How To Prepare Wood For A Top Quality Finish!

Wood preparation, prior to staining, should always be thorough so as to achieve a top quality finish. There are a number of factors that will determine the final outcome, including the type and quality of the wood and the curing method, which ensures optimum water content.

After cutting and planing, the next important task is to ensure that all surfaces of the wood are properly prepared ready for assembly and the application of the wood finish, whether this is a wood stain, clear lacquer, or a block colour paint..

Polmac (UK) Ltd Craftsman Using A Mechanical Sanding Wheel

Sandpaper or glass paper, as it is sometimes called, comprises sheets of paper or cloth with an abrasive material glued to one surface. However, neither sand nor glass is now used in the manufacture of sandpaper, as they have been replaced by safer and more durable, modern abrasives.

Sanding a rough surface smooth for a wood finish may seem simple enough but different woodworking experts have different opinions about how best to achieve this, in the most efficient way.

All surfaces of the wood should be sanded evenly, working through the sanding grits from course to fine. Course sanding paper is used to eliminate tool marks and flatten large surfaces. 

Then each successive sandpaper grade, from medium to fine can be used to eliminate the scratches left by the previous sanding.

On flat surfaces, sandpaper should be backed by a sanding block. These are usually made from cork, or you can use a ready made, disposable sanding block made with the sandpaper glued to rigid foam, if you prefer. 

During sanding, it's important to sight along the wood surface to ensure an even sheen with no scratches left from the previous grit. You can then move on to the next grit.

When sanding manually, you should use light even pressure, because too much pressure will mark the wood unnecessarily. The weight of your hand, combined with even strokes should be perfectly adequate.

If you decide to use a power sander, a random-orbit sander, rather than a belt or vibrating sander is best, as they rarely leave noticeable scratch patterns.

Random Orbit Sander

When using a power sander, the weight of the sander will provide sufficient pressure to give you the smooth, even finish you're looking for!

Be sure to take the above wood preparation advice seriously, if you want a top quality wood finish! 

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Are Finishes For Wooden Boxes Food Safe?

In today's food safety conscious society, particularly after the recent foot and mouth and horse meat scares, it's crucial that wood finishes, particularly those that are in contact with food and children are safe.

Babies and small children are particularly vulnerable, as they have a tendency to explore the world through their mouths.

Wood Stain Application

Water based paints such as emulsion and also wood stains are probably less likely to contain harmful compounds, such as solvents, pesticides and herbicides, than say gloss paint, or lacquer finishes.

But paints and lacquers can flake off, especially on porous surfaces so it's important that they're as stable as possible.

If wood is to be in contact with food the safest option is to leave the surface unfinished.

Wood packaging products such as food hamper boxes, cheese boards and cheese safes are usually made from a hard, robust wood like Beech, that is finely sanded for ease of cleaning and left 'raw' for complete 100 % food safety protection.

Harrods 'Fromagerie' Cheese Safe & Cheese Board 

(Made from natural unfinished Beech)

However, unfinished wood tends to get grubby very quickly, so the surface can be finished with an edible oil to draw out the natural warmth and beauty of the wood and to protect it from finger marks.

Manufacturing wood presentation boxes means that Polmac (UK) Ltd sources a large amount of wood, mostly Linden and Alder, although other woods are also used.

We never use wood from timber suppliers where it may contain harmful additives such as preservatives. All Polmac wood is obtained from sustainable and managed sources, as rough hewn planks, straight from a  reputable, local saw mill. In this way, we can guarantee the quality of our customized, wood packaging products.

There are few wood finishes that every person agrees are completely food safe. However, some people regard all wood finishes as potentially harmful, mainly because manufacturers label their wood products as being food-safe, which implies that other finishes are not!

Therefore, a lot of energy may be expended arguing about food safety issues where in fact none really exists.

However, to be absolutely certain that wood finishes are completely food safe, they must also be properly cured. As a rule of thumb, it takes about 30 days for wood finishes to cure properly

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses branded lacquer and paint finishes that are certified as being food safe, unless otherwise specified.

However, if you're still concerned, or unsure about the food compatibility of wood finishes, then our advice is avoid using any type of wood finish altogether.

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Corporate Gifts - An Important Marketing Strategy!

Giving gifts to clients is a serious business. It can establish and / or reinforce important relationships, if part of a well considered marketing strategy. It can therefore be an inexpensive and effective way of promoting a business in the long and short term.

