Table Love: exclusive handmade lacquered tableware, furniture and home accessories from Vietnam

The Making of Lacquerware

The traditional lacquer process is quite complicated and can take up to 4 months to finish but one piece. Even a simple tray takes a minimum of 75 days and goes through 20 stages in the lacquering process before it is finished.
1. The shape, made from either MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) or raw timber, is examined and any cracks or indentations are sealed with lacquer from the native lacquer tree ("rhus seccedanea" tree, "anacardium occidentale" tree family) in Phu Tho Province, located northeast of Hanoi.
	2. After checking that the lacquer has not affected the intended shape of the item, the product is then covered with fine cotton gauze to ensure that there will be no cracking at a later stage. 3. Next, the piece is covered with a thick coating which is a mixture of natural lacquer, finely ground mountain rock, sawdust and alluvial soil.
4. When this coating has dried, the product is placed under fresh water and sanded.
5. Using a brush made from natural fibres, a mixture of alluvial soil and natural lacquer is painted onto the product. 6. Step 4 is repeated. 7. Step 5 is repeated. 8. Step 4 is repeated.
	9. The product is now covered with pure natural lacquer. 10. Lacquer is beaten for 24 hours to form a glutinous mixture. This mixture is then applied to the piece as a thick coating. 11. Once again, the product is sanded under water. 12. Step 10 is repeated. 13. Step 11 is repeated.
14. The base design is stencilled in and the details are painted by hand, which makes every lacquer product an original piece. No two pieces are exactly alike. 15. The bare surface is painted with traditional lacquer and the areas with designs are painted with clear lacquer. 16. Once again, the product is given a second coat of clear lacquer. 17. A third coat of clear lacquer is then applied.
	18. The product is polished. 19. Hinges and locks are fitted. 20. The logo is silk screened onto the base of the product. The piece is carefully inspected and packed.
Each creation is the result of a time-honoured process. Our lacquer wares are completely made by hand. No two pieces are exactly alike. They have 13 layers of coating which makes them very durable. However, lacquers should be handled carefully. Click here for information about cleaning and caring for your lacquerware.