# Dewaxed Shellac on Water-Based Stain



## Timothy G (May 1, 2012)

I am refinishing my white oak kitchen cabinets. I have applied 2 coats of General Finishes water-based stain. Over that I wiped on a coat of Bullseye Sealcoat dewaxed shellac. I had planned on then sanding before applying several coats of Arm-R-Seal. When I began to sand the shellac with 320 it immediately burned through the sheallac and through the stain. I was surprised it sanded off so easily. My next idea was to try 600. With 3 strokes of the finer sandpaper the finish had been burned through. 

Not sure what I am doing that the finish has burned through so easily. I know the shellac was thin as I had wiped it on. I obviously need the shallac as a barrier between the stain and Arm-R-Seal. Should I apply several coats of shellac (I believe they melt into one another and do not require sanding in between), or should I just not sand the single coat of shellac and just apply top coat over?


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Usually it is easier to take it all down to bare wood when you have some burn through spots. If it were a tiny spot here and there you could probably touch up the color and then put some more sealcoat over it. If the spots are large it's real hard to get the color right after it's been sealed. When you try to touch up spots like that the color is usually lighter or darker than what you want and after tinkering with it for hours you end up taking it all off anyway.

The Arm-R-Seal is self sealing. You could have used it instead of the shellac unless there was issues with oozing pine knots or other woods containing resins. If you are going to use the sealcoat I wouldn't do much sanding on it. I would just scuff it a little just enough to make it less fuzzy. I would wait until you put a coat of the Arm-R-Seal before doing any real between the coats sanding.


----------



## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

The way to deal with the sand through is to apply the shellac--optional, let it fully dry and then apply a couple of coats of the Arm R Seal. Let it fully dry. Now you can sand and you will be sanding the much thicker film of the Arm R Seal. But even so, sand very lightly. Sand with 320 or 400. Then get on a couple of more coats of the Arm R Seal. Arm R Seal is a highly thinned poly varnish so the film thickness you get when wiping is quite thin. That means you need to be light handed and be very careful.


----------