Business gifts are offered mainly to major and prospective clients, usually as a thank you for their business. This affirms the relationship with the client and enhances the personal connection between both parties.

Polmac (UK) Ltd Round Hamper Boxes

Gifts to clients are given usually without any explicit preconditions but there's always a bottom-line benefit to the company that provides the gift. This is because psychologically, people will always want to reciprocate, if presented with a gift. That's why for many companies, it's an essential part of their marketing strategy.

To get the most out of a gift giving program, a little finesse goes a long way. For example, it's important that the gift is good quality and well presented. Good quality wrapping paper, coloured ribbons and a hand written note tells the client you've made an effort and this will be appreciated.

Timing is also important. The giving of gifts is best done on special occasions such as anniversaries and at Christmas when gift giving is considered traditional.

Customized gifts keep the company's name in the minds of clients, so it's a good idea to have the company logo printed somewhere on the gift.

Items such as calendars, coffee mugs and pens are used every day, so this provides free advertising for the company, on an on-going basis. However, it's important to avoid blatant self-promotion as this may defeat the object.

Polmac (UK) Ltd are specialist suppliers of customized, wood gift boxes, hampers and hamper boxes. These can be supplied as traditional rectilinear, or round hamper boxes with printed logos. They're beautifully made, versatile and terrific value, which means they will be highly prized by clients, so will help generate repeat business.

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Small Wooden Boxes - A Delicate Balance Between Function & Design

People, through the ages have always been intrigued by small wooden boxes because they provide pleasure for both the craftsman and the owner. Whenever, they see a small wooden box, they seem unable to resist picking it up, feeling the sensuous quality of the wood and opening the lid to see what's inside.

Polmac Perfume Boxes

Over the centuries craftsmen have experimented and developed many techniques to make wooden boxes as appealing as possible. So, a large variety of woods have been used and unusual shapes and designs, lid types, decorations, finishes, hinges and fasteners have been developed.

In the commercial world, the challenge is always to create wood presentation boxes that are not only functional but also look good, so they're visually appealing and therefore as marketable as possible. These two qualities usually go together.

Owners enjoy the visual and tactile appeal of wooden boxes, sensations that are evident whenever the box is opened. They react emotionally to the size and scale of a wooden box. Generally, the smaller the box the greater the emotional charge.

In order to preserve the visual and functional appeal of small wooden boxes, consideration has to be given to the ironmongery that's used. This means that the kind of hinges and fasteners and the method of fixing must be carefully considered, so as to maintain that delicate balance between function and design.

Attaching A Metal Fastener With Steel Pins

Polmac (UK) Ltd therefore uses concealed metal hinges that are fixed at the back of the box in a specially formed v-groove feature that serves as a 'stop' to restrain the lid in an upright (90 degree) position, when opened.

We have a wide range of metal fasteners that are designed to suit every situation. Generally, fasteners are polished brass, or zinc plated with a plain or decorated finish, depending upon the clients' preferences.

However, special finishes can also be supplied including solid brass, bronze and black plated fasteners (subject to availability). Non-standard fixings such as magnetic fasteners are popular because they maintain the clean visual lines of the box.

Fasteners for small boxes tend to be small in order to preserve the visual quality and scale of the box and they're normally fixed with four steel pins, hammered home at a slight angle to maintain a solid fixing throughout the life of the box.

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Wood Turning - Art Or Science?

Wood turning is a craft using a lathe to make rounded wood objects and can be considered an art form, with technology playing a large part in the process. Wood turners therefore typically regard themselves as separate from mainstream wood working.

 

Wood turning differs from most other types of wood working because the wood is held firmly in a lathe and spun rapidly, whilst a special, stationary, hand held tool is used to cut and shape it. Many intricate shapes and designs can be made by turning wood in this way.

 

Wood Turning On A Mini Lathe

Watching an expert wood turner making an exquisite bowl, spindle, or goblet from a rough piece of wood can be inspiring.

Wood turning does requires skill but can be turned into a profession, or a satisfying hobby with the right attitude and effort.

If you're interested in wood turning as a hobby you can start with a mini lathe, which compared to a full size lathe is relatively inexpensive, portable and requires minimum space to operate.

Once you understand how to operate your lathe, how to use simple wood turning tools and understand   basic safety procedures, you'll be in a position to develop and improve your wood turning skills quickly.

The wood turning profiles that can be made from a single block of wood are almost endless but when all said and done, these profiles are usually formed from just a few common cuts, including fillets, coves, squares and v-grooves. 

