Traditional methods of applying glazes involve dry brushing on glaze, and wiping it leaving a haze of glaze on the finished piece with heavier glaze in the recesses adding accenting- although still used, today's popular trend is pin-point glazing or the newest term called inking.
What is Inking ?
Glaze “inking" or pin-point glazing is a very clean glaze look applied to the recesses and profiles of doors, trim and moldings. Inking is different than traditional wipe on glazing because it leaves absolutely no trace of the glaze on the top flat surface. It results in a clean contrast between the cabinets and the glazed areas and is becoming a very popular look on cabinets and furniture. On white or cream cabinets, as in the photo, we use a Van Dyke (dark) brown glaze to create this clean line contrast.
pin-point glazing is difficult, labor intensive and time consuming to achieve, especially when a dark glaze is used on a on light color. Thus there is a cost increase on cabinets finished this way, but the results are well worth the extra cost. Not only is the process difficult but the glazing steps need to be performed after staining or painting and after the seal coat. Then an additional final clear seal coat is used to seal in the glaze, increasing the number of seal coat layers as well.
