Who likes shellac?

[jaegerhund]

I just finished a door with shellac ---- my first time using shellac.  I originally bought Zinsser Seal Coat (dewaxed) thinking I would use it as a seal coat, and to help build up the finish, and then do a varnish top coat, but I decided to use shellac throughout.  I brushed on  4-6 coats and rubbed it out to a satin finish with an application of wax.  All I can say is I like how it flowed and I really like how it rubbed out.  Anyway,  this is just a modest attempt to start a discussion on shellac.

Justin

 

[stvrowe]

I like shellac as well and use it whenever I can.  I don't care for the stuff in the can much.  I purchase shellac flakes which gives you a much better selection of types of shellac (including color tint) and make whatever cut you prefer.  I usually mix as a 3 lb cut and thin as appropriate for sealing or top coats.
Steve

 

[jaegerhund]

In the future , Steve, I will try to buy the flakes and brew some up on demand.  The quality that shellac imparts is hard to explain -- a warm glow I guess.  I'm sure there are plenty of chances in the future to dislike shellac (or the application of) but the first shot was encouraging.

Justin

 

[jaegerhund]

Question:  What is a desirable cut for a wash coat --- that is to help even/uniform staining on difficult wood ?

Justin

 

[sw1211]

Some decent info from this site:http://www.shellac.net/index.html

I used the flakes from Rockler and was happy with them, my 1st time.  The project turned out fairly well.  I'll definately use it again.

 

[Scott W.]

Question:   What is a desirable cut for a wash coat --- that is to help even/uniform staining on difficult wood ?

Justin

Justin,
I usually use a 1 lb cut for that purpose.

Very seldom that I don't use shellac as part of my finishing process. And sometimes that's all I use.

This a cradle I built with a shellac only finish.

[attachimg=1]

I use flakes & mix my own as needed.

Scott W.

 

[jaegerhund]

Scott --- beeeaauutifulll!!    Very nice work.  I figured 1# cut for wash coat also ---

Justin

 

[nickao]

Shellac is the "shit".

I mix my own Shellac flakes(with alcohol) and can make almost any color from very near clear to green or red, even blue with added dyes. It is also compatible with every coating known to man. Nothing else that I know of is compatible with everything like shellac. It has to have NO wax to be compatible with everything, so be careful what you buy. It is also the simplest finish in the world to apply and dries to the touch in 20 minutes or less. Super simple clean up. You can also wrap a shellac used brush, toss it in the fridge with no cleaning and use it months later with no problem, try that with poly!

You can rag it on, brush it on, spray it on or just use a napkin. Nothing is as sweet as a french polished piece . My favorite floor coating is shellac followed by wax, which looks great on any wood item as well.

It can be used as a sealer in a 1 lb cut or as a floor finish in a thicker 3 lb cut. It is non toxic when dry and is even used on apples and some tablet medicines as a coating.

Shellac comes from the lac bug. Its not the poop like some people think, but is secreted from the bug and the trees leaves are scraped to get it.

They now even sell ready mixed shellac with NO wax, which is key. A spray can  is sold too.

Shellac is probably the best thing to use on certain period pieces as that is what was actually used ..

I love shellac!

Shellac ready mixed.

Shellac Flakes

 

[jaegerhund]

So Nick --- evidently you like shellac  .  I would like to use it on a bedroom floor (for myself).  I know this use to be common --- it seems with a coat of wax and moderate foot traffic it should hold up (no matter what the poly people say).  And I really like how shellac is easy to repair --- I see no problems with this.  The dewaxed versions will probably hold up to water better.  Nick -- what say  you  ?--- what say anyone ?

Justin

 

[nickao]

You do not have to use the wax at all if you do not want to. Start with a 1 ib cut or the Zinnser sealer shellac. Then go to a 2 lb cut and if no wax the third coat could be a 3lb cut. Or the third coat can be a 2lb cut and then wax. With shellac you can put on all the coats in one day! I would do the first two coats the first day, then wait until the next day and put on the 3lb cut. You should screen or lightly sand after the first coat and even between every coat if you like.

