How can I tell what type of wood finish is on my furniture?
Knowing what type of wood finish a piece of furniture has may not always be obvious. For example, matt varnish can look like a wax or oil finish whereas a gloss oil or a highly buffed wax finish may look like a varnish.
One simple test is to lightly scrape the surface of the wood with a finger nail or the edge of a coin in an inconspicuous area, such as the underside of a table or chair or near the bottom, inside edge of a leg. If the furniture has been waxed, small traces of the wax will easily come away when scraped.
Another test is to lightly dampen a 'white' cloth with white spirit and gently rub an inconspicuous area. If the furniture has been oiled, the white spirit will remove some of the oil, making it visible on the cloth.
If neither of the above methods remove any finish, it's pretty much safe to say that the furniture has been varnished.