Thread: Shellac for floor finish

You wouldn't be doing anything wrong if you used Shellac as a sealer on floor boards before applying something else, but using shellac as a finish on floors? Its really not that suited to the application. Best advice I could offer is too give a local floor polisher a call and have a friendly chat, he'll soon tell whats the best to use in your environment etc.

Cheers!

Originally posted by JackG:
I am slowly getting to the end of the house repairs (can’t wait till it is done so I can upgrade the workshop and get new toys in ) and I have to finish the floor in the non tiled area of the kitchen/dining about 10m2. The floor is recycled cypress pine that will be sanded. The rest of the house has been made with what I believe is pu varnish, I am reasonably happy with the pu varnish but I don’t really want to have to vacate the house (due to the smell and vapors) for 2 days just because I varnished a small area. I thought of water based pu varnish but it is completely clear while the rest of the house has the yellowish/orange tone given by the current varnish.
Then while I was experimenting with shellac I thought why not using it on the floor? After searching a bit on the net it seems that Shellac is not commonly used on timber floors anymore mainly due to the fact that pu finishes are more resistant.

Now my questions are:

- Are 3 coats of Shellac really much weaker than pu ?

- Can a Shellac floor be mopped?

- What sort of coverage do I get per liter of Shellac?

- Any other draw backs using Shellac on floors?

- Would I be better of to tint clear water based pu with a slight Golden Oak or similar ?

Thanks

Jack

Jack one solution would be to stain the floor then clear coat it. you try matching the origanal colour or stain it to what ever type of wood you like!

Just so happens I am about to make our first brew of Cross-linked Shellac HARD DEWAXED WHITE SHELLAC.

This stuff will be much harder than ordinary shellac and will withstand heat, water and alcohol. It is ideal for table tops, and should be no reason why it won't work on floors. However, that said, it still isn't going to be as tough as a 2 part finish that is specifficaly designed for floors, nor for that matter as hard as that polly stuff. But it could be an alternative.

Cheers - Neil

HOW IT REALY HAPPENS.
It was the first night of the New Moon
A dark and Stormy night.
A smokey fire in the Woods.
Big black caldron.
Mumble, mumble, casting spells.
U & Beaut dancing round and round the caldron dressed in long robes and pointy hats.
Chuck in some of this and some of that,
some more of this and an old dead cat.
Mumble, mumble casting spells.
Stir, stir, mumble, mumble.
Suddenly a flash of lightning and Magic happens.
A new Product HARD DEWAXED WHITE SHELLAC
This is how it realy happens.
Cross-linked Shellac???? What a load of technical twaddle.

------------------
Some days I turns thisaway, somedays I turns thataway and other days I don't turn at all.

[This message has been edited by Tim the Timber Turner (edited 23 August 2002).]

[This message has been edited by (edited 23 August 2002).]

Well if anyone is interested in the end of this story here it is.

After speaking with a floor sander/finisher he recommended to sand all the area down and recoat the full lot with water or solvent based pu, he had no experience with shellac and suggested I spoke with the manufacturer of the pu I intend to use regarding its adhesion on shellac. The manufacturer of the water based pu said it could work but I should check with the manufacturer of the Shellac. In the end I did few tests and being conclusive I used fairly thinned shellac as sealer and 2 coats of water based pu. Apart from the dog running in my back while I was taking my keys to vacate the house for few hours after the 1st coat and standing in the middle of the fresh varnish with its usual big smile all went ok. A light sanding and the second coat fixed it. The colour match to the solvent based pu is perfect under artificial light and very slightly different on natural light.

I must say that I have been very impressed by the water pu, it is touch dry in about 30 min no orange peel no roller or brush marks, everything was fine with 2 coats only. Only problem was that my sanding was not that great, the heavy floor sanders really need to keep motion else they leave marks. I will still stick to nc lacquer for furniture mainly due to the much lower cost ease of use and laziness to learn a new technique while I got something that works for me.

Jack