Kent;
My initial reply seems to have disappeared when the site went down for maintenance yesterday morning shrotly afther I made my post; so, I will try again. This link will take you to the Shellac Pages on our web site. At the bottom of the introduction page you will find a link that will take you to a page on using Shellac as a Grain Filler.
Once you have filled the grain a bit of padding will bring the finish to a nice sheen. The advantage of this technique is that shellac is optically clear so you will not be filling the pores with an opaque solid. Since it is clear there is also no need to tint the filler to match the wood being filled. There is also no issue of the filler shrinking and coming out of the pores. Finally, while the wood will darken with exposure the shellac will not change color so what you see will always be a function of the look of the wood.
The use of pumice spoken of by Amateur60 is part of the process called “French Polish”. It’s fine, but it is way too much work when all one wants is to fill the grain to create a smooth finish free of “pocks” left by open pores. Note that the shellac cut used is one-pound and that filling is accomplished by multiple coats. How the shellac is applied is not all that important since most of it will be removed in the process of leveling/filling. The shellac film left to be polished by padding will still be quite thin, as it should be…
Steve
Finishing & Refinishing Forum Host
