Shelack

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I sealed some stinky bureau drawers with shellac and it worked wonderfully. It seemed easier to use than polyurethane. Not real odorous and it dried quickly. Is there any reason why I would not want to use it on the unfinished woodwork at the camp? The pamphlet I picked up lists an amazing amount of uses, but I would like to know what someone that is not from the company thinks about the product.

[kchace]

If you like the way it looks, there's no reason you can't use it as a finish.

Shellac is great for sealing wood in prep for other finishes, but it also can be used by itself. Just remember that you can shellac over varnish (or just about anything else) but you can't varnish(traditional varnish) over shellac. (The varnish will dissolve the shallac and cause problems) Shellac is great for sealing stains or knots so they won't bleed color through your finish coat.

Shellac makes for a great looking finish but is not as hard or durable as Lacquer or Polyurethane. Several coats of shellac (lightly sanded in between each) with a finish coat of paste wax makes for a great looking finish on furniture which will NOT be subject to water or heavy use. Alcohol will dissolve it and water will make white marks on it.

Just make sure you use "dewaxed" shellac.

Ken

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Ken,
Thanks for the advise. I really appreciate it. Now I can feel confident helping out with some of the projects around the camp.