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Poly over shellac?

Heck | Posted in Construction Techniques on August 24, 2008 07:11am

Trying to match a 30 year old finish while doing repairs to some window sills. The original finish, lacquer probably, has yellowed quite a bit.

I have managed a good match on the original stain color, but now I need an amber colored finish such as you can get with shellac. Can I get the color I want by using the shellac, and then put a clear water based poly on top?

Or is there such a thing as an amber poly, or a brushable amber lacquer?

Not trying to start a poly/shellac rumble here, just in need of help.

 


       

Reply

Replies

  1. User avater
    Sphere | Aug 24, 2008 07:16pm | #1

    All the oil based poly are gonna add some amber. WB poly ( minwax?) can be used over shellac, but it'll still have a blueish cast on the surface. Use oil poly, skip the shellac.

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

     

    1. User avater
      Heck | Aug 24, 2008 07:19pm | #2

      OK, off to try a patch test of the oil poly.

      Thanks. 

             

  2. frenchy | Aug 24, 2008 07:41pm | #3

    Heck,

      yes!

    1. User avater
      Heck | Aug 24, 2008 09:40pm | #4

      LOL 

             

  3. byhammerandhand | Aug 25, 2008 12:11am | #5

    Just be sure to use _de-waxed_ shellac.

    1. mrfixitusa | Aug 25, 2008 12:58am | #6

      I looked at Home Depot just out of curiosity and they DID NOT have the dewaxed shellac

      1. User avater
        Sphere | Aug 25, 2008 01:10am | #7

        The only dewaxed I know of is Seal-coat, all the other zinnser products are not dewaxed.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

        Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

         

        1. DougU | Aug 25, 2008 05:46am | #10

          Duane

          You asked me a week or so ago why I didn't care for the Seal Coat, remember?

          I mis-typed, the product that I didn't care for was the sanding sealer by Minwax, not Seal Coat.

          I ran across the can out in the garage the other day and it hit me that I was not talking about the right product!

          Anyway, thought I'd share that with ya

          Doug

          1. User avater
            Sphere | Aug 25, 2008 01:37pm | #11

            There ya go. I had a customer with pine r/p doors, and he wanted to use the minwax junk. It wasn't a good idea.

            Sealcoat has saved my bacon, many times, the most memorable was refin of a mahog dining room set, 12 chairs and 16' of tables (demi lune ends, drop leaf) and it all had silcone contam. Seal coat made me a hero.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

             

    2. frenchy | Aug 25, 2008 01:22am | #8

      byhammerandhand,

        I've not found the need for the unwaxed shellac.. I've used all sorts of finishes over regular bullseye without any sign of paint peeling.. In fact where I sprayed bullseye  shellac outdoors before applying spar varnish the shellac stays better without signs of peeling than where I applied spar varinsih without over bare wood..

  4. JMadson | Aug 25, 2008 03:29am | #9

    You can just add the color to your poly and skip the shellac step. Find the best stain that matches the "abmer" you're looking for and add a little to your poly. Just make sure you have the same base for your poly and the stain, ie. oil & oil or water & water.

     

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