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I have an old wooden clock-case with a glossy finish on the wood. The piece is just decorative now- no longer holds a clock, and I’d like to paint it. Can I use shellac as a primer instead of sanding it (much too much gingerbread detail to sand), or is the stuff they call “liquid sandpaper” better than shellac for adhering the paint?
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Hello Carol and Doug,
For this situation, use either a shellac based primer, or an oil based primer. Be sure and get a good, even coat(s) of primer. These two types of primer will prevent "bleed through" of the stain and the shellac/varnish/poly finish.
Liquid sandpaper works wonders for deglossing surfaces, but does nothing to prevent bleedthrough of the stain and finish. Water based primers will not prevent this either.
You can buy shellac based primer in spray cans now. It makes it much easier to get an even coat on the gingerbread detail. Both Zinsser brand B-I-N primer, and Kilz shellac based primer are available now in a spray can.
Good luck.
James DuHamel
*I've used the Zinsser BIN spray and wasn't happy with it. Besides the even more noxious fumes, it leaves a very rough finish that requires smoothing before painting, meaning it gets rubbed off in the process.Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 seems appropriate for this task, as bleed-through shouldn't be a problem if the current finish is intact. An alternative might be Zinsser H2Oil. Either will adhere well to a glossy surface (provided it's thoroughly cleaned).The paint to be used wasn't mentioned, so I couldn't just say to use an alkyd primer in all cases.
*I have never personally used the spray cans, but I do quite often use my HVLP for shellac based primer (B-I-N usually). True, these shellac based primers have a strong fume/smell to them. They are denatured alcohol solvent based. I have always gotten a smmoth finish with shellac primers. They are thinner than normal primers, and flow easily. They do have a tendency to clog the tip if used in warm to hot weather, though.According to experience, and the William Zinsser Corporation, Bullseye 1-2-3 should NOT be used in this type of application. It is a water based primer/bond coat, and it will not prevent the finish or the stain bleedthrough. They recommend B-I-N primer, H2Oil Base primer, or one of their alkyd primers for this application (previously stained and sealed furniture and cabinets). B-I-N (or any shellac primer) requires denatured alcohol for cleanup (although amonia can be used for SOME cleanup). Oil based primers require mineral spirits to clean up, BUT... H2Oil Base CAN be cleaned up with HOT water and soap. I usally dip the brush into mineral spirits first, then I wash the brush out with hot soapy water. Quite easy to clean up actually. It even has a pleasant smell to it. Just a thought...James DuHamel
*Thanks for all of your help. Now if only there was an easy way to properly clean all that gingerbread!!!.........
*I'd consider thorough cleaning anyway. If the case is old, it will surely be covered in soot, smoke, grease and wax. No finish sticks to that. Sanding may remove some of this, but not all. Try naptha, and wire wool, bronze wool, or bronze bristled brushes. Whatever you do, clean all the greasy gunge off first. I've seen too many failures at this kind of thing to recommend anything else. The failures usually end up at places like mine to be fixed at three to five times the original expected cost, or chopped up for firewood.