This is a no nonsense guide which contains all the practical knowledge needed to get started, from UK author Derek Jones. It features sections on history, troubleshooting, choosing materials and more. It includes a fully illustrated and explained project, showing how to restore an existing finish on an item of furniture. Considered to be one of the most beautiful ways to finish wood, French polishing is virtually unique in that polish applied today will adhere to polish first applied a hundred years ago. It makes it the perfect finish to ensure that a new item of furniture will become an heirloom. This no-nonsense guide to the process of applying layers of shellac to create a high-gloss surface includes all you need to know from choosing materials and setting up your workshop to preparing the surface and applying the finish. There is also a section on resolving common problems and plenty of helpful, practical tips. This book will lead you through the history of French polishing and then explains, in a clear and straightforward way, how to carry out the process. There is one project - one to restore an existing finish on an item of furniture.