Stain & Shellac

[Kevin Arceneaux]

We are new to woodworking and are trying to figure things out. This has turned into a family activity. The BOSS has these questions:

I was wondering if you can apply Minwax stain to wood and then add shellac. I do not really understand exactly what shellac is used for. Do you use it as a sealant or to add color?

Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Shellac is a multitude of things...it is commonly used as a sealer, as a toner and most importantly, as a finish in itself. It can also a "universal" barrier layer when you need to separate two finishing elements that are normally incompatible. (Dewaxed recommended for that purpose) Please follow the links I posted in the cherry finishing thread this week to Steve Mickley's site where there is good information on shellac.

[Kevin Arceneaux]

Thank you. That site has a lot of information.

[Jerry Olexa]

JIM is exactly right. Follow that advice. Be sure to use DeWaxed Shellac if you are going to overcoat it!! G Luck Jerry

[Kevin Arceneaux]

Thanks, I made a little box to put my router bits in and we are going to use it as a test bed for shellac.

[Ted Daigle]

Kevin,
Welcome aboard! Glad to see someone from the area on this forum. You are going to love this place. Great folks. Your also going to love woodworking, I hope!

[Chris Padilla]

Bob Flexner and Jeff Jewitt also have excellent books out that talk about all aspects of finishing as to what glaze, shellac, lacquer, latex, pigment, dye, varnish, oil, and wax are and how they impact wood. I highly recommend you pick up both and then plan for a couple nights reading and several trips back to them as references.