Ode to old shellac - Three cheers for our House of Discovery owners for their patient treatment of the amazing main stairway in the Reception Hall. Shellac is basically bug poop, dried into amber flakes in the Near East and reactivated into a liquid sealer finish/varnish by mixing with ethanol. I was the most common American home wood finish at the turn of the 2oth century before is was replaced by lacquer in the 1920s and 30s. If you home is old enough for this to be original finish you are in luck as it is easily reactivated with mild solvents. Left to its own devices, shellac turns almost black, I suppose because some long term reaction to light. Any enterprising renovator with enough time and patience can find some stage of refinishing that creates the tone and color which best matches your remodeled look....from barely buffed to almost completely rubbed out. The wood in our 1903 project story is going to be absolutely stunning. The front door might be a knock out!
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 00:03:15 +0000
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