Given a choice, polyurethane, shellac, or lacquer, which one??

[Duane Bledsoe]

What finish do you go for when finishing most of your projects, polyurethane, shellac, or lacquer?? I'm new to woodworking and I'm curious which one I should be leaning towards for making things like country shelves, cabinets, and things to hang on the wall, or some small furniture items like tables or benches, chests, and that sort of thing. Is it totally unheard of to just stain an item and not apply a topcoat at all?? Some things I've made look good that way, like a simple little coat rack I made with knobs on it that just fastens to a wall for looks with some built in function as well.

[Scott Holmes]

Each of the finishes you mentioned have different traits and qualities.

Stain by itself is not a good idea.

Poly is a type of varnish... In my book poly is for floors, PERIOD. There are much better varnishes for furniture.

Poly is tough but not very hard. Furniture is better protected with a hard varnish if a varnish is needed. Finish manufaturers spend all their ad money on poly because there is more profit in the poly varnish than in the better and more expensive varnishes.

Floors, cabinets and some furniture need the protection of varnish. Clocks, jewelery boxes, etc. can be well protected with Lacquer, shellac or an oil/varnish blend. There is no one "perfect finish" for all projects. Interior projects and exterior projects need different protection, thus there are different types of varnish for interior and exterior applications. Exterior (spar or marine) varnishes are softer and more flexible. Contrary to what some people will tell you; exterior varnishes are LESS waterproof (no varnish is completely waterproof) and LESS water vapor proof than interior varnishes. So anyone that tells you to use a spar or marine varnish in a bathroom, kitchen or dining room table; really doesn't know much about varnish.

Let us know what you are getting ready to finish and we can help guide you to what's best for that project.

[Will Blick]

Scott, as always, informative response....
Can you elaborate on why Poly is not ideal for small indoor projects, such as boxes, small cabinets, shelving, etc.? I do notice much of it is labeled for floors, never knew why.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Me likey shellac.

When that's not appropriate, Behlen's or Waterlox.

[Prashun Patel]

I offer a humble difference of opinion with Scott. Poly may be fine for many small projects. It's visual differences via a vis some "better" varnishes aren't necessarily evident to most people. I have made a bunch of stuff for my home that uses poly and it's fine in many cases. Thinned or wipe on poly is an easy and fairly durable and fairly waterproof finish. For the finest furniture or client projects maybe it's not the best choice, but for a coat rack, bench and the types of projects you describe I like it.

[Scott Holmes]

Poly is readily available and cheap... It is not as hard as the other varnishes and has some other shortcominings, e.g. you MUST sand between coats to give it enough tooth to stick to itself. It is highly suceptible to UV damage. UV damaged varnish must be stripped to repair it; a varnish that doesn't get damaged by UV is BETTER to me.

Many people use poly on everything... to each his own.

[Bud Millis]

Shellac - its a green product, non-toxic, easy to work with and inexpensive. Has been used for decades. Great results. Easy to repair. Child safe.

[Danny Hamsley]

Scott,

What varnish would you use on furniture like small tables, chests, etc where you think that varnish is the best finish? An alkyd varnish?

[Walt Pater]

@Danny: If you're set up to spray, I'd investigate using a 2-part conversion varnish. I just finished some institutional pieces (tables, benches) with ML Campbell's Krystal conversion varnish, and had excellent results....it builds fast, sands easily, and dries fast (but not as fast as lacquer). Sherwin-Williams makes a good one, also.

To answer Duane's question: given my choice, I'd go for lacquer, straight nitro. Easy clean-up, easy to sand, looks nice. But as Scott has pointed out, your type of finish is very project-dependent: that's why I chose a conversion varnish over a lacquer for some benches which will get a lot of use.

[Scott Holmes]

All the film forming finishes available in the USA are food/child safe after they have dried and CURED.

Note: Shellac doesn't cure, neither does NC lacquer. Once the solvent in them has evaporated they are child/food safe.

Manufacturers push the "food/child safe" to sell additional cans of finish.

Conversion varnishes are more durable than regular varnish. Also more difficult to apply (safety wise) and repair.

Danny,

As for my choice on varnish for a table it will be either a phenolic resin (hardest, amber color) or an alkyd resin (hard and clear little yellowing) Dependent on the color of the table and the color I need to achieve.

[Todd Burch]

Choosing a finish is more about what is appropriate for the piece than it is about having a one-finish-fits-all-projects. I mean, you can do it that way (Norm did...), but I don't' fit that mold.

If you are doing this for a living, you choose fast.

If you have all the time in the world, and you're a typical woodworker, you choose cheap.

I probably have a little of everything in the shop. I lean towards fast, but sometimes, it's "faster" to slap some varnish on with a foam brush than getting out the lacquer gun and setting it up. Sometimes, like finishing a piece in situ, prohibits certain finishing options.

Todd

[Prashun Patel]

I think it's least frustrating to walk before you run. If it were me I would start with a wipe on varnish or poly. It's easy to apply and will greatly enhance yr finish quality vs just stain. Once you get ores of this or feel you'd like to branch out you can learn the next easiest one which I'd say is shellac. Getting into lacquers means you'd need to invest in some kind of spray system.

[Scott Holmes]

Prashun,

"If it were me I would start with a wipe on varnish or poly. It's easy to apply..." I know you know they are both varnish.

Duane,

Wipe-on is a nearly foolproof way to apply varnish. I would suggest making your own wipe-on varnish... Choose the varnish you want to use, then mix it with the suggested thinner or mineral spirits about equal amounts of each Presto! wipe-on varnish.

Wipe it on like the kid wipes the table at the fast food joint just before you sit down; this will dry in 30 minutes to an hour depending on temp, humidity, and the varnish you chose. Wipe 3 coats per day then let it set til the next day. 3 (possibly 4) wipe-on coats equals on brush on coat.

If you think about it it's actually faster than brush on because you need a day between brush on coats and you need to clean the brush each time you use it.

If you want to try lacquer you could use brushing lacquer or a rattle can of lacquer... FYI lacquer builds much slower than varnish per coat but you can recoat much sooner with lacquer.

[John Coloccia]

For the absolutely simplest and most reliable finish, I would go with TruOil. All of my guitar necks are now finished with TruOil, and it usually only takes maybe 2 days, with 3 light coats per day. Very durable, easily repairable, fast and practically fool proof. The only negative is that it smells funny for several days after finishing.

[Will Blick]

I have been using water based poly almost exclusively... mainly because it looks great, applies easy, AND NO HARSH SMELL.... agreed slight scratch between coats to gain teeth, not ideal for non flat type work, which I don't due much of...

I know Laquer has the "paint thinner" odor, but how about Shellac? Since it uses alcohol as solvent, is the alcohol the only odor?

what about Varnish, I assume it has the HARSH paint thinner type odor?

I hate the shop smelling for days, makes me sick.... I always wear a mask when applying, but its after the application the smell can last awhile with the "paint thinner" types of solvents...
any input would be appreciated...