A client told me my hand-rubbed finish looked 'factory perfect, and not in a good way' and it stuck with me.

They said it felt too uniform, like it had no story. I used to spend hours getting every last bit of sheen even and every pore filled. Now I leave a tiny bit of variation in the luster on purpose, especially on older pieces. It feels more honest to the wood. Does anyone else dial back the perfection a notch on purpose?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_linda2mo ago

Honestly that sounds like someone trying to sound deep about a coffee table. Tbh if the finish looks good and feels smooth, that's the job done right. Maybe they watch too many shows where everything has to have a "story". Ngl I'd just take the "factory perfect" part as a compliment and move on.

dakota_patel982mo ago

Saw a guy on a woodworking forum last week who said factory perfect just means the machine didn't have a bad day. I'm with @the_linda, if it looks good and holds your coffee, mission accomplished.

taraanderson2mo ago

Oh man, that comment would have wrecked me for a week. I used to be the same way, sanding until my arms fell off to get that flawless glassy feel. Then I realized my favorite old table at my grandma's house has little spots where the light catches differently, and it just feels more... real. Now I'm trying to unlearn that need for total perfection. It's a work in progress, honestly. My last project probably has a few too many "stories" because I overcorrected.