I discuss high-tech wood coatings. But from time to time, I will discuss something that is tried and true and, perhaps, not so high tech. Shellac is definitely a low-tech product. It is the secretion ...

My old cottage has bead board in the upstairs bedrooms that has been varnished. It looks very nice, but some of the varnish has bubbled. How can I get rid of that bubbling? A. First, check to see if ...

Perhaps you live in an historic house with perfectly intact, never-painted wood. You can just leave it be, or gently clean it with a rag dipped into water with a squirt of Ivory liquid soap. How to ...

Penetrating finishes such as those achieved by old-time craftsmen with linseed oil have a depth and luster quite unlike those of surface coatings such as varnish or lacquer. They help accent the ...

Is the chest of drawers in your bedroom finished in lacquer or oil? Will it damage the surface if you set a wet glass down on a waxed table? Should you use ammonia to clean a butcher block? Most ...

For lacquer finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Shellac starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree branches by the tiny lac bug (Laccifer lacca), which ...