Hello. I have researched this many times without coming to a definitive answer, and I am hoping that someone here can help, or at least provide a clue. I had a custom china cabinet built by a professional furniture maker and restorer (small business--basically the owner and a helper). It's a beautiful piece of furniture, but a few things went wrong on the job and it ended badly. It's a long story...I thought we recovered from the bad stuff, but apparently not.

Here is my question: is there a lacquer finish product that requires the ongoing maintenance of oiling to keep the wood from drying out?

Read on only if you are interested in the background:

My basic understanding of lacquer finishes leads me to believe that oiling is unnecessary because the wood is basically sealed with this finish. The furniture maker told me I should dust with warm Murphy's oil soap, and that I should apply Milsek Furniture Oil four times a year on the crotch mahogany veneer doors, and once a year on the rest of the piece. I did this at first, but then stopped because I didn't think I should have to oil a lacquer finish. He came back to make some adjustments about eight months later, and was upset that I had not been oiling the piece. He applied a lot of oil to the veneered doors that day until it was no longer being absorbed by the wood. The veneer was starting to craze, and he told me to oil it once a month from then on. I have done this, but the crazing has gotten worse. Of course, it looks good when I have just oiled it because the moisture of the oil makes the cracks disappear, but as they dry out between oiling it, the cracks show up white.

I have tried in the nicest way possible to find out exactly what product was used to finish the piece, but this guy will not provide the information to me. I am even wondering if he really did apply lacquer to the piece. A lot of things about the finishing process didn't make sense to me. There were a lot of rough places on the piece at the bare wood/ready to finish stage that he said he would sand out, but those same rough areas were still there at delivery. He said it was wood filler coming to the surface, and that after six months he should come back and brillo the whole piece to take care of all those spots. There were other things that didn't make sense. I won't detail all of them, but one inconsistency has really bugged me. I requested a sample to use for shopping for other pieces for this room, and the sample is very smooth and glossy while still being able to feel the grain of the wood. However, the cabinet itself is very dull and looks to my eye like there is no protective finish at all. When I asked about the difference between the two finishes, he told me the cabinet had been rubbed out to look like an antique and the sample had not, since it was just a sample. However, wouldn't it be the opposite? The more glossy finish was rubbed out and built up more than the dull matte finish, correct? Also, I have never oiled the sample and I see no evidence of crazing in the veneer part of the sample, although it is very small. And the color of the sample is deeper and richer than the piece itself. Doesn't lacquer deepen and enrich the color of the wood?

I will leave it at this. As I said, it is a long and sad story. I would like to eventually have whatever is wrong corrected. I fear that the veneer will have to be replaced, at least at some point, and that the entire piece will have to be refinished.

I am really only requesting an answer to the basic question way above, but if you have any other insights to offer, they are much appreciated!