My neighbor's kid asked me why I bother with shellac when poly is tougher

I was fixing a chair leg in my garage last week and the 14 year old from next door was watching. He said his dad uses polyurethane on everything because it's 'bulletproof'. I started explaining about shellac's quick dry time and how it works with old finishes, but he just shrugged. It made me think, when did we stop teaching the 'why' behind the material choice? I've been reaching for the same can of Zinsser for years out of habit. What's one old school finish you still use that newer folks might not get?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_harris51mo ago

Honestly, that line about reaching for the same can out of habit hit me. I was totally the same with poly for years, just slapping it on because it was "tough." Then I tried fixing an old dresser with shellac. Ngl, seeing how it melted into the old finish and fixed those white rings in minutes changed my whole view. Now I get why you'd pick the right tool instead of just the hardest one.

miles7981mo ago

Used to think more layers meant better protection. Seeing shellac fix a finish instead of just covering it up was a real eye-opener. Makes you want to learn what each thing actually does.