Carnauba wax under shellac

[Joseph Redgate]

Good afternoon, gentlemen.

I was experimenting with filling heavy oak grain by using a hot iron to melt carnauba wax into it, then using a card scraper to remove the excess, and finally finishing with dewaxed shellac.  I used a 3x5 piece of red oak from a home center and it seems to be working beautifully.  Does anyone see future problems that might arise?  Can this be a viable solution to filling oak, or will the shellac eventually lift off of the carnauba?

 

[R Bohn]

Hi Joseph
Although shellac can be applied over wax it's not a good practice. Wax in the pores will prevent the shellac from penetrating into the wood as well as it could and could cause finish adhesion problems in the future. Especially if the surface is exposed to heat. A better process is to fill the pores with  a pore filler or as I do, fill the pores by French Polishing using a little pumice.
Experimenting is cool!!  Keep asking questions.
Randy