Once done I will wax the floor and after a few months the poly will yellow and it will be incredibly dusty so it will look like it has been there forever.
In case you already forgot, here is how it looked on Monday.
From log house to farmhouse. Farmhouse to townhouse. Townhouse to apartment house. Apartment house to crack house. Crack house to our house. Our house to our home.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Remembering That Special Moment
Well folks, I didn't spill the shellac over the floor. I'm sure some of you were hoping that I would so you could enjoy the moment. It's OK. You can admit it. As of tonight the floor has 5 coats of shellac and one very thin one of semi-gloss polyurethane. One more thin coat of poly and I can finish painting the door frame and inside trim. Here is a picture of the floor before the polyurethane went on.
Once done I will wax the floor and after a few months the poly will yellow and it will be incredibly dusty so it will look like it has been there forever.
In case you already forgot, here is how it looked on Monday.
Once done I will wax the floor and after a few months the poly will yellow and it will be incredibly dusty so it will look like it has been there forever.
In case you already forgot, here is how it looked on Monday.
Gary,
ReplyDeleteDid you use a special kind of poly? I've read you can buy a special poly made to go over shellac. Is this really necessary? Have you every tried the water-based poly over shellac? I thought five coats would look darker. I went through and read every single one of your posts about shellac. I should be able to pull this off....I think.
Patricia, the darkness of the final piece depends on the color and type of wood that you are starting with. These were new oak boards and were very light. I also used a clear shellac for the first coat because I had more of it than the amber and I wanted to be sure I had enough to do the job. I used Minwax polyurethane. The original slow drying and stinky kind. I've only used the water based stuff on my miniatures. I've never thought to use it in a floor!
ReplyDeletePurejuice, I am using original recipe Johnsons wax. I usually have to apply two coats and I usually buff by hand but have been known to use my angle grinder with a buffing pad.
I should have added that to determine the base color of your finished wood you should wipe it with paint thinner. That way you will know what it would look like with clear varnish.
ReplyDeleteLooks great, Gary! Way to go-
ReplyDeleteThat looks awesome. Thanks for all the information on shellac. I have been busy redoing the trim and it is turning out beautiful. Thanks again for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGary,
ReplyDeleteThanks for all of the info. Shellac is some awesome stuff. I still have one question for you though. How well does shellac hold up to high humidity?
I am thinking about using it in one of our bathrooms, and I'm worried that even with the exhaust vent that the steam from the shower will ruin it in some way. Would a final coat or two of polyurethane (like your lovely floor)take care of that?
John,
ReplyDeleteI would consider the polyurethane approach in a bathroom. Two thin coats should be enough. I would still use the wax and superfine steel wool though. It makes the finish look less like plastic.