I'm fixin'ta lay 300 square of #2 Red Oak T&G strip flooring in the kids playroom. It will be finished with Bysakhi Button shellac, of course.
The finishing schedule I plan to folow is:
1/2 pound cut1/2 pound cut
1 pound cut 2 pound cut 2 pound cut allowing a week to dry between coatsMy primary question what might be the best way to apply said shellac. I'm thinking that given such a large area I might be best to use a small spaghetti mop.
do you think that'll be tough enough for the kids floor?
dave
Certainly! Not that I need to defend my choice to you or anybody else, I will anyway. Perhaps someone may learn a thing or two:
Shellac was the traditional finished used on hardwood floors for centuries.
Good quality and freshly made shellac applied in thin coats is quite resilient. And buffed out with paste wax it will offer a sheen, warm glow, depth, and radiance to the wood unlike a Polly ever could.
The most important aspect of choosing it is that it can be fixed very easily and quite invisibly should it get damaged, unlike a pollyurinstain finish.
If your gonna teach 'someone learn a thing or two' about shellac, why are you asking us a basic question on how to apply it??? Mark L.
snippage
Do you really need a week between coats?
Barry
....hmmm 5 applications of your defended choice. Let us known how it holds up to spilled kiddy bev's, chairs/furniture being dragged across it, etc.
I'm fairy sure, most floors of any value, in the past were either covered with an area carpet, or only laid in area's of little or no traffic(eg: a room had a visible outside border of hardwood, while the center was of cheaper material and covered with carpet).
ummm...good luck, I'd use a large pad applicator on a pole.
Cheers,
aw
Whoo BOY we got us a live one here. Better get the gaff!!!
Because, I do not profess to know _everything_, and am not ashamed to ask for help/advice where appropriate. and this is certainly NOT a "basicquestion on how to apply it". Application on large peices differs significanlty from small items as it is.... now factor in 300 square feet and the situation chages yet again... see what I mean?
Proboably not, but with the humidity this time of year in Memphis, it certainly can't hurt, to make sure it is fully cured.
I just redid the floors in my hose which had shellac on them for the last 50 years. After years and years of kid use, furniture moving, etc., surprisingly resilient. Just my 2 cents.
Shellac is an evaporative finish and does not cure. Additional coats can be applied as soon as the solvent evaporates completely.
-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
Without blushing?
You won't need to wait that long between coats. Two hours max. The reason to allow shellac a week or so to dry is to let it get hard enough for rubbing-out. As for application, you'll want to use a wool applicator like you would for applying Mop-n-Glo (said to be shellac-based). Just lay it down in smooth strips... no wiping back and forth and such. You can fix problems later with a wood-backed sanding block.
Refinishing, whether in five years or a hunnert, will be the same. Sand smooth and apply more shellac.
O'Deen
I do most of my finishing in my basement where I have a hard time getting the humidity below 60% even with a dehumidifier running full tilt 7/24. I've never had a blushing problem. I will note that I only use dewaxed or decanted shellac though.
-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
Only if I'm naked when applying it. Ed
Be careful what you use to clean/wax those floors. Ammonia is a no-no with shellac, and a _lot_ of cleaners have ammonia. Seems acrylic waxes have a bit of it or alcohols in 'em too.
Application
Me think JG = BAD
lol.....served cold...or is that revenge?
I have had quite a few pieces brought to my shop for water damage (eg: something that would resemble the circumference of a frosty beer mug), and touch-ups for high use areas (where one would constantly touch, rub etc).
What does one use on a shellac finished floor for regular day to day...week to week cleaning? Buffing? I could see it in an adult oriented (lol..get your mind out of the gutter) atmosphere, with no pets, children, UV concerns, and everyone wearing nicely personalized knitted slippers.......
Very cool. Something new to consider and investigate further.
Cheers,
aw
I've never finished anything large with shellac, so I really can't help you. Except to offer a bit of advice that may be obvious -- make sure you have good fresh shellac. This is brought to mind by finishing on a little project I'm currently working on. Nice little birdseye maple box with handcut mitered dovetails and a raised panel top.
This evening I spent stripping the old gummy soft shellac and getting ready to order a new batch. &^%*#$
More than likely wax. Beer, wine, and even mixed drinks are far dillute to damage shellac unless it's left to set for a long long time (days). Dog/cat urine on the other hand, pretty much cuts right into it. DAMHIKT. I would imagine kid pee will do the same.
Heh. At least shellac (and lacquer) is touchupable. Is that a word?
Murphy's oil soap works pretty good.
Johnson's floor wax?
I could see it in an adult oriented (lol..get
Actually, there are a lot of good reasons not to wear shoes in the house, floor maintenaince not being the least consideration. Ever been to Hawaii? Piles of sandals at front and back doors, including some allocated for guests.
Hope this furthered things.
Of course it's a trade-off. Select a durable, yet maintainable finish? Or choose one that's really really durable, but really tough to fix once it's damaged (and EVERY finish will get damaged).
Humble submitted, O'Deen
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