Will shellac lock in traces of wax?
 

I decided I need to put an additional coat of water borne poly over a
drawer front (I need to darken it slightly). I know that some of the
drawers I finished last week got a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax.


Here's my question: would dewaxed shellac be an effective treatment for
locking in any wax residue before I apply the WB poly? Otherwise, what
solvent is gonna be safe to use on new WB poly, to remove the wax
without buggering up the finish? Also, I can't imagine that wiping a
solvent over the wood would remove all traces of wax from some of the
pores remaining in the oak that I MOSTLY filled with clear pore filler.

Dave

"David" wrote in message
...
I decided I need to put an additional coat of water borne poly over a
drawer front (I need to darken it slightly). I know that some of the
drawers I finished last week got a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax.


Here's my question: would dewaxed shellac be an effective treatment for
locking in any wax residue before I apply the WB poly? Otherwise, what
solvent is gonna be safe to use on new WB poly, to remove the wax
without buggering up the finish? Also, I can't imagine that wiping a
solvent over the wood would remove all traces of wax from some of the
pores remaining in the oak that I MOSTLY filled with clear pore filler.



Someone will undoubtedly jump in, but non-polar wax is best wiped/diluted to
oblivion by non-polar solvents like mineral spirits.

Wood likes polar stuff like water and it's cousin alcohol, but it's handled
differently, being adsorbed by, rather than just hiding between the fibers.

I'd start with George's suggestion of wiping with thinner. Follow that with
two thin coats of dewaxed shellac. Flow each coat on the wood, with a single
stroke of the brush. That's less likely to bring any remaining shellac to the
surface and, if you let the first coat fully dry first, the 2nd coat should
fully seal it.
GerryG

On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 15:34:36 -0800, David wrote:

I decided I need to put an additional coat of water borne poly over a
drawer front (I need to darken it slightly). I know that some of the
drawers I finished last week got a coat of Johnson's Paste Wax.


Here's my question: would dewaxed shellac be an effective treatment for
locking in any wax residue before I apply the WB poly? Otherwise, what
solvent is gonna be safe to use on new WB poly, to remove the wax
without buggering up the finish? Also, I can't imagine that wiping a
solvent over the wood would remove all traces of wax from some of the
pores remaining in the oak that I MOSTLY filled with clear pore filler.

Dave