Picking the right piano isn’t just about features and looks; understanding the design can make a big difference. I’ll highlight what you need to know about maintaining different finishes, helping you choose the best one for your space.
Know About The Piano Woods
Different types of wood go into making a piano. Beyond availability and cost, the wood’s properties matter. For example, spruce works well for the soundboard, and maple suits the bridge. Beech or maple are ideal for the pin block. Surprisingly, the exterior isn’t ebony but a black-painted veneer. Woods such as maple, mahogany, rosewood, cherry, and oak can be used for the outer layer. The inner core has layered veneer with grains at right angles to prevent warping.
Key takeaways about Piano Finishes
- Lacquer Finish: Popular for its durability and ease of use; requires careful dusting with a damp cloth and specific polishes to maintain shine.
- Satin Finish: Offers a natural look with lower sheen; needs specialized cleaning methods to avoid smudges and unevenness.
- High-Gloss Finish: Provides a mirror-like surface; demands regular gentle cleaning and occasional polishing to eliminate fine scratches.
- Polyester Finish: Extremely durable and resistant but harder to repair; regular high-gloss polish helps maintain its appearance.
- Open-Pore Finish: Retains the natural pores of the wood; requires oil-based products for upkeep and is less common than other finishes.
The wood in the frame, casing, and legs must be strong to support the heavy gray cast-iron frame and tightly stretched strings. The wood should also hold varnish or paint well to ensure excellent appearance and protection from damage.
Types of Piano Finishes
1) Lacquer Finish
The name lacquer comes from the French word “lacre” (sealing wax), and the coating itself has been used on pianos since the 1920s. It stays popular because it is easy to apply, dries quickly, holds up well, and is affordable. Lacquer can be clear or tinted, and it sets either by curing or by solvent evaporation, leaving a tough surface. Available sheens run from glossy through matte, and preferences vary. The common options are glossy (semi-gloss or high gloss), matte, eggshell, flat, and satin, with high-gloss, semi-gloss, and satin being especially common on North American pianos.
Lacquer sheen finishes look beautiful but can scratch and discolor over time. Knowing the type used on your piano helps you care for it properly. The wrong cloth or polish can cause damage. Use a feather duster or a soft damp cloth to remove dust, then follow with a dry cloth. Avoid using a dry cloth first, as it might scratch the finish.
2) Satin Finish
A satin finish offers a natural and smooth look with 35% to 40% sheen, avoiding direct light reflection. This finish hides scratches but is prone to fingerprints and smudges due to trapped body oils. Simple dusting won’t work; you’ll need to polish it, but avoid regular furniture polish as it can leave a wax residue, accumulating over time and potentially needing professional removal. Use a mild soap solution on a cloth, wiping in the grain’s direction, never in a circular motion, as it might make the grooves uneven and damage the finish.
Applying multiple layers of high gloss, left to cure before rubbing, creates a refined finish. Using steel wool or 600-grit sandpaper with a lubricant and water, I rub in the grain’s direction to form tiny grooves to diffract light. This technique dulls the high gloss to an elegant finish. Colors can include black, mahogany, walnut, and cherry. A matte version offers a completely flat, non-reflective look.
3) High-Gloss Finish
A piano with a high-gloss finish reflects light and images, adding clarity and depth. This finish uses polyester, shellac, or lacquer. The surface must be flat and smooth to reflect light properly; unevenness or scratches will diffuse it. Open grain pores are filled with water-based pore filler after the first coat. If the pores are filled with the finish, it might shrink, resulting in an uneven surface. Once the final coat is dry, sanding and buffing come next. This process can cut through most water-based and oil-based coatings, leaving puddle-shaped outlines. However, each lacquer or shellac layer melts into the previous one, forming a flawless, thick coat with no lines.
For a high-gloss finish, wipe it with a damp cloth, then dry it. Use a high-gloss polish to restore shine if there are fine scratches.
One reason polyester took over from lacquer on high-gloss pianos is that it is a two-part catalyzed resin that fully hardens during curing, making it noticeably thicker and far more scratch-resistant than the softer lacquers used on older instruments. That same hardness is also why polyester chips and cracks are tricky to spot-repair, since solvents can’t melt the cured film back together the way they can with lacquer.
4) Polyester (Polymer) Finish
A high-gloss polyester finish makes the piano’s surface mirror-like and highly durable, resisting cracks and solvents. It’s nonporous, so a small water spill won’t harm it, but wipe it up immediately. The finish is hard, preventing scratches and dents. Although its dark color shows dust easily, you can quickly clean it with a soft duster. After dusting, apply a high-gloss piano polish with a microfiber cloth, and never use furniture polish or spray directly on the piano.
5) Open-Pore Finish
An open-pore finish is a thin lacquer layer that keeps the natural pores of tonewoods exposed. Unlike other finishes, the grain isn’t filled for a smooth surface. It uses a sanding sealer on polyurethane or lacquer, resulting in a matte to satin sheen. A petroleum- or oil-based product maintains the quality of the finish. When using a conditioning polish, remove any excess to prevent grime and dust buildup. Certain products can help restore the finish if it gets worn or shows scrapes.
It is not as common as the other piano finishes, but it shows up as a substitute for satin on European-made instruments and on furniture pieces such as coffee tables and headboards.
FAQ:
How to Choose the Right Product for the Piano Finish?
Many believe that standard furniture polish is safe for all wood surfaces, including a piano’s casing and cabinet. This assumption is incorrect. If you’re buying a piano or already own one, ask about the finish and its proper care. Avoid polishing without knowing the type of finish used.
Before applying polish, use a mild soap solution to remove dirt and old products. If the piano finish is shiny and reflects light and images, it’s high gloss. Use a water-based high-gloss polish with no harmful additives. For a satin finish, which is a bit dull and only reflects light, use a mild cleaner made for it. Avoid over-wiping or over-polishing to maintain its original luster. For an open-pore finish, use an oil-based conditioning polish.