I am almost finished building a mates bed for my son and getting ready to prep and finish it. I am using pine and was originally just going to use a clear water based varathane. Seemed simple. Then I saw an article suggesting that sealing with a wax free shellac before water based varnish is better. The more I looked at FWW articles the more I wondered why I wouldn’t just use shellac on it’s own. I am interested in your opinion. Also, can you tell me if an off the shelf can of Zinsser 3lb clear would be dewaxed?
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Replies
You can certainly use shellac as your finish. It's one of the best products out there.
It does dry quicker than other finishes so the brushing technique is different than oil varnishes. However, brushing water based varnishes has the same idiosyncrasies.
The three pound clear is not dewaxed. That really is not a problem in any way if your finish is shellac.
It could be a problem if you wanted to overcoat with a urethane otherwise you're fine.
You may also consider the amber shellac as it will impart more warmth to the overall look.
Good luck.
Peter
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