Main finishes for humidors

Cedar wood is essential for the interior of humidors, but the exterior finish has endless possibilities. Natural wood, varnished, recomposed, roots, lacquered… it all depends on the taste of each person and the place where you want to place it. Here are some of the main finishes used in cigar humidors.

The most common finish for humidor is to use any wood that matches the room or establishment where it will be placed, simply varnished. It is a very natural, simple and elegant finish.

Other external finishes for humidors

What can these varnished woods be? Here are some of them:

• Mahogany is a very durable and versatile tropical wood. Hailing from Central and South America and other tropical regions, it ranges in colour from reddish to dark brown, with some lighter streaks. Another characteristic that makes it very elegant for the exterior of humidors and other furniture is its natural lustre, and its ability to be polished to an extra glossy finish. It is also very resistant to rot and insects.
• Bubinga: also of exotic origin, it is very durable due to its resistance to humidity and wear. It originates from tropical Africa, from countries such as Angola, Congo, Gabon or Cameroon. There is a great variety of colours of this wood. There are bubinga wood with pink and reddish tones and others with darker browns. It also has a natural sheen that looks very elegant with the right finish.
• Cherry: From the genus Prunus, this tree is native to Europe, Western Asia and North America. From light shades of pink to darker reddish-brown, it is a moderately hard and resistant wood. It is less prone to warping and cracking than other woods, but less resistant to abrasion. It accepts a range of finishes, such as various varnishes and oils, very well. Its use in furniture and, in this case, humidors, makes it timeless.

• Oak: this is one of the most widely used woods in carpentry because of its durability, versatility and beauty. Oak, which belongs to the Quercus genus, comes from different parts of the world. The most common for use in furniture are white oak from North America, red oak from North America and Europe, and European oak. It exists in a wide range of shades from light to dark brown. Occasionally, its grain is slightly darker. Its medium-high density makes it ideal for humidors because it resists humidity and insect attack very well. Not very prone to warping and cracking. Gives a somewhat more classic look to humidors.
• Walnut: Another very durable and versatile wood is walnut, whose beauty also makes it perfect for humidor finishes, to which it adds warmth. From the Juglans genus, it is native to North America, Europe and Asia, so there are several species around the world: American walnut, European walnut, black walnut… Its tone ranges from light to dark brown, with a sometimes darker grain. Like the other woods mentioned above, it is very durable and resistant to moisture and insects thanks to its high average density. It is also not prone to warping and cracking.

All these woods are perfect and elegant to dress up a humidor on the outside. A varnish is applied to protect them from external agents and embellish them, enhancing their natural colour, grain and texture. This also prevents or slows down physical damage, such as that caused by humidity, the sun’s rays and general wear and tear. In other words, we apply satin, matt and gloss varnishes and water-based varnishes.

Special woods and roots

Less common and, therefore, more original is to use other more original types of wood, such as white ebony, ciricote wood, recomposed wood, roots or wood treated with less conventional methods, such as brushing.

Lacquered humidors, the perfect option to match any style

Another way to finish humidors is by lacquering their exterior. The most common are the black and white lacquered options, but they can be lacquered in any colour of the RAL code. This last option is a popular choice for those who want to match their humidor to the room in the house where it will be placed. The lacquers can be matt, gloss or high gloss. It is a very elegant and modern finish.