Color and clear shellac order of application question

[kooshball]

I am getting dangerously close to the end of my wide dresser project and have laid down the first coat of platina shellac to seal everything off. I also plan to add 1-2 coats of orange shellac for some warming effect but I need to know if I can then top-coat that with the platina for depth?

If I put clear over color shellac will the alcohol in the clear cause the color to run and show fat edges and/or puddles or will it stay put?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[CarvedTones]

I have limited experience with this; not all that much but some. Anyway, it was more like mixing than running (wasn't like running at all) I used dewaxed blonde and amber and the amber became less amber. It almost seems like two consecutive coats become one, as if I mixed them before applying.

 

[CarvedTones]

Just saw you're later post. You are spraying. I use pads. Not sure how relevant my comments are...

 

[kooshball]

Just saw you're later post. You are spraying. I use pads. Not sure how relevant my comments are...

Spraying is my contingency plan if I run into trouble on the large top; my current plan is to use a fine 3" brush with some glycol ether added into my 1.25lb cut to slow the evaporation.

On the test pieces and on the initial coat it seems to be working well; the open time on the wood is just long enough to blend into the previous stroke and not pull.

 

[Tarhead]

Sounds like you need to do a trial run spraying on a piece of scrap and see what happens. You may need to mix some Orange into the clear to maintain the tone depending how dark you want it, maybe not. Each coat dissolves into the previous coats and as the alcohol evaporates the film builds. If all else fails, strip it, put down a base tone with dye and build up a finish with Shellac.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

As someone else pointed out, each successive coat of shellac dissolves into the previous coats. This will give you a "blended" look rather than runs.

If you want the look, or tone of amber shellac, why not make it your last coat? Or mix the two formulations together before applying.

Also, if you brush the shellac on, I would use a 2" brush rather than a 3". A 2" seems to work better w/ shellac. If at all possible, I would spray it.

Shellac alone may not be the best topcoat on something like a dresser. The flat top surface tends to attract all sorts of objects. Anything containing alkali or alcohol will damage the surface. It does, however, serve well as an undercoating for a more durable topcoat. So if you want the look and warming effect of the shellac, you might consider topcoating it w/ a water based polyurethane which will not yellow or dull over time.

HTH

Bill

 

[kooshball]

Shellac alone may not be the best topcoat on something like a dresser. The flat top surface tends to attract all sorts of objects. Anything containing alkali or alcohol will damage the surface. It does, however, serve well as an undercoating for a more durable topcoat. So if you want the look and warming effect of the shellac, you might consider topcoating it w/ a water based polyurethane which will not yellow or dull over time.

Out of curiosity, why water-based? I do agree that I need some protective top-coat (and this may also be a good way to manage final gloss) but I was hoping to use an oil based wipe-on poly as I have always had good results.

 

[CarvedTones]

I am not Bill, but I play him on the Internet...

Actually, I am pretty sure I know the answer. Oil is what will "yellow with age", or as as those of us that use oil a lot say "a nice amber patina will develop over time" ...

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I am not Bill, but I play him on the Internet...

Actually, I am pretty sure I know the answer. Oil is what will "yellow with age", or as as those of us that use oil a lot say "a nice amber patina will develop over time" ...

Thanks Andy: you made me chuckle. :gar-La; And you're absolutely right: it's the oil that yellows. Water based won't.

Bill