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shellac over old shellac

15 years ago

The trim and back of each step in our entry hall stairwell is original and very worn shellac, steps are worn down to the wood in the center. Do I need to remove all of the old shellac before I apply more? I have been cleaning it up with alcohol & 3m pad but to get it all off is going to take some work in an awkward space. If I don't remove all the old shellac will it show? Clearly this is all new to me. Just bought a big 'project' house. Thanks for your help.

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Comments (2)

brickeyee
15 years ago
Wipe it clean with paint thinner, then some denatured alcohol.
New shellac will dissolve into old shellac very well, but it may produce an uneven appearance since you will have more finish on the less worn spots

If you are using the same color and grade of shellac I would consider multiple coats on the worn areas to make the match the old finish, and then a couple coats over everything to even out everything.
lindac
15 years ago
If you use denatured alcohol on shellac youw ill remove it.
Which may not be a bad thing to do! As Brickeye said a thicker coating will perhaps appear darker than the coating on the worn areas.
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