Because different finishes have been used at different times, it’s often possible to date furniture simply by the finish on it. In the 18th century and earlier, makers used whatever finish they had available, usually wax or linseed oil. If the maker lived near a port...
lacquer
TIP: A Short History of Shellac
Here’s a short history of shellac, some of it from my own experience. Shellac was almost the only finish used on furniture from the 1820s to the 1920s when nitrocellulose lacquer was introduced. Shellac continued to be used widely as a complete finish by painters...
TIP: Differences between shellac and lacquer
The principle differences between nitrocellulose lacquer and shellac are ease of application and their ability to block off problems in the wood. Both finishes are evaporative finishes, meaning that they dry entirely by solvent evaporation; there is no crosslinking as...
Stripping with Solvent
With shellac and lacquer finishes, which are the finishes used on almost all old furniture and woodwork, you can use their solvent for stripping instead of a paint-and-varnish remover. Depending on the object being stripped, I often find this method easier in the...
Coating Over an Existing Finish: A Risky Business that Sometimes Works
Finishes deteriorate as they age. First they dull, then they begin to crack. Exposure to light in the higher ultra-violet ranges, such as sunlight and fluorescent light, accelerates the deterioration. Finishes also get damaged from abuse, which can cause a surface to...
How To Remove Stripping Sludge With A Wide Putty Knife
On large flat surfaces it’s most efficient to remove the bulk of the softened or dissolved finish or paint using a wide putty knife. Scrape off the sludge into a cardboard box. No matter which type of stripper you use, keep it wet until it works its way through the...
TIP: Fixing a Worn Finish
After a good deal of wear or abuse some areas of a finish may wear through exposing the lighter-colored wood. As long as no stain, glaze or toner is involved, you can usually fix these problems simply by applying more finish on top. The easy test to see if this will...
TIP: Shellac for Holdout
Shellac is often recommended as a sealer, with one of the justifications being that it provides “holdout” so fewer coats of finish then need to be applied to get the same overall thickness. This is correct only if you are applying lacquer over the shellac, as shown in...
TIP: Getting a Do-over – Removing an Application Problem
During application of a finish, whether by rag, brush or spray, there are sometimes problems so severe that you would like to remove what you have just applied and start over. You can do this fairly easily with oil and varnish finishes, with somewhat more difficulty...
TIP: Spraying Outside
One solution for spraying your project when you don’t have a spray booth or adequate exhaust in you shop is to spray outside. There are some conditions, however, for getting good results. First, you need to pick a day with temperatures in the high sixties to low...