Vanity Finishing approach

[alex grams]

Well, after lots of reading and searching, I think I am going to do a 3 part assault of BLO, several coats of a tinted de-waxed shellac, and then top it off with lacquer or waterlox.

(I may possible replace the lacquer with waterlox, since I have leftovers of waterlox from a previous project and would rather put it to use than have it sit and go bad).

I would stop with the shellac as the top surface, but for a bathroom vanity that will be in a secondary (IE: eventually used by kids) bathroom, I want some more of the water/general wear-n-tear resistance of lacquer. Going to get some flakes and mix them in a 1 1/2 - 2 lb cut and practice with them this week.

I suspect I will pad on the shellac and smooth it some with light sanding and then brush on the lacquer (deft brushing lacquer) and rub out the lacquer final finish till it is smooth.

Someone tell me if this seems like a good plan. I am anxious to try some new finishes and add it to my bag of tricks. The rubbing out of the lacquer seems to be the same process of the shellac, so if I learn to do it with the shellac, then I have the method down for lacquer (someone correct me if my assumption is erroneous).

Thanks in advance.

(I would post this as a continuation of my previous bathroom vanity thread, but I suspect I wouldn't get as much feedback)

[Prashun Patel]

It would be easier if you did BLO followed by Waterlox. Unless you want to try yr hand at shellac padding or you want the color, there's no reason to use it as an intermediary btn the BLO and the w-lox.

Waterlox is a wiping varnish and will be way easier wipe or brush than lacquer. I find it to level beautifully. Like glass. I'm not sure if laqcuer is an appropriate bathroom finish anyway...

[alex grams]

I want to incorporate the shellac as mainly a way to help add some depth of color and also learn to use it. The vanity is walnut, so the BLo adds some color, but not a great depth, which I want to try and get with the shellac.

I have waterlox left over from an office set (desk/bookshelf/wall unit) I made for my wife, and was very happy with the results I received from it.

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression the lacquer was much more resistant to water than the shellac would be, hence why it was considered for a topcoat.

[Prashun Patel]

lacquer is more resistant than shellac, but not than varnish.

[Jim Becker]

Shawn, I agree with what Alex is hoping for from the shellac. While it's not needed between the BLO and Waterlox, it can have some aesthetic benefits.

[Michael McCoy]

Alex - just a side note but you might want to check your Waterlox if it has been leftover for a fair amount of time.

[Steve Schoene]

And, as another side benefit of the shellac, it will improve the resistance of the overall finish to the passage of water vapor.

[alex grams]

Michael,
When I get waterlox I split it into two mason jars and seal them up, that way i have 1 jar for the project and the other for long shelf life. I don't leave them in partially used containers, and when I do open one of the jars and use it I start filling the jars up with marbles for the amount of it used, which leaves me with about 1/4 of an inch of air at the top of the jar when I close them up.

Thanks for the concern though. Waterlox is nice, but also expensive, so I've been extra cautious to make sure i get the maximum use out of my stock.

As a follow up, are there any advantages to using anhydrous Denatured Alcohol for mixing over normal 1 gallon borg item? I know the obvious answer is yes because water will inhibit the drying, but is there a noticeable difference?

[Prashun Patel]

You can BUY anhydrous alcohol, but you can't keep it anhydrous unless you're working in anhydrous conditions. As soon as you open it up, it'll start absorbing ambient moisture from the air. At most, it's 5%. That goes for ethanol or IPA or methanol.

So, I wouldn't sweat it; just use clean, 'regular' denat alcohol.

You'll find the biggest difference in drying if you use methanol or isopropyl vs ethanol to thin yr cut. IPA will lengthen the dry time; I prefer it as a newbie. Methanol will shorten the dry time vs ethanol and is a just a harsher chemical to work with.

You can mix IPA, ethanol, and methanol if you wish.

[Alfred Cole]

I was under the impression the lacquer was much more resistant to water than the shellac would be, hence why it was considered for a topcoat.

Alex,
It's a common misconception that shellac has low resistance to water, but it is not so. Shellac comes from the cover that a beetle uses to protect it's eggs in a rain forest. See my point? Shellac only loses it's water resistance as the mixed liquid ages after mixing. I'll repeat what I may have said before. I have used it in my kitchen and one door is right next to the outlet of the dishwasher. It has stood up to hot caustic steam for four or five years now. It is also on the vertical surfaces of a vanity unit in one of our bathrooms and has been there for seven years. Neither has a protective wax coating. Shellac has a draw back on horizontal surfaces because it is softer than many. Even here there are myths. One is that you can't spill alcohol on it. True the solvent for shellac is alcohol, but I have spilled wine on it and had not problems.
As far as kids are concerned, shellac is the easiest finish to repair. A quick wipe with a shellac rubber and scratches disappear.
On a horizontal surface, knowing shellac is a little soft, I would use another wipe on finish. The one I use is a mix of BLO, mineral spirits and varnish. You can use a lesser grade polyurethane but I prefer spar varnish. It is more flexible and because of the higher oil content, slightly darker. The mix is easy as it is approximately one third of each. It is very similar to the one Sam Maloof uses and gives a beautiful hand rubbed glow to your work.
I have a compressor and spray guns but never use them on woodwork because of the hassles of dust and overspray. In most cases I don't use a brush either. Too many people buy a cheap brush and overload it. Then comes the complaints about streaks, runs and curtains. A good finish needs several light coats rather than a few haevy coats which is why many people have trouble with finishing. You've spent the time and skill on making the unit so why not spend a little time and care in finishing it. People judge the work on the finish far more than they do on the wood workmanship.

Jerry

[Steve Schoene]

Shellac is the most effective finishing at blocking transmission of water vapor--better than varnishes and lacquer. That's the role it would play as part of an system for finishing a vanity.

As far as liquid water--which mostly relevant to the final top coats, it isn't as resistant as varnish, and probably not much worse that lacquer. (The white ring problem on furniture is a problem with lacquer finishes, too.)

Shellac does have one characteristic that makes it unsuited for bathroom vanities, in my opinion, it is damaged by alkali solutions--such as often found in commercial cleaning sprays. Bathrooms are probably the place where the urge for that kind of cleaning strikes. Lacquer is a bit better I suppose, but in general oil-based varnishes give more protection from all the hazards than any finish that can be applied without more serious spray facilities than almost any small shop has.

[alex grams]

Thanks for all of the good info.

I am going to stick with the BLO/shellac(for color, and also the experience to learn to use it) and then a varnish (Waterlox).