Thoughts on Refinishing a Mahogany Boat
Question:
I just bought what I believe is a cold-molded mahogany boat, which has been painted. I am going to strip the paint, and was wondering what color shellac you would recommend I put on the wood? Someone recommended putting boiled linseed oil first, then shellac, then varnish. From what I understand with the shellac, I should start with a clear shellac for first coat, then the color I want, then another coat of clear shellac.
Answer:
You will want to top coat the shellac with a spar/marine varnish. The irony of shellac is that although it is an excellent moisture barrier, it does not hold up well as a top coat for exterior or boat applications.
Since shellac is a surface coating, applying linseed oil first is an additional step to help protect the wood from moisture. It will also influence the color of the mahogany.
Regarding color of shellac flakes to use depends on individual preference. Since I like my mahogany to show off it's red tones, I think orange would work well, especially after using linseed oil.
I would either find a scrap of mahogany or use a out of view spot on the boat to see what combinations work before I proceed.
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Because the quality of shellac flakes is affected by moisture, and we cannot control the care with which it is handled and stored after it has reached the customer, we limit our guarantee to 50 days - 7 weeks from the date of shipping.
Shellac Shack recommends that you keep the zip-lock bag sealed and that you store the flakes in a low humidity area. Some folks like to keep their flakes in the refridgerator where the humidity is low. This will also keep the flakes from blocking ( sticking together ) on hot summer days, although blocking will not damage the quality of shellac flakes. It's good to remember that on warm humid day there is much more water in the air ( per volume ) than on a cool rainy day.
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