Hi,
for the first time I try to finish a cabinet with BLO and shellac, I already applied two coats of BLO and it is drying well but some areas remain sticky and glossy while most off the surface is already dry and matte. Are these sticky areas going to dry too or have I done something wrong?
Thanks.
Replies
You have applied the BLO incorrectly. It should we wiped on liberally, let to penetrate for a short period--say 15 minutes--and then thoroughly wiped off so that there is no visible oil on the surface. Oil finishes, whether BLO, pure tung oil, or oil/varnish mixes should never be let to build a film on the surface.
At this point I would use mineral spirits and synthetic steel wool (3-M pads) to remove as much of the soft sticky area as possible. If it's still sticky you should be able to remove the excess fairly readily If the result isn't even let the surface cure for a few days and apply one more coat of BLO being sure to vigorously remove all excess..
As an undercoat, which is primarily to provide color to the wood and enhance figure, only one coat of BLO is really needed. If you want an oil finish for a in-the-wood natural look, then don't use either of the pure oils, and use the much superior product an oil/varnish mix (danish oil). It's a lot cheaper and a better product if you mix your own. A common formula is equal parts varnish, BLO, and mineral spirits.
thanks for the advice, Steve.
I'm gonna try to wipe it off with terpentine.
it worked, with terpentine and steelwool.
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