Difference between Shellac and Varnish
Shellac and varnish are wood finishes used to protect, preserve and beautify furniture, floors, doors and other wooden items. While their uses and effects are similar, they are two different things. Shellac is an animal product made from an amber resin called “lac”, whereas Varnish is produced naturally from tree resins and is prepared artificially as well in factories and laboratories.
Shellac is very hard and dries quickly, whereas varnish is soft and does not dry quickly. The former is a sealer that penetrates into the pores in the wood, while the latter is a proper wood finish that is applied as a top-coat to give wood products a neat and glossy finish. Dry Shellac flakes are dissolved in alcohols, while varnish is dissolved in oils or mineral spirits. Shellac vary by the type of tree the Lacca insects feed on. Similarly, varnishes also differ with the type of the tree resin.
Instructions
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Shellac
Shellac is a food finish produced from the amber resin, called “lac” produced by the female Lacca insects on many varieties of trees in the forests of Asia, primarily in India and Thailand. The resin secreted by the lacca bugs forms a cocoon on the tree. These cocoons are then collected from the trees, and are refined and dissolved in alcohol to produce liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colourant.
Shellac has been around since 16th century, providing a soft and clear surface protection over wooden floors, doors and furniture. It penetrates into the pores in the wood and dries quickly to seal them. For many years, liquid shellac was used as a base for durable wood finishing – shellac, sand and then finish with a top coat of varnish.
It is also used as a hard natural primer, odour blocker and for staining wood. Due to its good insulation qualities, shellac was also used in electrical appliances. In the early 1900s, it was used to make gramophone records.
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Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective wood finish made from tree resins, dissolved in oil or mineral spirits. There are many varieties of varnish depending upon the type of tree from which the resin is gathered, and whether they are oil based or spirit based. Some varieties of varnish also contain elements of shellac.
Varnish is a traditional wood finish used to protect hardwood floors, and is also produced synthetically in factories and laboratories. Synthetic varnishes flow more easily, dry quickly and remain colourless for a long time, while most natural varnishes darken over time.
Image courtesy: mpfconservation.me
