Refinish A Wood Floor With Shellac

As with any wood floor refinishing project 90 percent of this job is preparation.

Refinish a wood floor with shellac.

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. The history of shellac goes back for hundreds of years. For the best result possible removing the old finish and applying a new of course you will want to bring it to us. But if the finish softens and doesn t come off it s a water based polyurethane.

Shellac finishes scratch easily and shellac isn t the most water resistant of finishes. If your floors get a scratch it s an easy job to touch them up though. It is non toxic dries quickly provided the product is fresh when applied can be tinted and is relatively easy to apply. Since shellac dries quickly be careful to avoid drips or blotchy areas when applying because unlike other finishes you will likely not have time to over brush to eliminate the blemish.

Shellac has many advantages as a finish. How to care for shellac floors. Shellac will come right off. If nothing comes up it s an oil based polyurethane or varnish.

Brushing on shellac requires a fine natural or china bristle brush. Shellac is a wood finish that has been used for centuries. The gloss on a floor in an older home may not be the ubiqutous polyurethane but shellac which requires specific care. When shellac finishes get wet they develop unsightly white rings.

Step 2 strip the old finish photo by wendell t. 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. 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. Use a two or three pound cut of shellac and apply generously with long smooth strokes.

So you ll need to use wood floor cleaners specifically formulated for this type of finish. 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. Shellac finishes were common on wood floors. There are also disadvantages.