# What is "parchment" finish?



## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

My better half was interested on a night table that was on sale at Westelm. and the description says "parchment lacquer finish." Being a noobie and foolishly claiming that "I can build that for you!" ...now i'm on the hook….

does anyone know what this type of finish is done?

thanks!


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

It's paint, with lacquer over it.

Google "antique parchment faux finish".


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Real parchment finish requires serious skills. Here's an example.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/71685


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## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

> It s paint, with lacquer over it.
> 
> Google "antique parchment faux finish".
> 
> - Loren


thought that it was a laminate or some sort that i glue on to the outsides….no?


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## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

> Real parchment finish requires serious skills. Here s an example.
> http://lumberjocks.com/projects/71685
> 
> - shipwright


yeah, saw that before…that is some serious work


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I figured it was some sort of faux antique
finish after the french provincial style, but
I admit it could be something else.

examples:


__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84935142943789194/



__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/84935142948385052/


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Yeah well I checked out Shipwrights link, and if you doing it as per all I can say is:
Good Luck with that!

Otherwise I think faux is swedish for fake.
So I then went and checked out Loren's post 
Possibly again a reasonable amount of skill is even required to achieve that finish also.
But as above, again Good luck with that too.

I will await your first project post, its gunna be a blinder!


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

As a marriage veteran, let me help you out. Here's the pitch: So hon, I brought this up on LJ, and the main concern is with durability. They suggested Arm-R-Seal, so I think that's what we should go with.

See? Easy-peasy.

Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that I am indeed a veteran… of two marriages that both ended in divorce. But take my word for it anyway


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## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

> As a marriage veteran, let me help you out. Here s the pitch: So hon, I brought this up on LJ, and the main concern is with durability. They suggested Arm-R-Seal, so I think that s what we should go with.
> 
> See? Easy-peasy.
> 
> ...


ahahahhaha….will do, that maybe my salvation. thank you!


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## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

> Yeah well I checked out Shipwrights link, and if you doing it as per all I can say is:
> Good Luck with that!
> 
> Otherwise I think faux is swedish for fake.
> ...


lol… i may tackle this later…years later


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

I had the opportunity to play around with some of the scraps left over from the desk mentioned above. Parchment is cool stuff. Here is a link to my experiments.
http://lumberjocks.com/shipwright/blog/35459


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## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

> I had the opportunity to play around with some of the scraps left over from the desk mentioned above. Parchment is cool stuff. Here is a link to my experiments.
> http://lumberjocks.com/shipwright/blog/35459
> 
> - shipwright


that is beautiful finish. so that i can grasp the concept…Parchment is a thin panel (either thin plastic or wood veneer) that you can glue onto workpiece? or might it be a type of a finish like paint, stain n such?


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

It is very thinly prepared skin, usually lamb or calf although other animals are used too.


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## nmssis (Sep 14, 2015)

> It is very thinly prepared skin, usually lamb or calf although other animals are used too.
> 
> - shipwright


got it…thank you


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