Zinnser has a pamphlet on a good way to use shellac for the floor. Poly looks nowehere near as gorgeous as shellac on a floor. I do not care how much somebody loves poly the results speak for themselves, IMHO

Yes it repairs easily and unlike poly shellac breaks down the previous coat as you are adding more so it basically melts together leaving no feather marks or streaks.

Poly may be more durable, but shellac is durable enough, especially for a bedroom. My entire house has shellac on the floors and I have 6 kids. I put it down and the family came home 3 hours later and could walk on the floor in socks at that time and could walk on the floor with shoes the next day. And dust is not a factor like it is for poly as it dries do fast.

Get the pamphlet from Zinnser, I think Menard's or even Home Depot may have them as well as online. If I can find one I will send it to you.

Nick

 

[jaegerhund]

Thanks Nick.  I figure even in the case of worn spots, the ability to speedily repair it should take care of most problems. 

Justin

 

[Allen Akin]

Interesting comments on shellac for floors.  After years of using oil-based polyurethane, a while back I needed to replace and completely refinish an isolated section of floor all in a day.  I used some Zinsser shellac I had on hand, and I was surprised by how nice it looked.  Durability is also better than I expected; despite being in a moderate-traffic high-sun area, it's gone a year without touch-up.  So while I'm not ready to switch from urethane or water-based polycarbonate to shellac for floors, I'm no longer reluctant to use it when needed.

Allen

 

[slb]

I always use a wash coat of shellac before staining on woods like pine and cherry that are prone to blotching.  Also as a sealer before adding toner or glaze.  I usually do a final coat of poly on anything that may get exposed to water or spilled drinks, as shellac isn't all that resistant to them.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

For an easy low tech, natural looking finish, get a spray can of shellac.  Spray on several coats (15 min between coats).  Let it harden for a few days, then rub on some paste wax with steel wool.  Easy to do and it looks great.

 

[ezdrive]

After reading several posts to this website, I have revisited using Shellac.  It is great stuff!  I have an old "Karges" dining room table that I inherited from my parents.  This table has a beautiful mahogany inlay pattern on the main table top and six leaves.  I remember as a child how the surface was like satin.  After forty years of exposure the surface looks like a shattered window.  The company still exists in Indiana, but they would tell me what was used on the table.  I tried a french buff, and it came out real nice, but in a couple of weeks it looked checked again.  I tried a oil based urethane, but it left a fogged surface after buffing.  I finally cleaned the surface with Acetone to remove any wax buildup, and sanded with 1000 grit with my Rotex to level the surface.  I then sprayed a several coats of 2 Ibs. cut Shellac with light sanding between coats (actually, the first coat was 1 Ib. cut Shellac).  The test table leaf looks fantastic.  I plan to wait a couple of weeks before taking on the whole table.

I really like the ease of using shellac.  Very little odor;  cleanup is a breeze; and results are impressive.  Just need to keep the surface free of alcoholic beverages!

Ray

 

[jaegerhund]

Cool EZ ------one of the things I'm learning about shellac is that it is much more durable than I thought.  If you do a general search on the web, a person who doesn't dig deeper, would be led to believe that the stuff is whimpy and insufficient in most cases.  But I think the opposite is really true --- it's durable, it's beautiful, it dries fast, it doesn't stink like a varnish, it's a great sealer and wash coat, its super easy to repair ----- maybe I'm missing something but this seems hard to beat except for the most demanding of applications.

Justin

 

[Les]

Great info guys.

What is the shelf life of self mixed shellac and Zinsser dewaxed?

 

[jaegerhund]

Great info guys.

What is the shelf life of self mixed shellac and Zinsser dewaxed?

I'm not really sure but the Zinsser has an expiration date marked on the can --- so this is something to consider when buying as I did come across some past the printed date.

Justin

 

[Neill]

Great info guys.

What is the shelf life of self mixed shellac and Zinsser dewaxed?

Les -

According to what I have read, the dewaxed shellac flakes have a life that is pretty much unlimited as long as they are kept in a cool, dry location.  Once mixed with solvent, the shelf life is about six months but may be extended up to a year if kept refrigerated.

Neill

 

[soggycrow]

Shellac makes a great sealer too.  If you are painting a bathroom or other damp area put a coat of shellac under the paint.  It will make the wall impervious to water vapor.