Substitution for film finish on old Walnut dresser?

[Mike Dowell]

We did a ton of repairs to this old girl(mid 1800's). We did a very light sanding of the surface to clean it up just a bit without removing the charm. I shot the top with a coat of dewaxed shellac and the wood really repelled it - fish eye big time. I'm sure this thing has a pound of wax in its grains from generations of use and love.

What would you use as an alternative to a film finish on this piece? I was thinking Boiled Linseed Oil, or perhaps Danish Oil. Looking for suggestions.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Shellac wouldn't normally have issue with a little wax, but it's very likely that there is silicone contamination from years of "polishing/cleaning". If you can't get it off, there's a finish additive out there that can help with fish-eye issues from this, but I have no personal experience with the same.

[John TenEyck]

Mike, your light sanding wasn't enough prep. work. You should always suspect wax on old furniture and, as Jim mentioned, silicone contamination. Ladies did love to use their Pledge. Now you are in a bit of a pickle. But since you mentioned using an oil finish you would have to remove the shellac anyway to use that, so I would strip the top with KleanStrip Premium. That will remove the shellac, and other finish, and any wax w/o destroying the patina of the wood like sanding does. Be sure to wipe it down really well with mineral spirits or Naptha afterwards, two or three times. Then it will be ready for any finish you choose. If you decide to try shellac again, mist on a couple of light coats first before shooting a complete coat.

John

[Mike Dowell]

I have never had luck with my mohawk fish-eye additive. Do you know of a different one?

[Mike Dowell]

John, I've never had luck removing silicone contaminants. Not even using Mohawk "Silicone Wash" which is basically 100% toluoene. I've used naptha, toluoene and xylene. That's why I got in the habit of spraying all tops with a couple coats of dewaxed shellac to boot. Well, we did lightly sand the rest of the piece, but it too feels like it has something on it. Are you suggesting to sand more? If so, that's what I want to avoid because we don't want to remove too much character from the wood surface. What is that stripper made of? I use a commercial MC stripper. Is there an additive in the one you use which removes silicone?


Mike, your light sanding wasn't enough prep. work. You should always suspect wax on old furniture and, as Jim mentioned, silicone contamination. Ladies did love to use their Pledge. Now you are in a bit of a pickle. But since you mentioned using an oil finish you would have to remove the shellac anyway to use that, so I would strip the top with KleanStrip Premium. That will remove the shellac, and other finish, and any wax w/o destroying the patina of the wood like sanding does. Be sure to wipe it down really well with mineral spirits or Naptha afterwards, two or three times. Then it will be ready for any finish you choose. If you decide to try shellac again, mist on a couple of light coats first before shooting a complete coat.

John

[John TenEyck]

John, I've never had luck removing silicone contaminants. Not even using Mohawk "Silicone Wash" which is basically 100% toluoene. I've used naptha, toluoene and xylene. That's why I got in the habit of spraying all tops with a couple coats of dewaxed shellac to boot. Well, we did lightly sand the rest of the piece, but it too feels like it has something on it. Are you suggesting to sand more? If so, that's what I want to avoid because we don't want to remove too much character from the wood surface. What is that stripper made of? I use a commercial MC stripper. Is there an additive in the one you use which removes silicone?


No, I'm not suggesting you sand it. I'm suggesting you strip it. The MC stripper you use should work fine; that's what's in Kleanstrip Premium. I've never had a problem with silicone contamination after using stripper. It lifts the silicone along with the finish. Put on the stripper, scrape it off when it's all bubbly, and wash it several times with MS or Naptha. Another way to get it off is by washing it with a strong TSP solution, but that risks raising the grain so I don't do it, but it does work.

Once you get it stripped you have to seal in any remaining silicone. The best way I've found to do that is to mist on a couple of coats of Sealcoat shellac, and then shoot a coat just heavy enough to form a film. You have to avoid putting on a film heavy enough that the silicone can come up through it. You actually could try this with what you have now. You might get lucky and avoid more work. If not, whatever additional shellac you put on it will come right off with the stripper.

John