Question about a weird week with shellac in high humidity

Last Thursday in Atlanta, the humidity hit 90% and I had a big table to finish with a 2-pound cut of shellac. The first coat went on fine, but the second one stayed tacky for over four hours. I ended up moving the piece into a room with a dehumidifier running, which finally let it set up. Has anyone else had to deal with shellac acting up like that when the weather turns?

2 comments

2 Comments

skylerp208d ago

Henry_hernandez has a point about the shellac itself, but also check if your brush or rag was holding moisture. Even a slightly damp applicator can mess with the dry time in crazy humidity like that, basically adding water to the mix on every stroke.

henry_hernandez9d ago

Wondering if your shellac itself might have started to go bad from the humidity before you even opened the can. That high moisture in the air can get into the container and start pre-reacting the alcohol and resin (it's a real pain). Your dehumidifier fix was smart, but maybe check your shellac mix for little clumps or a weird smell next time, because the problem might have started earlier than you think.