

This is a technique that's often used in the health & beauty and speciality food industries with great success. Gift boxes are popular throughout the year and particularly on special occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays and Christmas and are a great way to sell your products!

One of the special features of wood, presentation packaging is that you can easily create your own designs, to suit your exact needs, so you can test the market at little cost. This means you can try out new ideas, without breaking the bank and have more money available to invest in your business. For small to medium size businesses this may be godsend!


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Wednesday 8 March 2017

Why Choose Wood Presentation Packaging?

Different wood species have different characteristics and even two pieces of wood from the same log can look and feel differently. All these characteristics added together will determine the use and appeal of wood!

Colour, lustre, texture, grain, and figure all have a part to play. When using wood, presentation packaging these characteristics are important if the products being marketed are to have maximum appeal, because first impressions are crucial!

For instance, the texture of wood may be fine or coarse and there are a wide range of colours to choose from, including red, yellow, purple, brown and orange etc.

Colour Variations In Birchwood

Among the most attractive features of some woods like birch is lustre, which is a  natural sheen, that's difficult to replicate in other materials such as metal and plastic. However, lustre can be added by polishing wood.

Figure is the pattern on the surface of the wood that can come from variations in colour, grain and irregular growth characteristics.

Grain describes the orientation of the fibrous elements on the surface of wood and can be anything from straight to wavy!

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses linden wood extensively to manufacture it's wood, presentation boxes because it's a soft, white wood, with fine grain character, so it's ideal for staining purposes, giving a smooth, even finish every time!

Wood is a beautiful, natural, organic material that provides exceptional value, is uniquely sustainable and adds warmth and character that many people find irresistible!

When using wood, presentation boxes to market products, a high quality wood finish creates a 'magnet' like effect that attracts more customers, which means more sales are generated! Isn't that what we all want?


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