Shellac

Yes you can use Shellac for a base coat. I do however recommend an alkyd oil based paint for shelves. Latex paint tends to stick to what ever you set on it.

skip the latex for shelves. NOT a good idea. What material are the shelves? Knowing that would provide the Wreckers with the info needed to suggest the proper way to finish.

dave

The technical term for this is "blocking". Not all latex paints do it, some will even be labelled "non-blocking", although it may be in the fine print. It's also more likely with glossier finishes.

Absolutely. In fact, Zinsser B-I-N is a four pound cut of white pigmented shellac and is used in exactly this manner.

As for latex paint, if you use a vinyl latex, you will really need to wait about two weeks before it is completely cured so you won't get bad impressions from the weight of the pictures. Acrylic latex takes about the same time but results in a slightly harder film. Pigmented lacquer would be the best but is hard to find and handle.

Good Luck.

Awesome stuff, BIN is! I love the way that stuff sands when used as an MDF primer. The fact that they made it available in spray bombs for quickie jobs is another plus.

Barry

Which Bay Area? I'm originally from Oakland, myself.

Thunder

The top and bottom are lauan. The facing is floor trim molding.

Thunder

The shelves are made of floor trim molding (likely pine) and the tops and bottoms are of lauan. I made these from scraps in the wood pile. It took a couple prototypes (grin) to figure out the compound cuts, dadoing, and key holing.

The wife was pointing to these shelves in a mail order. I thought $50 a piece plus shipping was a way too high and made them instead.

Appreciate the comments about the latex paint. Hello Home Depot,

Thunder

For the face board, I used molding trim. It is probably a pine. The top and bottom is lauan. I made these out of scraps. The wife was pointing to these shelves in a mail order and they were $50 each plus shipping. I thought that very excessive, so I thought I'd try my hand at making some. It took a couple proto types (grin) but I got the hang of it; compound cuts at 45 and 22 degrees. Dado'd to insert the tops and bottoms to the facing. Even made some keyholes with the router the son gave me for a birthday present.

Thanks for the guidance. Looks like another trip to HD for some oil based gloss white,

Thunder

If you aren't gonna be sliding books on and off the shelves constantly, the requirements of a super hard finish will be greatly reduced. A tinted lacquer would work well and look great over the luan, once you get it sanded smooth and sealed with a vinyl sealer.

dave

I'm just learning about finishing. What is a vinyl sealer? Could shellac work as well?

Would cutting the 3 lb shellac to 2 lb. be worthwhile doing as a sealer?

TIA,

Thunder

I'm in south San Jose. Been here since 72 when I finished my military stint. I think Oakland is scary than 'Nam. :)

dave

Thunder, rather than get your info piece meal, let me make a suggestion that has been repeated many times on the Wreck: pick up a copy of Bob Flexner's "Understanding Wood Finishing". page 134 will explain vinyl sealers, shellac, primers etc. vinyl sealer is TOUGH. when you want good adhesion and a durable lacquer surface, vinyl is the way to go.

as to the dewaxed shellac: a 2lb cut would work under some finishes, but it isn't recommended by Bob under poly. some guys use it anyway...

dave

ps another good book is Finishes & Finishing Techniques by Taunton Press. There is another favorite book by Wreckers but I am momentarily at a loss to remember the author. It'll come to me.

dave

Rolling Thunder pixelized:

You're better off with a water-based acrylic latex. It will dry faster and the color will stay true (you mentioned indoor use). Also, you'll want to topcoat with shellac. It is the best finish for bookshelves, period. Even after a hundred years or so, it will not gum up the way oil-based products do when they break down. When shellac breaks down from age, it loses it's elasticity and crazes (cracks, Keeter). The nice feature is that it is repairable... even a hunnert years later. Nice, eh? Unless your books are covered in 80 grit, it's unlikely any book is ever going to damage a shellac finish.

You can rub out your shellac finish to whatever level of gloss you'd like, from satin to something resembling a piano finish.

If you're looking for antique finish, milk paint is a neato (yes, I said neato) choice. Just about all the mail-order wooddorking supply houses will carry it.

Humbly submitted, O'Deen

earth to P.O. : the shelf is for pictures; not books. PAY ATTENTION.

dave

Dave,

OK, I'll look 'em up at the library.

Thanks,

BTW, I lived in San Jose 17 years a few blocks from the Milpitas city limits; off New Piedmont.

the other author is Jeff Jewitt. I've read some of his articles but don't have his book.

dave