That time a shellac finish went cloudy on me in the middle of a job

I was finishing a maple dresser in my old shop, maybe 15 years back. I brushed on a fresh coat of dewaxed shellac, and the whole surface turned milky white before my eyes. The room was way too humid. I grabbed a clean rag with some denatured alcohol and wiped the whole thing down fast before it set. It took the cloudiness right off and I let the piece dry for a full day before trying again with a dehumidifier running. Anyone else have a finish freak out because of the weather?

3 comments

3 Comments

adamgreen3d ago

My old boss insisted shellac was foolproof and humidity didn't matter. That belief lasted until a humid Tuesday in July when I watched a tabletop I'd just coated turn into a frosted window. I had to do the exact same alcohol wipe down you described. Faith684's ghost face story is a perfect example of how sneaky it can be. I keep a dehumidifier in the garage now for any finish work, no exceptions.

willow1143d ago

My buddy learned the hard way too. He was finishing a guitar body, got the same milky mess adamgreen described. Had to strip it back to bare wood in his damp basement.

faith6843d ago

Oh man, that milky shellac panic is the worst. I once tried to French polish a little box in what I thought was a dry room. Turns out my own breathing was enough to mess it up. Had this perfect little cloud shaped like my face hovering over the lid. Looked like a ghost had tried to refinish it. Had to walk away for a solid hour before I could face sanding it all back down.