I have a mantle (jpg attached). I’ve stripped it down and will be sanding, but I need to finish it.
Except for the Oak trim, I plan to paint the red to white.
I just did up a new wood wardrobe (spruce) with shellac based primer, and it’s just the look I’m trying for. The only thing I’m not sure about is using shellac over the whole surface.
Is there another way to put a “pickled” surface on this mantle?
Quality repairs for your home.
Aaron the Handyman
Vancouver, Canada
Replies
Okay, you asked for it...............
http://www.vlasic.com/ ;)
Oy vey!
Thanks for the humour.Quality repairs for your home.
Aaron the HandymanVancouver, Canada
There are several ways to clear coat a pickeled finish , but since you have paint under yours laquer is out because it would lift it.
The coating of choice for a nice finish in productive form would be shellac because of the drying time is quick. Shellac and laquer share the same drying times with in reason and both provide a slick finish that is easily attainable . Some use varnish and you could , but would not be as productive or as slick. Varnish is harder but for a mantle , I dont see the value . Urethane needs to be applied to raw wood or stain , so it is ruled out also.
Tim Mooney
In direct response to what you asked? If you could get the look you want with a pigmented shellac, you might try alkyd based Kilz. There are a bunch of ways to pull this off, but my first instinct is to start there. Stains won't work, and you have finish issues.
Any chance you could post a pic of what you liked when you used a pigmented shellac, and detail where you went for the finish?
I can ballpark it if you can't put a pic up.
I was painting a wood Ikea cabinet, made from Spruce. The HO wanted it all white, and I knew there would be issues with the knots & any bleeding which might ocour.
I spot primed the knots with Zinnser Shellac based primer, then finished with 2 coats of white latex.
In my case, since I want the wood to show off the straight grain on the faces frames and mouldings, I'm goint to pickle the pine, urithane the oak after detail sanding & urithane the top, a piece of straight grained pine as well.
It's just that I hardly ever use shellac primer, so I'm not sure.Quality repairs for your home.
Aaron the HandymanVancouver, Canada
There is nothing wrong with using the shellac primer, it works good under urethane enamels or varnishes. I would use a tinted urethane varnish myself, just because the shellac tends to be sticky and difficult to get evenly shaded and blended. The polyurethane varnishes can be that way too but a little refined linseed oil added, smooths them out.