How to Apply a French Polish
Begin with a clean, perfectly smooth wood surface and a clean, dust-free, warm room., Mix 3 ounces of shellac flakes with 1 pint of denatured alcohol., Soak a wad of gauze in shellac, then place it inside a cotton cloth (a piece of an old bed sheet...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Begin with a clean
Any imperfections in the wood or dust that settles onto the surface while you're working will show up in the polish.
A cold room will cause the polish to be cloudy. -
Step 2: perfectly smooth wood surface and a clean
Keep the mixture in a tightly sealed container, pouring small amounts into a shallow bowl as you work.
Although you can buy shellac already mixed, the fresher it is, the better the results will be.
Use gloves when working with shellac. , Tie up the ends of the cloth with string to make a sort of handle.
Squeeze the pad to force most of the shellac out. , You may want to use an eyedropper to keep from adding too much.
The purpose of the oil is to keep the pad from drying out and sticking as you apply shellac.
If the pad does start to stick, add another couple of drops of oil. , Gradually change to circular, then figure-8 motions.
Each sweep will leave a thin layer of shellac, and your goal is to leave about 100 of these layers in one boding session.
The shellac will dry quickly, so using an improper motion will leave an imprint of the pad on the surface. , Begin your stiffing session by sweeping the pad in even strokes from one side to the other to smooth out any unevenness in the shellac.
Take care not to remove any shellac. , Then repeat the stiffing session to remove the oil.
This is a separate step called spiriting. , You will do this several times to build up a thick shellac surface on the wood. , Place the rottenstone in a salt shaker and sprinkle it on the surface, then apply a few drops of olive oil to a fresh pad and rub the entire surface until you're satisfied with its appearance. , -
Step 3: dust-free
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Step 4: warm room.
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Step 5: Mix 3 ounces of shellac flakes with 1 pint of denatured alcohol.
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Step 6: Soak a wad of gauze in shellac
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Step 7: then place it inside a cotton cloth (a piece of an old bed sheet or white tee-shirt works well).
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Step 8: Add a few drops of olive oil to the pad.
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Step 9: Apply the shellac to the wood surface in a gliding or sweeping motion
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Step 10: working one small area at a time
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Step 11: perhaps 2 square feet.
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Step 12: Build a fresh pad
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Step 13: then add a few drops shellac and several drops of alcohol to the cloth.
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Step 14: Allow the work to sit for a couple of hours so any oil can come to the surface.
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Step 15: Let the work sit for several hours so it can dry completely
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Step 16: then repeat the boding
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Step 17: stiffing and spiriting sessions.
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Step 18: Polish the surface with rottenstone and olive oil.
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Step 19: Finish with a thin coat of furniture wax to help protect your French polish from damage.
Detailed Guide
Any imperfections in the wood or dust that settles onto the surface while you're working will show up in the polish.
A cold room will cause the polish to be cloudy.
Keep the mixture in a tightly sealed container, pouring small amounts into a shallow bowl as you work.
Although you can buy shellac already mixed, the fresher it is, the better the results will be.
Use gloves when working with shellac. , Tie up the ends of the cloth with string to make a sort of handle.
Squeeze the pad to force most of the shellac out. , You may want to use an eyedropper to keep from adding too much.
The purpose of the oil is to keep the pad from drying out and sticking as you apply shellac.
If the pad does start to stick, add another couple of drops of oil. , Gradually change to circular, then figure-8 motions.
Each sweep will leave a thin layer of shellac, and your goal is to leave about 100 of these layers in one boding session.
The shellac will dry quickly, so using an improper motion will leave an imprint of the pad on the surface. , Begin your stiffing session by sweeping the pad in even strokes from one side to the other to smooth out any unevenness in the shellac.
Take care not to remove any shellac. , Then repeat the stiffing session to remove the oil.
This is a separate step called spiriting. , You will do this several times to build up a thick shellac surface on the wood. , Place the rottenstone in a salt shaker and sprinkle it on the surface, then apply a few drops of olive oil to a fresh pad and rub the entire surface until you're satisfied with its appearance. ,
About the Author
Theresa Martinez
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow creative arts tutorials.
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