French polishing is one of the classic finishes for wood. Although French polishing came to the fore in the late 19th century, the underlying process of using Shellac as a wood finish dates back nearly 4000 years.
Hawaiian Hardwood Homes offers French Polishing as an optional finish for the interior wood surfaces only. Because French Polishing requires a large number of coats and intermediate sanding, there is an additional charge for this option. Shellac is not suitable for wood that is exposed to the weather.
For anyone who wishes to make their home as organic as possible by eliminating all man-made toxins, plastics, solvent or acrylic based paints, hydrocarbon based carpets (nylon, polyester), etc., French Polishing is a must. To understand why, read the section below on the origins of shellac.
Shellac has usually a clear (blonde) or amber (orange) color. Some ready to use variations come pre-mixed with denatured alcohol. We always prepare our own cuts using pure Shellac flakes and denatured alcohol.
The secret to the proper use of Shellac is in the number of "cuts". Each pound of Shellac flakes that is added to one gallon of denatured alcohol equates to one pound cut. Normally, Shellac is not used over a three pound cut. A major challenge to using Shellac is that it dries very quickly since the alcohol evaporates very quickly and leaves no residue. This necessitates applying many thin layers of the mix, resulting in a very even finish with excellent adhesive properties. It can be polished to a high gloss or rubbed out to a satin or flat sheen as desired.
All Shellacs imbue some bit of color to the wood. However, they won't yellow as much with age as other varnishes and lacquers. Shellac dries hard and won't gum-up like oil finishes. It is easily repairable, has an outstanding clarity and really enhances the grain of exotic hardwoods. It is not suitable for extremely wet conditions such as bathrooms or exterior finishing.
Once you have seen French Polishing (shellac finishing) it is difficult to consider any other finishing.
French polishing on flooring will become dull and bare during its use, although the color of the stain will remain. This will give an antique look. Unlike other stains, lacquers, varnishes and paints, French polishing will not scale when exposed to rain and sunlight, since the denatured alcohol evaporates instantly when applied leaving the stain color of the Shellac embedded in the grains of the wood.
The Organic Origins of Shellac
Shellac resins come from the Coccus Lacca bug, indigenous to Indonesia, Thailand and India and are actually the insect's resinous secretions. The Coccus Lacca, a scale insect that feeds on certain trees, produces gummy substances thru its pores, which are actually the insect's resinous secretions which harden into a protective coating called "lac". This lac is collected and then crushed washed and dried.
Ironically, for a finish that has such a dubious start in life; Shellac has many applications in today's world. The resin provides a non-toxic, thermoplastic-like coating that is approved by the food and drug industries as a coating on fruits (where the resin prevents molds and spores) and drugs where it acts as a slow release enteric coating on many today's medicines.
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