Need help with splotchy cherry finish!!!!

[Steve LaFara]

I know that this should be in the finishing forum, but there seems to be very little trafic there and looking for some quick help.

In the process of finishing a cherry cabinet and the top has gotten very splotchy after the first application of gel stain. (the gel stain is being used to match other existing pieces in the room) It looks like I will need to sand the stain off and start over and this time put down a coat of shellac first. The other sections of the cabinet look fine.

Question is, how heavy of a wash coat of shellac should I use? I was thinking of thinning the shellac with denatured alcohol but how much???? Will I have a problem getting the top with the shellac to match the color of the other areas without the shellac??? Really don't want to sand the entire cabinet down unless I really have to. Or any other ideas are welcome.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

A 1# cut of shellac is fine under the gel stain. Do use de-waxed shellac to insure that you have no issues with any top coating you plan on using if it's water borne or contains polyurethane.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Ahhhh, grasshopper.... Live and learn - we've all been there. Yes, cherry doesn't take stain well. Jim's right, a little sealer goes a long way. To really darken cherry takes a toned (dyed finish) and a spray gun.

[Bob Reda]

Zinnser has the #1 dewaxed shellac already can as sealcoat at your local Lowes.

[Steve Schoene]

Seal Coat is 2 lb. cut. To dilute this to 1 lb. cut mix 3 parts of denatured alcohol with 2 parts of Seal Coat liquid shellac.

You may have some problems getting a match. If you err, err a bit on the light side since the cherry will darken naturally over the next year or so.

[Bob Reda]

Steve is absolutely right, I forgot about the reduction of the sealcoat. That being said. I don't know how it will effect a gel stain. I've done this to several projects and the color does not penetrate and will not come out as dark and that is with regular oil stain.

Bob

[Matt Bickford]

After applying a 1# sealcoat of the above recipe, does the following coat of waterlox need to be applied within a certain amount of time? How liberally should this recipe be applied? I usually check my project preparation with mineral spirits, is this ill-advised with a sealcoat/waterlox process?

[Jim Becker]

Matt, the shellac has no bearing on when you top coat your piece outside of letting the shellac cure first.

[Matt Bickford]

Can I go from 220 to mineral spirit check to shellac? or should I lightly sand again?

[Jim Becker]

I use the mineral spirits to clean off the sanding dust and grit before moving on to shellac...just let it all "go away" before you coat with the shellac. If in doubt, you can always wipe with alcohol...

[Matt Bickford]

thank you, sir