I'm building an armoire out of cherry. I was planning on finishing at least the inside with shellac (because of the low odor), then covering with something else, also low odor (water-based poly?). I was testing some shellac sealer (Bulls Eye, I think, 3lb cut) on a scrap of cherry here at work to see if/how much the color changed. Liked the color. HOWEVER, the directions on the can said NOT to put poly over it (didn't say regular or water, just no polyurethane over it). I thought shellac worked under everything.
So finally to the questions:
* Can I put water-based poly over shellac?
* If not, what's a good low/no odor protector I can put over it?
* Or, what's a good low/no odor protective finish I can use instead of shellac & topcoat? I'd use plain water poly, but it doesn't darken the wood, like I would like it to.
I'm not to worried about protecting the insides of the drawers, but the divider shelves the drawers ride on, and the part where the TV, VCR, etc., live probably need something tougher than just the shellac. Don't they?
Thanks. DB