Varnish is a clear transparent hard protective coating or film. It is not to be confused with wood stain. It usually has a yellowish shade due to the manufacturing process and materials used, but it m
Varnish on wood stairs
A table green wood-stained and varnished with three layers of polyurethane varnish
Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from tree sap and wax and has been in use since antiquity.
Varnish
…technique well known in ancient Egypt. Varnishing is also recorded in the history of East and South Asia; in India, China and Japan, where the practice of lacquer work, a species of varnish application, was known at a very early date. The Tang Chinese used medieval chemistry experiments to produce a varnish for…
Lacquer dish with Chinese character for longevity, mid 16th century
Maki-e sake bottle with Tokugawa clan's mon (emblem), Japan, Edo period
Lacquer plate, Nam Định province, Vietnam, Nguyễn dynasty
Laksha is a traditional form of lacquerware from Sri Lanka which is made from shellac derived from Lac.