I have a question for you guys, maybe someone can help. I rEmodeled my kitchen a bit an moved the cabinet over the refrigerator forward so it be accessed easier. well. I opened it up and what a smell in there!! smells like a stable. I have read on other post regarding the sealing aspects of shellac. do you think that would apply here? has anyone ever had this problem? this cabinet was hardly used because nobody could reach it , i have a need for it but can’t deal with the smell. i did pine sol, bleach,and a mold removal product, no help. and upon closer examination, the wood appears to have been sealed or a coat of polyapplied. hope shellac helps.
Discussion Forum
Get It All!
UNLIMITED Membership is like taking a master class in woodworking for less than $10 a month.
Start Your Free TrialCategories
Discussion Forum
Digital Plans Library
Member exclusive! – Plans for everyone – from beginners to experts – right at your fingertips.
Highlights
-
Shape Your Skills
when you sign up for our emails
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. -
Shop Talk Live Podcast -
Our favorite articles and videos -
E-Learning Courses from Fine Woodworking
-
-
Replies
A couple of years ago, when we had--ahem--a bit of a smoke problem--ahem--in the kitchen, I tried AtmosKlear odor eliminator, and it worked very well. However, I'm not sure if it's still available or not. In any case, if it's not, some other brand of odor eliminator is probably worth trying.
But yes, shellac should work, but you have to ensure that every surface and all the nooks and crannies are covered well.
-Steve
that sounds good. having never used shellac,do the shellac have and odor when it is cured? don"t want to trade one odor for another
T,I have used shellac quite a bit on furniture in my home. After drying, I can detect no odor. Shellac has to be dissolved in alcohol for application, so don't forget it will be very flammable until it dries. It is very easy to apply additional coats if one does not quite do the job.Tim
thanks for the info. I am a novice, but have read some of these facts, just never used any. another quesion is, where to get the shellac flakes? online I imagine.
You don't need flakes. For sealing the interior you can use a pre-mixed shellac made by Zinsser. The best is their SealCoat which is a dewaxed shellac therefore slightly more odor sealing.Howie.........
No, shellac is essentially odor-free. Inside a closed cabinet, you may smell the alcohol for a week or two, but that's about it.
For more or less foolproof application, I suggest you get a quart of Zinsser SealCoat, which you should be able to find at hardware stores, home centers, etc.
-Steve
that sounds good. i will seal it then shellac. I let you all know how it comes out .thanks!
"i will seal it then shellac."
I think you may have misunderstood--SealCoat is shellac. It's a premixed, easy-to-use shellac.
-Steve
Edited 11/10/2007 8:17 pm ET by saschafer
Not to get too personal or anything like that. But were there any mouse droppings? If so mice like rats have no control over urinating so where ever they go they "go". A yucky thought and a possibility.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
no,the cabinet was just empty,but the doors were closed a long time. no vermin .no bugs, and not a musty smell more like a barn smell or stable ,it is an ugly smell.
Just didn't want to leave any stone unturned ;-)
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
I have never seen flakes at the home centers,can I buy them there or do I have to go online?
Shellac flakes can be ordered from http://WWW.eagleamerica.com . But a small can of shellac can be bought at about any hardware store and be just as effective.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
there is a good chance that some of the wood used in the construction of the cabinet had an incipient level of decay starting in the wood. I have read dr Wengert address this over on the woodweb before. I am sorry that I don't remember the cure, but you can find it in the archives there. Try something like, bacterially infected stinky wood, in your search.
http://woodweb.com/
your'e right ,I did misunderstand.that is good, one less step I tthought I had to take. great I ma sure that will do it , but if it don't I will let you all know,and I think I will go read the archives,maybe I can learn a little more, knowlege can;t hurt!
tcs ,
You don't say what type of wood the face is or what type of sheet goods the box is made of .
Is there any possibility the box has any China ply ?
If there is , it may very well be the small , but what about the finish and wood on the rest ? Is it all the same materials ?
The face could be a very RED maybe Appalachian Oak that often has a very high tannin vinegary smell , we call it s##t Oak .
regards dusty
It is a kichen cabinet, venneer ply carcass with veneered doors rounded over, they seem to have been built onsite years ago. i sanded primed and painted the ouside. this was the least used cabinet in the kitchen.I bet this door was closed years maybe. I am going to get the zinsser and have at it.
The Zinsser will work fine in this case, as an aside for those wishing to buy shellac flakes for other finishing jobs, shop around a little bit. Sure you can get them at woodworking stores but you are going to pay a lot more and you may get some that have been on the shelf for a long time. I recommend purchasing shellac from a finishing supplier or a dedicated shellac supplier. It's cheaper, most likely fresher, and you can get a much bigger selection of grades. Here are the two that I use.
http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/shellac3.htm
http://www.shellac.net/
Shellac in flake form will keep indefinitely in a cool dry place (refrigerator) and fresh mixed shellac dries faster, is harder and has better water vapor resistance.
Rob
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled