# I need help with Red Oak Plywood finishing



## TrevortdogR (Feb 1, 2013)

I plan on applying shellac cut with denatured alcohol before staining it with GF Gel stain. 

Since I have no spray equipment nor a place to spray would a wipe on poly be the best way to finish or just use shellac as the top coat?

Since this is a cabinet for receiver, games systems etc., should I stain inside of it or just put poly on it, or is that more a personal preference?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

First of all you shouldn't use poly over shellac. There is a natural wax in shellac which causes adhesion problems with polyurethane. If it were me I would apply the gel stain right to the bare wood. Red Oak isn't one of the woods prone to blotch so doesn't need any type of wood conditioner. Once the gel stain is dry you could then apply wipe-on poly.

If on another project you need to seal the wood with shellac and apply polyurethane, use Zinsser Sealcoat. It is shellac however they filter the wax out of the finish when they are processing it.


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## TrevortdogR (Feb 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> First of all you shouldn't use poly over shellac. There is a natural wax in shellac which causes adhesion problems with polyurethane. If it were me I would apply the gel stain right to the bare wood. Red Oak isn't one of the woods prone to blotch so doesn't need any type of wood conditioner. Once the gel stain is dry you could then apply wipe-on poly.
> 
> If on another project you need to seal the wood with shellac and apply polyurethane, use Zinsser Sealcoat. It is shellac however they filter the wax out of the finish when they are processing it.


Thanks Steve!

What wipe on poly do you recommend?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

TrevortdogR said:


> Thanks Steve!
> 
> What wipe on poly do you recommend?


I can't really recommend one. I don't use a wipe on poly. I pretty much spray everything. When I do have to apply a polyurethane finish by hand I brush it on. Then I use Sherwin William's interior oil based polyurethane.


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## TrevortdogR (Feb 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I can't really recommend one. I don't use a wipe on poly. I pretty much spray everything. When I do have to apply a polyurethane finish by hand I brush it on. Then I use Sherwin William's interior oil based polyurethane.


I wish I could spray, but thanks for chiming in with your help and suggestions!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

TrevortdogR said:


> I wish I could spray, but thanks for chiming in with your help and suggestions!


If you finished with a fast drying finish such as shellac or lacquer you could spray it in your back yard. A few years back a storm destroyed my shop and I finish everything I do under an awning outdoors. As far as that goes you could spray polyurethane on a day when there was no wind. It's only the air movement blowing dust and dirt into a finish you need to worry about.


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## TrevortdogR (Feb 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> If you finished with a fast drying finish such as shellac or lacquer you could spray it in your back yard. A few years back a storm destroyed my shop and I finish everything I do under an awning outdoors. As far as that goes you could spray polyurethane on a day when there was no wind. It's only the air movement blowing dust and dirt into a finish you need to worry about.


I live in Iowa and we have below freezing temps and recently with negative wind chill and I don't have spray equipment. But maybe in the future I might invest in it.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

TrevortdogR said:


> I live in Iowa and we have below freezing temps and recently with negative wind chill and I don't have spray equipment. But maybe in the future I might invest in it.


Lacquer dries by evaporation. It might thicken a bit but you could spray it at the north pole. I don't use enough shellac to say what it would do in very cold weather. 

You don't have to have top of the line equipment to spray wood finishes. I use the Harbor Freight #97855 sprayer I get with a coupon for less than 25 bucks.


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