 

Polmac (UK) Ltd Wood Turned Herb & Spice Boxes

Furthermore, you only need three basic wood turning tools to create these profiles. They include ...

• The roughing gouge which is used to form and shape the basic profile.

• The skew chisel which is sometimes used to create square grooves. It can also be used to plane and shape many other profiles.

• The parting tool which is used to separate a finished 'turning' from the remainder of the stock profile. The parting tool can also be used for cutting square shaped grooves in spindles.

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses skilled wood turners to create small round boxes with lift-off lids for containing fine herbs and spices. They're beautifully made, versatile and terrific value.

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The Natural Beauty Of Wood Presentation Boxes!

Wood is a material that has been deeply embedded in the history, culture and life of humans worldwide. It was used to create fire, build shelters and make weapons, so it has satisfied the basic survival instincts of human beings, from the earliest times.

 

People have been fascinated by the colour, texture, tone, durability and flexibility of wood for thousands of years. It's one of the reasons it resonates so well in many traditional industries today, such as the Scottish whisky industry.

 

Polmac (UK) Ltd Wood Perfume Boxes

 

Wood is ideally suited to meet people's basic needs and desires. They want a calm, stress-free atmosphere in their lives. They also want to counter the constant 'white noise' they're subjected to, every day.

People today are savvy about the environment and how it impacts on their lives, so are searching for more sustainable, eco-friendly materials. When managed properly trees provide a rich wood resource that satisfies this need.

Polmac (UK) Ltd manufactures custom-made, wood boxes and sources it's wood supplies from sustainable and managed forests, near the beautiful, jagged Carpathian mountains in the south of Poland.

Every step of the manufacturing process draws on the expertise of our craftsmen, whether using the very best hand-crafting techniques, or technological innovations.

No other material today matches wood in versatility or beauty, so it is fantastic to see how creatively wood is used today, whether as a sleek modern design or a more traditional design.

Wood's true beauty emerges gradually over time and develops a subtle, yet rich, quality that gives it a true personality. This is why products associated with natural wood increase in perceived value and become instantly more attractive to potential customers. If people see real value in a product, they will always be willing to pay more for it.

This combination means that Polmac (UK) Ltd can create custom-made, wood presentation boxes and packaging of exceptional quality and beauty that your customers will find irresistible!

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Plywood v Solid Wood - The Pefect Combination!

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses a combination of solid, natural wood and plywood in the manufacture of it's customized, wood presentation boxes.

 

Plywood is essentially a wood product made from multiple layers of thin solid wood that are glued together to form a panel of a specified thickness. The layers are rotated so that the grain direction in one ply is at right angles relative to the adjacent layer. This increases the strength and dimensional stability of the plywood.

Plywood is most commonly manufactured in thicknesses of approximately 5mm to 19 mm. A standard sheet of plywood measures 1.2 m wide by 2.4 m long, although over sized plywood, can also be ordered.

Harrods Wine Cases (Made from a combination of solid wood and plywood)

Plywood is made from softwoods and hardwoods and is available in a number of grades. For example, 'A' grade plywood is practically free from all defects, whereas 'X' grade plywood has plenty of knots, knotholes, cracks and other defects.

The choice of plywood grade would naturally depend upon the usage. Where specified, only the best 'A' grade plywood is used in Polmac wood presentation boxes.

In large presentation boxes, Polmac (UK) Ltd often uses a combination of plywood and solid wood. Plywood is used for lids and bases where the surface area is large, in order to prevent warping. The sides of large Polmac wood boxes are usually made from solid wood, unless otherwise specified, as they are usually shallow and are stiffened and restrained by the lid and base panels.

Solid wood planks are sawn from logs, then cured outdoors and / or kiln dried. The drying process reduces the moisture content of the wood and increases its strength and dimensional stability. However, even after kiln drying, large solid wood pieces can still experience some shrinkage in changing atmospheric conditions particularly humidity. Careful monitoring of the moisture content is therefore necessary.

Solid wood is also graded depending upon whether it's a softwood or a hardwood.

Plywood is used when a sheet material is required that is not susceptible to cracking, shrinking, or warping, or where curved surfaces are required, such as round hamper boxes or hat boxes. In these circumstances using birch ply is ideal!

Polmac (UK) Ltd uses natural wood, in the manufacture of it's wood presentation boxes not only for it's intrinsic strength and stiffness but also because of it's beauty and aesthetic quality. Where there is the possibility of movement, high grade plywood is used.

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