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I’m wondering what a ceruse wood finish is and how it is applied. I saw a piece of furniture that was finished with a “hand-applied ceruse technique” but that was as detailed as the author got. I think it means rubbing a pigment into the grain of the wood but am not sure. I would appreciate any help in learning more about this topic.
Sincerely,
Stephen Fraser
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It's a fancy name for a very simple technique, and it's only used with open-pore woods (walnut, mahogany, oak, ash, etc.) After sealing the wood with a clear sealer (such as shellac), apply a thinned coat of paint and wipe off the excess with rags. The effect is the same as that you get by using a wood filler--the paint deposits pigment into the open pores. Technically, I believe the word is used only to describe the process of using white paint, but the technique will of course work with any color.
*Jed is correct in his description of the process but technically ceruse means white lead pigment, so the result is white pigments in the pores of the wood.Stephen
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