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My old boss in Chicago said to always seal oak with a 1.5 lb cut of shellac before any stain, no matter what.
I followed that for years, but on a recent mahogany table, it totally blocked the dye from soaking in and I had to strip it all back. Another finisher I know says you should only use that method on very porous woods like ash. Who's right here? When do you use a wash coat versus going straight to stain?
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lisak2612d ago
Yeah, your boss had a one-size-fits-all rule that doesn't fit all. Shellac is a sealer, so on tight-grained wood like mahogany or maple, it just locks the stain out. I use a wash coat, like a 1lb cut of shellac or even just thinned finish, only on woods that blotch. Think pine, cherry, sometimes birch. For something like ash or oak, which are super open, you can go straight to stain. Test on scrap every single time.
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haydenbutler20d ago
So your old boss only worked with oak? That rule isn't universal, it really depends on the wood.
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