Stain can be applied over shellac. Because of its impressive adhesive properties, shellac can hold oil- and water-based stains together.
Shellac prevents moisture and stains from leaking through. It will repel moisture below but not stop the staining from reaching the surface.
With such capability, furniture and wood surfaces can last longer with less maintenance.
Does stain stick to shellac?
Shellac can hold stains because it doesn’t repel them when it dries. Nevertheless, stains will not stick to shellac unless the shellac is sanded. The shellac is sanded first to create tiny ridges for the stain.
The stain will not stick to a thick or multiple coats shell coat. The thick shellac would have sealed the pores in the wood, making it difficult for the stains to adhere to them.
It is best to apply only thin coats of shellac, especially if you plan to stain over it.
The stain will stick better if the shellac is thinned before it is applied. The shell coat will become lighter and won’t seal the wood pores if it is thinned.
This allows the stain to penetrate more easily and stick better. You can also stain it faster by thinning the shellac.
What time does shellac take to dry before staining?
You should allow the shellac coating to dry for at most 4 hours before you apply the stain. This allows the shellac to dry sufficiently and harden and support stain.
Water-based shellac is more drying than oil-based. After applying the shellac, you can stain water-based shellac. It takes oil-based shellac between 4-8 hours to dry sufficiently for staining.
How long it takes to stain shellac depends on how many shellac layers, thickness, moisture, humidity, and ambient temperature.
Preparation before staining over shellac
All these must be removed with a degreaser and a clean cloth before applying the stain. You do not have to degrease a shellac coating that has just been applied because it hasn’t accumulated dirt and filth.
You can also use a solvent, dish soap, or rubbing alcohol to clean the shellac if you don’t own a degreaser.
Next, sanding the shellac coating is necessary. Use fine-grit sandpaper to sand the shellac. You can use 320-grit up to 400-grit.
The shellac doesn’t have to be sanded very deeply. To apply stain, you only need to run the sandpaper a few times across the shellac coating.
There will be dust nibs or grain after sanding. You must get rid of the dust to prevent bumps in your stain. Use a soft brush or a clean cloth to remove the dust.
To remove dust, you can use a vacuum cleaner. After sanding, you must ensure the surface is smooth and clean.
Use the stain on shellac
Next, you need to apply the stain onto the shellac. This can be done with a paintbrush or a sprayer. Professional painters use a mixture of foam and clean rags to apply stains. Use the method that you are most familiar with.
Spray staining shellac with paint thinner is necessary. This will allow the spray gun to spray the stain without clogging your tip.
Shellac can be applied up to four coats of a water-based stain. Three light coats of oil-based stain are sufficient. Applying too many coats of stain can cause the stain to become sticky and not stick well.
To ensure that the stain dries smoothly, wipe off any excess stain with a clean cloth after you have applied it.
Is it possible to mix shellac with stain?
If the base or solvent of the stain is the same, you can mix shellac with stain. The stain will be damaged if you mix oil-based shellac with water-based stain.
Do not add the stain to shellac. It is difficult to determine the exact amount of stain to be added if you mix the shellac with the stain.
The consistency of the mixture may also be affected. The stain can be added to the shellac to help tint it.
After mixing shellac with stain, always stir. Mixing the mixture with a spoon helps to break up lumps. Stirring helps paint flow more evenly and makes it even.
After mixing, test the mixture. Mix the shellac with stain. Test the mixture on cardboard or wood to ensure it dries well. You can apply the mixture to the main surface if it dries properly. This prevents a poor finish.
Can you apply shellac over the stain?
Shellac can be applied over stains, but it is better to use it on water-based stains. It is also applicable for oil-based stains.
However, it is important to dry the oil-based stain completely before applying shellac. Before you apply shellac, make sure the oil-based stain is completely dry.
Shellac is unsafe for food and should not be used over stained furniture or cooking equipment. Shellac can be applied over stain only for woods well suited to the stain, such as oak.
These woods can take stain well, so they won’t need it.
Shellac should be applied before staining wood that cannot take it. Shellac will condition the wood so that the stain sticks properly.
Shellac can be stained with different types of stain
After sanding shellac, you can apply wood stain to shellac. Sanding the shellac creates scars that allow the wood stain to penetrate the shellac.
This is crucial because wood stains must penetrate the shellac to stick. The tiny scars your work creates make it easier for the stains to stick better.
Gel stains can be applied over shellac since they are topical. Gel stains do not need to penetrate the skin to adhere. Gel stains don’t have to penetrate the shellac, so they won’t bleed.
Gel stain can be applied over thick shellac. Gel stain and shellac both offer the same protection. Gel over shellac may not be necessary.
How does shellac work when applied over the stain?
Shellac can be applied over any stain in minutes and to any woodworking project. It is not safe to use on stained cutting boards or kitchen utensils.
However, you need to know whether the stain applied on the wood surface is oil-based (or water-based). If the stain is oil-based, then the shellac you use should also be oil-based.
Shellac products are mainly alcohol-based. It can be used with water-based stain.
The water-based stain bonds well to shellac and can be applied over an oil-based stain with fewer problems like layer separation or surface blotchiness.
