What is the most durable, natural finish that you can apply to your project? One could argue that it is the excrement created from the female Lac bug. The processing of what we will affectionately call “bug spit” results in shellac. My mission today is to show you how to easily apply a bug spit polish to your next project. Maybe by the end of this article you’ll decide that shellac will be your go-to finish of choice.
I should note up front that there are several ways to apply shellac. I’m going to explain a simply to apply method, but I implore you to make changes to the process when it fits your needs. For us to apply shellac we're going to need a couple of things. The main ingredient is obviously shellac. In the video above I’m using Zinssier’s Bulls Eye dewaxed shellac. You can buy this at just about any big box store and you will see a couple varieties. I am using the clear version, but you can get an Amber version if you would like. You can also purchase shellac in its pure form of dried flakes and then dissolve them yourself in denatured alcohol. Speaking of which, we will need some alcohol for our mixture. We also need a small cup, and a clean cotton rag. We're also going to wear gloves throughout this process because shellac can get a little bit sticky.
There are a couple things to know before we get started in applying are finish. One thing is that we are going to mix denatured alcohol with shellac and the ratio of that mixture is completely subjective. Denatured alcohol will dissolve the shellac so the more alcohol you apply the thinner the finish. You can apply shellac right out of the can and not diluted at all. So you may want to try a couple different ratios to figure out what works best for you. For me, I like a ratio of 2/3 shellac and 1/3 denatured alcohol.
Another thing of note is that shellac dries incredibly fast. And mixing it with denatured alcohol is going to cause it to dry even faster. This is good and bad. It means that we can apply multiple coats in one day and not have to wait days to finish our project. On the downside we need to work fairly quickly to ensure that we are applying a nice even coat on our project. Because it dries so quickly, I'm going to use a Dixie cup because I don't want to mix a large batch of it.
With our shellac mixed up it's time to apply it. I fold a cotton rag into a rectangle so that I can dip it into my cup. I don’t want any wrinkles in my rag. I apply even strokes across my project. You want to go with the grain. And I want my strokes to slightly overlap with the last row. After you start using shellac you’ll realize that as it dries it will get tacky. So you don't want to work this into the wood. Let it naturally soak in. Make sure that whenever you apply it that you don't have any runs or drips and you don't have any shellac puddled up, especially on the interior of a box. It will dry so quickly that it most likely will not level out like paint or a thicker varnish. If you do get runs, you'll have to sand that little portion away. It's not a big deal. It just saves you a little bit of work on the back end if we apply even strokes on the front end.
In between coats, I like to sand with 600 grit sandpaper. You will know that your previous coat is dry when you get a white power during sanding. If your sandpaper is gummed up, then your finish is still wet. I have found that this particular grit works for me, but you can try other gits like 400 grit. Some people like to use steel wool. After sanding, I vacuum the piece to remove all of the dust, and then I apply the second coat just like the first one. As you add coats, you’ll notice that the wood will get less thirsty. Meaning that it could get easier to have runs and drips so you want to be cautious when applying the shellac and don't put it on too heavy. It dries so quickly that you can apply multiple thin coats and not sacrifice time.
Just as the shellac dries on your project, it’s going to also dry in your rag. One way to save on rags is to dip your rag in some denatured alcohol between coats. Make sure that you ring it out completely and let it dry a few minutes before using it again. Otherwise the alcohol could affect the shellac you put on your project.
