How to soap your CH24 Wishbone Chair and other wood products
INTRODUCTION
Traditional Danish soap finishes feature on many of our pieces, from the famous CH24 Wishbone Chair by Hans Wegner to the J39 Chair by Borge Mogensen. Common in high quality Scandinavian design, it creates a soft to the touch natural finish on light, raw woods such as Maple, Beech and Oak. The finish is much easier to apply than you may think; simply follow these simple steps and allow Olson and Baker to guide you through the process of applying a soap finish to wood furniture.
Clean your wood furniture down, wiping with a damp microfibre cloth and drying off thoroughly. This removes any dust and debris on the surface.
Lightly sand to gently open the wood’s surface and remove stubborn stains or superficial scratches using an extra fine sandpaper (approximately 320 grit).
Make a “soap soup” by mixing boiling water and natural soap flakes in a bowl, in equal parts. Mix until the soap flakes have completely melted leaving you with a “soap soup”.
Decant the “soap soup” into a container/large jar and leave to cool overnight.
Once your “soap soup” has cooled, it will firm up into a paste/jellylike liquid ready to be applied to your freshly cleaned and prepared furniture.
Scoop the “soap paste” onto a soft cloth and lavishly massage it onto the wood surfaces. The aim here is to take your time and apply generously so a layer is formed on the wood.
Allow this layer to dry, ensuring most of the water has evaporated. Then gently wipe off any excess “soap paste” with a dry soft cloth and repeat to form another layer, and then another layer if desired.
Once two or three layers have been applied and your furniture has completely dried, buff with a soft cloth to finish.
USEFUL NOTE
Lasts For Years – Keep your “soap soup” in an air-tight / sealed jar and it will last years for re-use whenever needed.
USEFUL NOTE
Furniture Care – For daily care of your furniture, use a damp cloth (not too wet) with a very mild solution of warm water and natural soap (consistency should be closer to water not a “soup”).
USEFUL NOTE
Environment Care – Natural soap flakes are made from pure soap and biodegrade harmlessly into the environment.
USEFUL NOTE
For Raised Wood Grain – If you have any wood grain that feels raised to the touch you can very lightly sand this between layers when applying the “soap paste”.