Surfix over Shellac

[greenvillager]

A little help, please. Has anyone used surfix heavy duty oil over shellac.  I stained a white oak dining table and want seal it with Shellac and then apply the Surfix.  I am concerned because everything I look at shows the Surfix over bare wood.  Any experience with Surfix oil would help. Thanks

 

[mouppe]

Most oil finishes are penetrating and shellac is a sealer, so if you do go down this route use a very diluted washcoat of shellac, and then sand it gently. The oil may also take a little longer to cure than usual.

Normally when I use an oil finish, I skip the shellac.

It's also important to think about the reaction of the stain to the oil...did you use an oil-based stain? If you used a water-based stain, it should work better for you I think.

Assuming you used a WB stain, I'd go with an oil-based poly, and vice versa for an OB stain.

 

[greenvillager]

Most oil finishes are penetrating and shellac is a sealer, so if you do go down this route use a very diluted washcoat of shellac, and then sand it gently. The oil may also take a little longer to cure than usual.

Normally when I use an oil finish, I skip the shellac.

It's also important to think about the reaction of the stain to the oil...did you use an oil-based stain? If you used a water-based stain, it should work better for you I think.

Assuming you used a WB stain, I'd go with an oil-based poly, and vice versa for an OB stain.

Thanks for the input.  I used the shellac because I was afraid of the oil lifting the stain. I did use an oil stain, Zar. I lightly sprayed the shellac and now want to build up the oil finish.  Is your concern that the oil won't dry over the shellac?

 

[h.gil]

Where do you get Surfix in NA?

 

[tjbnwi]

Use the Surfix right over the stain.

Zar is my primary stain, as long as you let it dry at least 24 hours you should have no problems.

Tom

 

[greenvillager]

Where do you get Surfix in NA?

e

A local lumber yard. Morristown Lumber, Morristown, NJ

 

[SittingElf]

Where do you get Surfix in NA?

I think most U.S. dealers have it.  I bought my Surfix set at Toolnut. It is a readily available product.

Surfix page at ToolNut

Surfix products at Bob Marino's

Surfix Set at Amazon

Cheers,

Frank

 

[mouppe]

It's unavailable in Canada.

 

[greenvillager]

Use the Surfix right over the stain.

Zar is my primary stain, as long as you let it dry at least 24 hours you should have no problems.

Tom

I took your advise.  The oil worked beautifully over the stain.  The ETS does a great job of leaving a uniform coat over the entire surface? I will apply a second coat at the end of the day.  If this stuff is as durable as they say, I will be very happy. Thanks for the help.

 

[tjbnwi]

It's very durable and super easy to repair if it gets a blemish.

I have a few pieces at least a  couple of years in service, look as good as the day I finished them.

Most important step is patience to let the stain dry completely. 

Tom

 

[greenvillager]

Follow up.  I delivered my table this week and the finish was fantastic. 2 coats of Surfix over Zar oil stain.  Beautiful hard finish with no problems.  Quarter Sawn White oak dining table.  No dust, no problems.

 

[nickao]

Shellac certainly can be a sealer, but depending on the cut and application technique is a final finish, french polish etc,  one that can last 100 years or more. Shellac can definitely can be used before surfix as you found out and is compatible with EVERYTHING I ever came across.

With my stuff when dark woods are directly next to super white woods I must use shellac. Oil base is generally going over my work 80% of the time and I always use shellac first, I have to. If I don't the dark wood like Wenge or Santos Mahogany would bleed right into the light woods like Aspen,  or Maple.

Glad the Surfix worked out and again can  be used with anything as a sealer its universal.

My question is who has used the exterior Surfix and is it durable enough for a small interior floor application?

 

[SittingElf]

Peter Parfitt has used the exterior oil. He has a video on the application of the oils, and discusses all three types.



Cheers,

Frank

 

[nickao]

Yeah but really says nothing about personal experience on whether it holds up over time let alone under foot traffic.I would love to hear from a user that has something that sat a outside for a year or more.

 

[SittingElf]

Yeah but really says nothing about personal experience on whether it holds up over time let alone under foot traffic.I would love to hear from a user that has something that sat a outside for a year or more.

Kind of hard to get that kind of experience since Surfix has not been out very long. UV and Fungus protection should automatically extend wear, but ALL outdoor finishes need to be renewed occasionally.
I bought a really nice outdoor bench in Germany that is being shipped with my household goods. It has to be assembled, and is mahogany without any final finish. I plan to use the Surfix exterior oil on it when I assemble. I'll let you know in a year how it holds up! (Especially in Florida, where it gets VERY hot, with occasional freezes...and very high humidity in the Spring, Summer, and early Fall.)
Check back in a year! [big grin]

Cheers,

Frank

 

[kmdwoodwork]

Yeah but really says nothing about personal experience on whether it holds up over time let alone under foot traffic.I would love to hear from a user that has something that sat a outside for a year or more.

I refinished my deck and some outdoor furniture made from Ipe  and Cedar last April and i applied three coats of the outdoor oil.

On the deck i just used it on the railings and posts and most of which are partially covered by a roof. The railings and that were partially covered the oil had mostly disappeared but a light sanding with 150 and 1 coat of oil and it looked like new. On the posts that had a lot of sun exposure it had started turning slightly gray but the railing that was fully exposed the finish was completely gone and had turned gray and needed a total sand down.

The furniture was an Ipe bench that sits under a tree and a planter made from Ipe and Cedar. The bench was just like the railing that was in full exposure and the planter was worse, especially the Cedar. The parts that are vertical had turned gray and the horizontal pieces looked like they were never finished, the Cedar is also vertical and had worn off after 3 months in the summer sun.

For a comparison i used Penofin marine oil on the floor and the fully exposed areas were slightly gray but need a full sanding and the covered area just need a light sanding before recoat.

The deck is 11 years old and the furniture is 17 years old, i had let the furniture go without a finish for a number of years before refinishing last year.

I live in southern New England which has hot humid summers and cold winters with quite a bit of snow.

To sum up my experience which is not scientific in anyway i like the Surfix on the partially exposed railings and posts because of the soft feel and the look but i will not use it on anything with full exposure again because it did not hold up very well.