Wood Closet Shelving — Cope Closet Concepts

Finishing is a tricky business.  At Cope we offer Hardwood Ventilated Shelving (and a whole line of companion products) - in 11 different finishes.   Because properly finishing wood products is literally a moving target, we MUST take the whole process very seriously.  A common characteristic of finish materials is that they start evaporating about as soon as they are formulated.  Some naturally evaporate more rapidly than others, depending on the formula, air exposure (how much and for how long), etc.  Evaporation alone is a big deal for a Finish Specialist to manage.   Other forces to be reckoned with are keeping the formula properly agitated during use, keeping lines clean, filters changed, being mindful of atmospheric changes, and even the speed at which the finish is applied matters.  In addition to common issues, each of our 11 finishes has its own set of unique characteristics to manage.  While some of our finishes are forgiving enough to run through a finish machine, others require more human touch.  Hand sanding, spraying, and dipping still go on every day at Cope Closet Concepts.   

Wood is also a tricky business.  Color and grain variations are normal within every species, and Ash (our primary choice) is no exception.  Lumber quality must be managed from the start.   Worm holes, fish eyes, and mineral streaks are all terms (and not of endearment) you may hear when you walk thru our plant.   In addition, we offer solid hardwood products AND plywood products; this is particularly difficult because plywood and hardwood accept finish products quite differently.  Plywood is a handful to manage all by itself!  Glue residue, oil, water damage, etc. is often not visible to the eye on raw plywood, but will “rear an ugly head” during the finishing process.   To be “good with wood” takes training, experience and sometimes a stubborn spirit!

Finishing real wood products brings challenges for us every day, but we love it!   Our goal is to minimize (not eliminate) finish inconsistency.  We are primarily in the stain business (as opposed to paint) because we believe people are drawn to real wood products because of the depth of life that can be found in every piece of wood.  Our finishes accentuate this life, not hide it.   Below is a description of each of our 11 fantastic finishes.

Natural:  Simple and handsome, this nearly clear lacquer finish complements grain laden Ash hardwood.  Blonde color variations, accented by a faint amber hue, will be noticeable as noneof the natural wood characteristics are hidden.

Frost:  This simple “white wash” process soaks into the wood, resulting in a finish that often looks like a clear finish on wood that has white, beige, and pink hues.

Honey:  This economical dye enhances Ash hardwood with shades of honey, without hiding ANY of the grain.  Shade variation will depend on the grain pattern, and run the gambit of honey colors from Clover to Buckwheat.

Pearl:   This white, medium coverage finish actually builds up ON the wood’s surface but generally avoids grainy areas, leaving part of the wood fully covered and part very lightly covered.  Perfect if you want white, without hiding the beauty of the hardwood.  Color variation with this finish is a result of grain pattern variation; the white is always white, but there will be more or less of it from shelf to shelf.

Picket Fence:  One of only two opaque finishes we offer; Picket Fence is achieved thru applying multiple layers of pigmented lacquer.   Grain is visible even though it’s covered with white lacquer and there could be occasional areas of intense grain not covered in lacquer.  Nearly no color variation, resulting only from aging.   For less grain, Maple wood is available upon request.

Seashell:  A full coverage, opaque stain; finish is achieved thru applying multiple layers of pigmented lacquer.   Grain is visible even though it’s covered with Seashell lacquer and there could be occasional areas of intense grain not covered in lacquer. Very little color variation, only resulting from dye lots and aging.   For less grain, Maple wood is available upon request.

Driftwood:  Driftwood is a medium bodied finish that’s as finicky as it is beautiful!  As Driftwood builds up on the wood’s surface it creates two separate tones – beige and gray. While the build-up helps minimize natural grain coloration, these two tones have unique personalities, each seeking its own favorite places on the wood to settle.  Expect intense color variation, displaying uneven tones of beige and gray – sometimes more gray, sometimes more beige. 

Nutmeg:  This beautiful medium tone has the most personality of our “wood tones”.  Best describing this finish is a challenge. Color variations range from golden-brown to medium-brown, and can even display hints of red.  Too dark to be completely transparent and too light to hide natural wood color variations, the array of colors found in this finish is wide. The color will appear darker on dark wood and very golden over blonde areas of wood.

Brandy:  Brandy is a water-born dye.  Shelves are submerged in dye to insure complete coverage of this dark brown finish with prominent red tones.  Dyes produce less color variation than stains.  Dye lot variations and wood density play a role in determining intensity of red tones.   Much care is taken to insure color variations are minimal.  Once color is achieved, clear lacquer is applied.

Walnut:  Walnut is a water-born dye.  Shelves are submerged in dye to insure complete coverage of this dark finish. Walnut almost has a black appearance with green, gray and/or brown hues.  Dyes produce less color variation than stains.  Dye lot variations and wood density play a role in determining the intensity of Walnut’s hues.  Once color is achieved, clear lacquer is applied.   Much care is taken to insure color variations are minimal. 

Mahogany:  Mahogany is one of our two darkest wood tone finishes.  Rich and bold, Mahogany is very dark, almost appearing black, but with a prominent burgundy hue visible.  This finish is so dark, color variation should be minimal.