SHELLAC A CLASSIC FINISH FOR TODAY'S WOODWORKER

Ease of use along with many other advantages make shellac a must-have for any workshop.

- BRYAN NELSON

ADD UP THE ADVANTAGES

Sealant: If you need to deal with oil, wax, or resins in a material or project, a coat of shellac will bond well and seal the problem in, above left. Shellac works especially well on the interior of drawers with musty or smoky smells.

Quick drying: Shellac leads the pack when it comes to fast finishing. With quick-evaporating denatured alcohol as its solvent, shellac dries fast. That means you can build multiple coats quickly and complete those last-minute projects on time, above right.

Food-safe: While most finishes are food-safe once they cure completely, shellac just might get top food-safety honors. It's used to coat vegetables, fruits, and candies, and even shows up in hairspray, shampoos, and pharmaceuticals. So you can use it without concern on any project that will come into contact with a child's mouth or food, below.

Low-VOC: While not completely free of volatile compounds, shellac is more environmentally friendly than many other finishes. The denatured alcohol base makes it less harmful to breathe and less smelly overall.

MIX OR MODIFY

Shellac also offers a wide range of options for your project's needs, right, and it's easily modified to suit. One easy option: Thin an off-the-shelf shellac by adding denatured alcohol, Customize Canned Shellac. For even more options, mix your own from flakes, A Cut For Every Job.

For results you can duplicate later, measure the flakes on a simple kitchen scale. Grinding the flakes with an inexpensive coffee grinder, below, helps the shellac dissolve faster and more completely. Stir the mix frequently during the next few hours, keeping the container covered. Allow the mix to dissolve overnight.