Our Superior 8 Step Finish

First of all the finish you will find on almost every other mahogany furniture website is a stain and wax marketed as the best way to protect your bed amongst many superlatives such as -

Buffed to a semi doff / full doff.  Highly polished finish, ‘Hand-rubbed finish resulting in a rich patina of timeless elegance’. Mid Matt, Mid Gloss, Rich Gloss etc.

Superlatives and descriptions aside it is all waxed and stained!

The real reason is because manufacturers do not do it any other way; it is the finish of choice driven by production limitations and primarily costs. As the quickest and cheapest method it is the standard across virtually every other website selling mahogany furniture.

1. A wax finish does not seal timber and allows greater moisture fluctuations.
2. Flattens grain and character.
3. Wax finished furniture requires bees waxing 3 times a year which is hard work.

The Heirloom Beds finish costs us approximately 5 times as much as wax and a week to complete.

It means that we can never offer the cheapest mahogany sleigh bed or the cheapest four poster beds (though we are still lower than most) but it does mean we offer unrivalled value and quality sleigh beds, four poster beds.

It has helped greatly that we have such a close partnership with a UK owned and managed factory with UK standards.

The Heirloom Beds Finish

• After being hand carved our furniture is hand sanded over three grades finishing on emery smooth grade.
• Hand stained (not too dark and accentuating natural grain and character mahogany is actually a pale wood with a pink hue so you do not want to hide it under a dark stain) Mahogany and Walnut stain available.
• Liquid grain filler applied, allowed to harden over 24hrs.
• Second coat applied and again allowed to harden over 24hrs. These 2 coats are to ensure even application of lacquer; they seal the grain and prevent uneven absorption which can affect the final finish and even application.
• Hand applied lacquer allowed to harden over 24 hrs
• 2nd Coat applied allowed to harden over 24 hrs
• 3rd Coat applied allowed to harden over 72 hrs
• Buffed and wrapped in preparation for shipping

 In between applications de-nibbing and gentle polishing so actually in detail a 14 step process. 

The benefits

1. Draws out and show cases every feature and differing grain unique to Mahogany particularly when using the Swietenia strain.
2. The finish effectively delivers a hard shell protecting the timber from the following

• Prevents dirt and grease accumulating in the open grain as it will on waxed furniture
• Seals the timber further protecting it from atmospheric moisture fluctuations minimising splits.
• Removes the need to beeswax your furniture which is an exercise in elbow grease over many hours several times a year and lets face it are you going to do it?