I have a very old unfinished fir table top that I’d like to finish for my kitchen table. I’m thinking of using a shellac product. Do not want the table to look very orange. Suggestions as to what to finish the table with would be appreciated.
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Shellac is not a good choice for a kitchen table. Shellac will not stand up to most household cleaning chemicals and frequent wiping with even a damp cloth will quickly damage the finish. In addition, fir is a very soft wood and a hard finish like shellac or lacquer will be damage by any dings allowing water and dirt to get through the finish, into the wood and then cause further damage to the finish.
What you want is a fairly soft film finish. A exterior poly varnish will be soft and flexible enough to withstand a ding and not crack. In addition, it will provide excellent long term protection from cleaning chemicals
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