Traditionally I have used shellac as a sanding sealer under oil based finishes as a way to control blotch and overall improve the quality of the finish. <!—-> <!—-><!—->
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For my latest project, (red oak kitchen chairs) I was going to try a water based finish (Minwax) is it necessary (or recommended) to use a shellac wash coat?<!—-> <!—->
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Neil<!—-> <!—->
Replies
Oak isn't a blotch-prone species, so it doesn't need to be pre-sealed unless another part of your finishing regiment makes it prudent, e.g., you're planning to use a tinted pore filler, and don't want the colorant in the filler to inadvertantly color the surface of the boards, too.
If you want to pre-seal under a water-borne finish you can still used shellac; just make sure it's de-waxed (I use a 1# cut of Zinsser Seal Coat).
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Like Jazzdog said, no wash coat is needed to prevent blotchiness.
But if you're going to use a waterbase product as the first coat, don't forget to raise the grain and re-sand before you finish it.
Neil,
Waterborne finishes are very clear and add very little warmth to the wood. Infact, when I used water-based polyurethane over red oak, it looked cold. So I used a coat of dewaxed shellac (regular, not superblonde) followed by the poly for a much warmer finish.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I was thinking of that as well. I have some regular blonde shellac. What cut did you use?<!----><!----><!---->
Keep in mind that you must use a dewaxed shellac if you plan to use a waterborne clear coat. There is only one dewaxed pre-mixed shellac you can get. It's Zinsser's SealCoat. This is a blond shellac and adds little or no color to the wood. If you want a more amber tone, you will have to purchase dewaxed shellac flakes and mix your own shellac. An alternate is to wipe on a light coat of boiled linseed oil, let is set for 10-15 minutes and then wipe it dry. Give it 48 hours to cure and then you can over coat it with your clear coat. The BLO will impart an amber tone highlighting the grain of the oak.Howie.........
I was actually planning on using Hock blonde. For a wash coat, I use Zinsser's and you are right, it adds some depth but little color. The BLO is a good idea, but I would be concerned that any uncured BLO will never dry because the acrylic will seal it from oxygen. <!----><!----><!---->
>> I would be concerned that any uncured BLO will never dry because the acrylic will seal it from oxygen. Not a concern. No finish is totally impervious to air passage and waterborne finishes are more porous than some other finishes.Howie.........
Neil,
I did not measure - only estimated. It was a very thin cut, like a sanding sealer. It only provides a warm hue, not any protection.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I was thinking about a one pound cut and see how it looks because the Hock blonde is fairly dark. <!----><!----><!---->
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I agree that it's tough to beat shellac for looks, but kitchen chairs will take a beating.<!----><!---->
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Neil<!----><!---->
I love the way shellac makes wood look. Try 3 coats of shellac then top it off with your water based poly. I think you will be satisfied. BTW, from expeirence, use the General Finishes water base instead of the Minwax. It is a much better finish. Regards!
I've used the pre-mixed Zinnser shellac as a base coat under Target (Oxford) waterborne finishes (Ultima lacquer and HybriVar). It works well, and is approved/suggested by the manufacturer for that purpose. Sometimes there are funny interactions between the w/b finishes and certain woods -- w/b directly over walnut, for example, looks quite green. Putting that layer of shellac in between solves the problem, in addition to adding some warmth from the shellac's own colour. Once the shellac is down, you also won't have any problems with grain-raising from the w/b topcoats.
Target also sells w/b shellac, but I haven't tried it yet.
The forums on the Target site have lots of specific information about this, BTW.
Chris.
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