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RENOVATOR’S TOOLBOX
Wood finishing options include varnishes, waxes and penetrating
oils such as tung oil. The latter soaks into the wood,
producing a very natural looking matte or satin finish that is
closer to the wood than shellac. “The character of the wood
seems to come through the finish more with tung oil than the
others,” says a Bed Stuy homeowner who used it throughout
her 1890s brownstone after first stripping all the woodwork.
To apply, rub on and wipe off, allowing to dry between coats.
As for shellac, it is a natural resin produced by lac bugs. It
comes in a range of colors from clear to garnet. You can
buy fresh shellac premixed in denatured alcohol or buy it in
flake form and mix it yourself with denatured or 180 proof
grain alcohol (a slightly less toxic option).
Because shellac dissolves in water and alcohol, it is not ideal
for use around sinks and tubs, but it is easy to apply and
touch up. Open the windows and run a fan, but you do not
need to wear a ventilator, and it dries very quickly.
Prepare the wood with a light sanding if the grain has been
raised during stripping, remove any fingerprints with
alcohol, and vacuum or clean with a tack cloth.
First test the shellac in an inconspicuous corner such as
inside a door. Apply in quick, long strokes with the grain
of the wood using a clean cotton cloth such as an old cutup
t-shirt, blending edges and smoothing brushstrokes.
A variety of methods can be used with good results.
French polish, a traditional furniture finish, is very glossy
and consists of many layers applied with oil and burnished
between coats with volcanic pumice and sealed
with carnauba wax. Another, more simple method is to
apply one coat, let dry for about an hour, then buff it with
extra fine steel wool.
Repeat this process three or five times, until you are satisfied
with the finish. If the result is too shiny, you can use
fine steel wool to impart a satin finish. The final layer can
be left as is or sealed with wax, varnish or a thin layer of
satin finish polyurethane.
Photo by Susan De Vries.