A job for Superman?

[CDM]

I'm contemplating a home refinishing job and am wondering if anyone can give me some feedback...

Wood = mahogany

Estimated Area = between 3000 and 4000 square feet

Location = in-place on interior walls and ceilings

Plan = sand/scrape, then apply shellac, then rub out by hand or by Festool

I made a 0.5 square foot test piece that came out nicely.  The mahogany basically shimmers as the viewing angle changes.  A lot of the boards on the project walls and ceilings have amazing grain that is all but obscured by the existing finish.  I suspect that most of them went under a hand plane or an early power planer in the 1950s, then got put up and slathered with a stain and boiled linseed oil, with no additional finish work.  The main thing I am wondering is whether a mirror-smooth rubbed finish will last for any length of time, or whether the shine that will go away with only a few seasonal expansion and contraction cycles.

Has anyone done a finish like this (in material, not necessarily area) and observed it over time?

 

[mastercabman]

What are we talking about? Trim? panelling?
Why shellac?

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Shellac is pretty flexible and will stay smooth for many years, unless exposed to alcohol.  One on my favorite finishes is shellac rubbed down with wax.  I have a few pieces that look good as new after ten years.

With such a large area, you definitely want to spray.  Shellac sprays well, but if you haven't done it before, practice on some scrap before you spray the mahogany.

 

[CDM]

The exposed wood is mostly 5" wide boards that are nailed tongue-and-groove or nailed ship-lap.  Lengths are up to 9 feet.  There are no profiles and no trim.

I'm mulling shellac for two reasons.  One is that the rubbing out will be easier and the other is that there are people living in the house so I want to minimize air quality problems.

 

[mouppe]

Shellac is my favourite finish. Mahogany is my favourite wood. The two combined look awesome.

3000 square feet and you intend to rub out? Forget Superman, you need a psychiatrist!

Good luck, you're going to need it!

 

[upscale]

Wood = mahogany
Estimated Area = between 3000 and 4000 square feet
Location = in-place on interior walls and ceilings

3000 square feet and you intend to rub out? Forget Superman, you need a psychiatrist!
Good luck, you're going to need it!

I have agree with Richard, the amount of square feet you've mentioned is excessive to the extreme. I like the use of hardwoods in the home as much as the next person, but the area you're contemplating is overkill in my opinion. I think you'd get tired of all that interior wood in short order. It's just too much: too much effort to install it all, too much having it in your face all the time and finally, too much in the way of cost. Of course this is just the way I'd feel, but I have to believe that my opinion is not unique.

Sorry.

 

[Chris Hughes]

This is a refinish, right?  No way to remove the boards without possibility of damage?  If so I feel sorry for your arms. 

How does shellac compare to varnish with uv inhibitors?

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Well if your client has a really big pocketbook it would be one way to spend a month or two.

I think considering the state the paneling is in now you will be disappointed with the results if you try to rub it out. 

I'd sand as best as I could, spray and sand back 2-3 coats of Sealcoat to fill the pores then topcoat with an high gloss acrylic lacquer or poly.  You might get a better sheen if you topcoat with a dark wax but I think it would need more maintenance.