Shellac: As a barrier coat

[Chris Padilla]

How do folks generally prepare shellac when used as a barrier coat?

Now I'm not actually using it as one but I like to use shellac (SealCoat, mostly) as a sealer/sanding sealer and quite often as The finish.

This go around, I have a small walnut shelf (walnut veneers over MDF) that I have sealed with SealCoat. I'm letting it dry for a day and tonight I plan to lay down a rattle/spray can of Rust-Oleum "Stops Rust" Gloss Protective Enamel (black). Digging a bit into it, I find it is an oil-modified alkyd.

I plan to flatten the shellac with some 400-grit and a block to get things as flat as possible and smooth out any nubs/dust/crap that got on the drying shellac before shooting the black paint. Also, I need to dull it.

I actually layed down the shellac for two reasons: one was with hope LOML would like the natural walnut and two, if she didn't like the shellac alone, I could use it to smooth the walnut just a bit and get a preview of how the glossy black might look.

I know glossy black is the ultimate imperfection broadcaster!

[Casey Gooding]

The way you described it, you are basically using it as a sealer. If you are doing a gloss black, yes, it will show pretty much everything. I have found that flatter blacks show less imperfections.

[Steve Schoene]

Black paint on walnut? Isn't there a rule about that? Why wouldn't she like the natural walnut. It's the premium domestic hardwood. By the way, with modern veneer there isn't sufficient thickness to flatten the wood. Only expect to remove surface defects in the shellac.

But, using shellac as a sealer will work fine in that application. The shellac won't fill the pores of walnut, so they will still be visible with the black paint, if that's what you have in mind. Use a defuse porous wood, like birch or maple if you want smooth black enamel.

[Chris Padilla]

When it comes to color, I've learned that the LOML is always right! :)

This is a small shelf that will go between the (gloss black) stove and (gloss black) hood. It will hold spices and salt/pepper shakers.

I had some leftover shop cut walnut veneer so it was just the ticket. I just sprayed the first coat of black on it...it pained me...it really really did but it looks rather nice so far. :D

[David Weaver]

>>When it comes to color, I've learned that the LOML is always right!<<

Roger that. Discussing what is "acceptable" after you get your marching order on colors often doesn't elicit a friendly response, especially if the LOYL is the type like mine where color of the car is more important than the model of the car when car shopping.

[Prashun Patel]

Chris, just curious, why didn't you just paint the MDF? Why bother veneering it? The MDF would paint smoother. Shellac would have been a great choice over MDF as a primer/sealer for the spray paint. Woulda been baby-butt smooth, too.
Unless of course, you want the grain to be visible.

[Chris Padilla]

Prashun,

I decided to veneer it for more durability and because it was a bit more fun to do. Also, the MDF scrap I had on hand already had some walnut veneer on it from my Tansu project so I already had a step in that direction anyway.

[Prashun Patel]

"...because it was a bit more fun to do..."

Right on, right on, brotha. Now I'm feelin' ya!