Refinish A Wood Floor With Shellac

Brushing on shellac requires a fine natural or china bristle brush.

Refinish a wood floor with shellac.

When shellac finishes get wet they develop unsightly white rings. The history of shellac goes back for hundreds of years. Removing shellac from wood floors. If nothing comes up it s an oil based polyurethane or varnish.

Use a two or three pound cut of shellac and apply generously with long smooth strokes. For the best result possible removing the old finish and applying a new of course you will want to bring it to us. As with any wood floor refinishing project 90 percent of this job is preparation. Shellac has many advantages as a finish.

Step 2 strip the old finish photo by wendell t. You have to thoroughly clean the floor touch up any deep scratches and roughen the existing finish with sanding screens so the new finish will adhere well. But if the finish softens and doesn t come off it s a water based polyurethane. The term shellac comes from the family of lac insects which secrete a substance that was discovered centuries ago to work as a wood sealer.

When a shellac finish needs restoration it s possible to apply new material directly over the old because like lacquer shellac amalgamates and the two. So you ll need to use wood floor cleaners specifically formulated for this type of finish. There are also disadvantages. Shellac finishes were common on wood floors.

Shellac is a wood finish that has been used for centuries. Thomas assesses the finish on an inconspicuous area such as a door edge below by rubbing it with denatured alcohol. The gloss on a floor in an older home may not be the ubiqutous polyurethane but shellac which requires specific care. How to care for shellac floors.

Shellac will come right off. It is non toxic dries quickly provided the product is fresh when applied can be tinted and is relatively easy to apply. There are times when the shellac is so badly worn or damaged or when a water stain has blackened the wood beneath the shellac that the finish simply must be removed and a new coating applied. Expect to spend at least one full day on this prep work for refinishing hardwood floors.