Thread: Dull spots on shellac over BLO on blackwood

Corey, I'm a bit of a traditionalist with after finish service. I don't think you can go wrong with a good wax (beeswax) polish.
That said, the patina on antique furniture that is so highly prized comes from a variety of sources: wood smoke, coal smoke, various proprietary polishes and spills, the breathe from tubercular housemaids and most important of all, elbow grease.

I think I'll give the beeswax a try.
My wife wants to put a table cloth on it to protect it, but its going to hide all that work . . . ahhh, wives . . .

Originally Posted by cor55

Is there any product I should use on the table, like a wax or something, to protect and enhance the shellac finish?

NooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

If you have a surface that is what you want then leave it alone. Don't put wax on it, don't put oil or anything else on it.

If and when it starts to look a bit tired down the track from wear and tear then maybe a little wax or some polish reviver but other than that leave it alone.

Listen to your wife put a table cloth on it when it's in use for dining and place mats, coasters etc. Wax etc isn't going to enhance it if it already looks good it is just going to put a surface on there that is easily damaged.

What ever you do DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ELSE ON IT BEFORE IT HAS HAD TIME TO FULLY CROSS LINK..... Around 20 days.

Cheers - Neil

PS If you want to have a vase of flowers or a centre piece on the table, maybe get a runner and make sure you use a cork or similar place mat under it.

It isn't being paranoid, It's called looking after furniture the way your grand parents or great grand parents did before plastic finishes came onto the market. Care and proper treatment of furniture is is what makes the antiques of the future.

Hi Neil, that was an emphatic no . . .

ok, makes sense. I'll leave it alone and look after it. Table done. Now for those sword handles I need to finish . . . but thats another post. over and out.

Originally Posted by Neil Ellis

NooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

If you have a surface that is what you want then leave it alone. Don't put wax on it, don't put oil or anything else on it.

If and when it starts to look a bit tired down the track from wear and tear then maybe a little wax or some polish reviver but other than that leave it alone.

Listen to your wife put a table cloth on it when it's in use for dining and place mats, coasters etc. Wax etc isn't going to enhance it if it already looks good it is just going to put a surface on there that is easily damaged.

What ever you do DO NOT PUT ANYTHING ELSE ON IT BEFORE IT HAS HAD TIME TO FULLY CROSS LINK..... Around 20 days.

Cheers - Neil

PS If you want to have a vase of flowers or a centre piece on the table, maybe get a runner and make sure you use a cork or similar place mat under it.

It isn't being paranoid, It's called looking after furniture the way your grand parents or great grand parents did before plastic finishes came onto the market. Care and proper treatment of furniture is is what makes the antiques of the future.

Hi Neil
So thats just a maybe thing then LoL