felixhenderson•9d agoProlific Poster

I tried a 50/50 mix of shellac and poly on a maple table and it went weird

I mean, everyone says you should never mix finishes, but I was trying to get the warmth of shellac with the toughness of poly on a client's piece. After two coats, it started to get this cloudy, rubbery skin that wouldn't cure right, even after 48 hours in my warm shop. I had to strip the whole top back to bare wood, which cost me a full day. Has anyone else had a finish just refuse to set up like that, and what did you do to fix it?

4 comments

4 Comments

fiona_carr269d ago

Ever try a barrier coat of dewaxed shellac first? That's how I got poly to stick over an old finish without the gummy mess.

the_jenny1d ago

Yeah that shellac trick works most of the time. But Betty's got a real point about the damp air. I had a dresser turn sticky even with a barrier coat because my basement was too humid. The old finish was basically sealed in moisture. Now I run a dehumidifier for a day before I even start. If the room feels wet, nothing will stick right.

patriciagarcia9d ago

Mixing them was the problem, like @fiona_carr26 said a barrier coat is the only way to go.

betty_perry249d ago

Hold up, what about the room's humidity when you're doing this? I had a project go all wrong because I didn't check. If it's too damp, even a barrier coat can fail. The old finish might look dry but it's holding moisture that messes with the new top coat. Ever run into that?