A Shellac Primer

[Randy Klein]

I'm still in the final stages of surface prep, but wanted to start researching finishing. I'm making a kids Twin Bed out of Hard Maple and Cherry. It is mission style so the head and foot boards have slats which are cherry, everything else is maple.

After all the reading I've done here, it seems like there are two preferred finishes for this type of furniture:
1. BLO with a Shellac top coat (but not dewaxed)
2. BLO, Shellac sealer (dewaxed), lacquer top coat

It seems that the lacquer is favored as being the more durable, but also seems to require spray equipment, which I don't have.

So I settled on #1, since everything indicates it easier to do by hand.

But I want to know if there are any good reference materials that show detailed steps on the proper application of Shellac. I have many magazine articles and SMC advice, but was looking for a single consolidated reference. Any ideas?

Also, did I make a good choice for a finish?

[Steven Wilson]

Shellac is a great choice for most woodworking projects. It and lacquer are two classic, repairable, film fiinishes. Shellac can be topped with a lot of finishes. If you're going for something hard then choose a good spar varnish to top shellac with. As for more information, check out shellac.net (don't prefix with www.). These are the pages of Paddy O'Deen and are very useful. He doesn't sell shellac anymore but left the information up on the net for us to enjoy

[Steve Schoene]

Shellac makes a good top coat for furniture. It is quick and easy to apply and easy to repair if needed. There is no reason to not use dewaxed shellac as the only top coat. It is a smidge clearer and is more water resistant.

If you do want a varnish top coat I would go with a traditional resin varnish. Behlen Rockhard, Pratt & Lambert 38 and McCloskey Heirloom are all good brushing varnishes. For a wipe on varnish consider Waterlox, which is available in three sheens Satin, Original/Sealer, and Gloss.

I would shy away from spar varnish for interior furniture. It is quite a bit softer than the varnishes I mentioned above because it has been formulated to be very flexible in order to respond to the wide humidity and temperature changes that occur in exterior use. Marine spar also has UV protectants. Neither the flexibility nor the UV protection is of benefit for interior furniture.

[Jim Becker]

I'll add that even for number one, you can use de-waxed shellac. That's all I buy so I don't need to keep two sets of brushes... ;)

[Randy Klein]

I'll add that even for number one, you can use de-waxed shellac. That's all I buy so I don't need to keep two sets of brushes... ;)

I think I was writing that before the caffeine set in. My #1 is with dewaxed shellac. Not sure what I was thinking...

Does that Taunton book on Finishing (I think by Jeff Jewitt) give a comprehensive break down on how to apply shellac?

[Dixon Peer]

I think I was writing that before the caffeine set in. My #1 is with dewaxed shellac. Not sure what I was thinking...

Does that Taunton book on Finishing (I think by Jeff Jewitt) give a comprehensive break down on how to apply shellac?

I would think the method of application would depend on how much surface area you have to cover and if there are good places on the work piece where you can stop. If you're doing big flat surfaces, spray equipment will make for a better job because with a fast drying coating like shellac, (or any finish coating) you need to keep a wet edge. If you're brushing a big surface with a fast drying finish, that's pretty hard to do, and somewhere along the line you're going to have brush marks where you overlap fresher brush strokes on previous ones.

[Tim Sproul]

It seems that the lacquer is favored as being the more durable, but also seems to require spray equipment, which I don't have.



Lacquer does not have to be sprayed. Both solvent and water borne lacquers can be applied by brush.

[John Pohja]

Randy, FWIW, I found shellac vey difficult to apply with a brush. Padding was somewhat easier. Then I switched to an HVLP gun and have been spraying ever since. Don't get me wrong there is a learning curve with spraying, just not as steep. John

[Jack Briggs]

Lacquer does not have to be sprayed. Both solvent and water borne lacquers can be applied by brush.


Yeah, but the lacquers that are for brushing have retarders in them to slow the drying, and let brush marks flow out. Otherwise you'd want to add retarder to a spray lacquer if you want to try brushing.

[Matt P]

I find that BLO darkens the wood too much, and also can be blotchy. I prefer the straight shellac.
Just my two sense..

[glenn bradley]

I think I was writing that before the caffeine set in. My #1 is with dewaxed shellac. Not sure what I was thinking...

Does that Taunton book on Finishing (I think by Jeff Jewitt) give a comprehensive break down on how to apply shellac?

I would take a stab at some scrap that has been through your sanding protocol and see what happens. I find shellac so easy to pad on and so forgiving to work with I could see over-thinking the process actually causing me trouble. Give it a shot and I think you'll see what I mean. Zinssers Seal Coat is a dewaxed 2lb cut pre-mix and my current favorite.