Shellac

[transatlantic]

I want to experiment with shellac on my next project, which will be a small stool made from redwood pine. I'd really like to get a golden finish, like that of antique pine or dark oak (pictured below)

So should I be staining the wood first? or applying a stain mixed into the shellac? ... I always have trouble with my finishes looking blotchy on pine, so I'm guessing mixing it into the shellac would work best?

And which Shellac should I be buying?

https://www.agwoodcare.co.uk/products/f ... ingsealer/
https://www.agwoodcare.co.uk/products/f ... ishgolden/
https://www.agwoodcare.co.uk/products/f ... nchpolish/
???

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Button, Garnet or Heavy french polishes will all give you a golden finish. My preference would be to use Garnet.
Fiddles Golden brushing polish is horrible stuff...avoid.
What you need to decide is how you are going apply the shellac. If brushing it on you will need a good quality brush. A squirrel mop is the traditional one to use, they are expensive but if looked after will last at least ten years with frequent use. Otherwise a good quality artists brush like this one will do very well at a third of the price https://www.jacksonsart.com/handover-so ... -ferrule-8.
Staining is a good idea, don't use a spirit stain as the shellac will dissolve it and make it go patchy or streaky. I have used Liberon palette wood dyes a few times and I really like them, they are a bit like putting on a thin wash and do not look very promising when it is drying on the wood but give very good results. This one might give you the look you are after. http://www.liberon.co.uk/product/palette-wood-dye/

 

[transatlantic]

Button, Garnet or Heavy french polishes will all give you a golden finish. My preference would be to use Garnet.
Fiddles Golden brushing polish is horrible stuff...avoid.
What you need to decide is how you are going apply the shellac. If brushing it on you will need a good quality brush. A squirrel mop is the traditional one to use, they are expensive but if looked after will last at least ten years with frequent use. Otherwise a good quality artists brush like this one will do very well at a third of the price https://www.jacksonsart.com/handover-so ... -ferrule-8.
Staining is a good idea, don't use a spirit stain as the shellac will dissolve it and make it go patchy or streaky. I have used Liberon palette wood dyes a few times and I really like them, they are a bit like putting on a thin wash and do not look very promising when it is drying on the wood but give very good results. This one might give you the look you are after. http://www.liberon.co.uk/product/palette-wood-dye/

Aww balls. I got a bit impatient and already ordered some "Fiddes Brushing Polish Golden" as I thought I might have got the result I wanted without having to stain the wood first, but I also got some "Fiddes Shellac Sanding Sealer"

 

[ED65]

I always have trouble with my finishes looking blotchy on pine...

Pine is a blotch-prone wood so it's a pain to stain if you want even colouring. Partially sealing the wood before the stain goes on is the standard fix but it's not 100% guaranteed to work.

FWIW I think you could get the colouring you want most easily by just going with varnish here, which is easier to apply to a high standard and gives more protection in all ways anyway.

But if you want to experiment with shellac you want to. I would suggest brushing on a couple of coats, without worrying too much about brush type, then pad it to refine the surface making sure you put a dot of oil on the pad any time it feels necessary.

Some experts frown on using much oil when padding on shellac and some even say that beginners shouldn't use it at all (why?) but IME you shouldn't skimp on lubricating the pad with oil because it'll virtually guarantee you a good finish.

 

[ED65]

Button, Garnet or Heavy french polishes will all give you a golden finish. My preference would be to use Garnet.

Isn't garnet a bit reddish?

Fiddles Golden brushing polish is horrible stuff...avoid.

Do the additives to help with brushing mess with the qualities too much?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

I did not mention sanding sealer because it is not absolutely necessary, it is a primer but a coat of whatever you are using to finish will also act as a primer. Not to worry, sanding sealer is useful for lots of things and I always have some to hand.
Also don't worry about the Fiddes brushing polish. You can still get the finish you want. My issues with it are that it does not harden off quickly and that it is very 'orange'. I think you will need to thin it down with meths by about 10%, brush on one coat and leave it overnight to harden off before applying another coat and apply no more than three coats.
I think staining is necessary on pine ( unless it is pitch pine ) to get a good depth of colour otherwise the whiteness of the pine will radiate through the finish and can make it look a bit brassy.
ED65 said you could use varnish to get the effect you want. If it is good old fashioned oil based polyurethane varnish (which is becoming hard to find) then I could not agree more. I would still stain first though.
ED65 also said not to worry too much about the brush type. I could not disagree more. The brush type is critical, the better the brush the better the finish.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Button, Garnet or Heavy french polishes will all give you a golden finish. My preference would be to use Garnet.

Isn't garnet a bit reddish?

Fiddles Golden brushing polish is horrible stuff...avoid.

Do the additives to help with brushing mess with the qualities too much?

Yes Garnet is a bit reddish but then so is golden pine!

I'm not sure what Fiddes put in their brushing polish, I suspect it is rosin but could be anything. The one thing I have found with Fiddes in the last thirty odd years is their products are slightly unreliable and can be differ from one batch to another. It could be that a batch of brushing polish purchased today will be different to the one I bought a couple of years ago. My go to supplier will always be W.S.Jenkins but Fiddes, Mylands and Liberon all have goodies that are useful to have.

 

[ED65]

ED65 also said not to worry too much about the brush type. I could not disagree more. The brush type is critical, the better the brush the better the finish.

Normally I'd agree that good brushes pay dividends, except when you're not using the brush to achieve the final surface as I was recommending.

Any brush marks (and there will be some) will be erased at the padding stage.

If on the other hand you are going for a brush-only finish the brush is vital to good results.

 

[thetyreman]

3-5 layers of de-waxed shellac, then antique pine briwax should do it, the key is using a wax with colour at the end, try it first on a scrap piece. I'd also recommend buying some isopropyl alcohol and liberon shellac flakes and making your own, it will create the best quality finish.