Many of the people that I speak with about commissioning a piece of furniture are interested in learning more about sustainable options.

Source: Audrey Isham via Pinterest

There are a number of ways that you can go green when creating a custom piece of furniture, but one option that I encourage you to explore is an eco-friendly furniture coating. To shed some light on this subject, I wanted to take a moment to discuss staining wood furniture and what to look for to make this coating choice environmentally friendly.

Stains can contain the same type of harmful ingredients as traditional paints: biocides, fungicides, VOCs, and more. To help minimize the pollutants that you could potentially bring into your home, select a water-based stain and sealant that doesn’t contain biocides and added dryers. Shellac is another safe option to consider as the alcohol evaporates.

Typically, the darker the stain that you choose, the more protection it will give your wood from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Also, darker stains and sealants generally contain less toxins than some of the clear stains on the market.

Real Green recently shared a list of some of the most eco-friendly brands to consider for staining wood furniture, and a few of these brands are highlighted below:

• Auro USA: This brand has gained recognition for its quality interior and exterior paints and finishes that are natural (derived from plants) and are low VOC.
• The Green Paint Company: This company creates its paint from 90 percent of reclaimed paint that it takes from waste sites. The reclaimed paint is filtered, mixed with new paint, and repackaged.

Contact me, Richard Oedel, Fine Furniture Maker, to learn more about green solutions for staining wood furniture.