Low gloss poly top-coat??

[kooshball]

I am now strongly considering putting a urethane top-coat on my walnut dresser to protect all the shellac. My wife and I prefer low-gloss finishes (60deg gloss of 10 or less) but I am having trouble finding one on the retail shelf in an wipe-on formulation.

Any ideas for wipe on low-gloss polyurethane options?

Thanks

 

[MarkE]

I've used this before. Came out real nice on some bookshelves. Lowes carries the Satin.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_24499-24-40910000_0__?productId=3098531&Ntt=minwax&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dminwax

 

[Gofor]

I make my own wipe on. Take the satin gloss and thin it 50% with mineral spirits. Works for all glosses and is much less expensive.

Go

 

[Howard Acheson]

I am now strongly considering putting a urethane top-coat on my walnut dresser to protect all the shellac. My wife and I prefer low-gloss finishes (60deg gloss of 10 or less) but I am having trouble finding one on the retail shelf in an wipe-on formulation.

Any ideas for wipe on low-gloss polyurethane options?

Thanks

You will be degrading your finish by putting a poly varnish on top of the shellac. Shellac produces an almost perfectly clear finish that highlights whatever wood you used. A poly varnish will produce a somewhat cloudy looking finish. The cloudiness is a problem with poly varnish finishes.

What is the item you are finishing? Shellac is a surprisingly durable finish. It's much harder than poly varnish.

 

[kooshball]

What is the item you are finishing? Shellac is a surprisingly durable finish. It's much harder than poly varnish.

I am finishing a wide (61") 6-drawer dresser; I just want to make sure that normal wear and tear does not result in me repairing the finish every year. In all honesty we are picky about drinks in the bedroom and I doubt that this piece will ever see any beverage, or moisture; just the occasional wallet, keys, coins, etc.

 

[Bas]

I am finishing a wide (61") 6-drawer dresser; I just want to make sure that normal wear and tear does not result in me repairing the finish every year. In all honesty we are picky about drinks in the bedroom and I doubt that this piece will ever see any beverage, or moisture; just the occasional wallet, keys, coins, etc.

I'm liking shellac more and more these days. Poly is now at the bottom of my list, it offers decent protection against scratches but it can look like plastic, and because it's relatively soft you can't rub it out. If you want something that is more scratch resistant but still hard, try Waterlox. For a dresser, shellac should do fine.

 

[Howard Acheson]

I am finishing a wide (61") 6-drawer dresser; I just want to make sure that normal wear and tear does not result in me repairing the finish every year. In all honesty we are picky about drinks in the bedroom and I doubt that this piece will ever see any beverage, or moisture; just the occasional wallet, keys, coins, etc.

I can't see any reason not to use shellac on a bedroom item. Of course, nail polish remover will damage it but then, nail polish remover will damage any finish including poly. Water is no problem unless you leave it on the surface for a couple of days.

 

[Cato]

I like shellac a lot. Easy to apply, dries very fast, and once cured can be waxed to a nice finish.

Looks good without wax as well.

I just ordered some transtint dyes to try mixing in with my shellac to give me some different color options when finishing.

For outdoor I have used spar urethane over the shellac for some tables on our screen porch, and will see how that will hold up.

I've been meaning to try the Waterlox soon.

 

[mike_wood]

Hmmm, some interesting statements. I am finishing a walnut every day table now with poly & I think it looks ok. I agree that shellac looks better but for a heavily used table poly, to me, holds up better than shellac. I don't have a spray booth so I have to brush on whatever I use. For a decent size table, 40"X60", it is hard to get shellac on before it starts drying which result in overlap marks. If you can do it I congratulate you but I cannot. You have to work very fast & I am not that good.

Also, I rub out poly all the time. I don't find that it is "soft", in fact, it is a bit hard to rub out. I use rubbing and polishing compound usually to get out the dust nibs and uneven places and it comes out very smooth and looks good. If you are good enough to end up with a smooth poly finish without some rubbing out then you are way better finisher than me and have a way cleaner shop. Unlike shellac, I have to be careful not to rub through the top layer. I never use satin to get a satin finish. Rubbing out gloss will leave a satin like finish.

 

[Howard Acheson]

>>>> I rub out poly all the time. I don't find that it is "soft", in fact, it is a bit hard to rub out.

There are two things that make poly more difficult to rub out than many other finishes. First, poly is generally formulated to be softer because softer resists scratches more readily. Second, polyurethane is added to varnish to make it more scratch resistant. Rubbing out is scratching. The abrasives scratch the surface. Between the softer formulation and the increased scratch resistance of the poly, poly does not tend to rub out well. Poly is at its most glossy right off the brush.

Non-poly interior varnishes are clearer and will rub out more readily. Varnishes like Pratt & Lambert #38, Cabot Varnish, Sherwin Williams Varnish, Watco and Behlen Rockhard will rub out well. Hard finishes like NC lacquer and dewaxed shellac will also rub out well. The harder the finish, the better it will abrade and rub out to a high gloss.

 

[Mt. Gomer]

I make my own wipe on. Take the satin gloss and thin it 50% with mineral spirits. Works for all glosses and is much less expensive.

Go

Can't comment on the actual need for a poly top coat on this project (the other, far more experienced/knowledgeable folks have that covered) however for a 'wipe-on' solution in general Go's suggestion is exactly what I did for the bunk beds I just finished. Worked great. I won't be paying the wipe-on premium any more...


Travis