I was recently reading through “Finishing 101” by a well respected finishing expert. While it mentions Shellac, the author spends zero pages on instructional technique. Got me wondering why such a time tested finish would be dished in a “101” book.

I use shellac for 90% of my projects. Durability seems to be the dominant negative comment. But how durable do you really need a finish to be? Sure, kitchen tables, coffee tables, end tables require some serious durability. But anything else - sofa tables, boxes, frames, clocks, art pieces, even tool handles and the like just don’t need a high durable finish.

The pros, IMHO, far outweigh the cons.

Pros: easy to apply, dries quickly (so multiple coats can be done within an hour, no time for dust to settle), no need to sand between coats, easy to fix blemishes or issues later on, multiple tones, brings out nice wood character, minimizes blotching, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, buffs out well

Cons: if thinned (1 to 1 1/2lb cut) will need a lot of coats to form a film (8-10 is my usual routine), not durable for high use applications, will dissolve if exposed to alcohol

Other than maybe needing more patience, what other downsides are there? I guess I was just suprised the “101” book left it out. A shame, I think, for those starting out.