# Seal coat shellac Vs pre wood conditioner



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

How's stain going to soak into the wood if it's covered with shellac?
Why would you not be conditioning and prestaining the trim before installing so your not fighting getting the stain on the walls?


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## paintdrying (Jul 13, 2012)

These thoughts are not my original ideas. This information is all over the web, this is why I ask questions on the forums. Thanks


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

A suggestion base on my experience--skip the 'conditioner' and wipe the wood down with mineral spirits--then stain it while it is still wet from the mineral spirits---

I have had rotten luck with the 'pre-stain conditioners' they block the wood pores to much and leave the wood unable to absorb stain correctly.---just my personal experience---


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

mj12 said:


> I am going to stain bare pine. My understanding is that I need to apply the stain soon after the pre conditioner. If I apply shellac can I wait a few weeks before stain the windows? Also, which one is preferred?




Yes, if you do a "wash coat" of shellac you can wait to stain without sacrificing the effectiveness of the sealer. 

To answer Joe's question, this method of conditioning soft woods for stain uses heavily thinned shellac to partially seal the wood and prevent blotchy looking stain. The shellac is usually applied somewhere around a 10 to 1 ratio of denatured alcohol to shellac. Adjusting the mixture adjusts the amount of stain absorbed. It does limit stain absorption, but only partially. 

Once the "wash coat" (as its called in professional circles) dries, it's done what it's going to do. Pre-stain on the other hand is only effective till it evaporates, then it's pretty much gone and doesn't do anything. Most pre-stain conditioners are more than %90 mineral spirits anyway. 

I prefer to use a shellac wash coat to a pre-stain conditioner. I find the results to be more predictable and uniform. You should however do a sample to determine what mix you want to use. Start thin with the 10-1 mix. If the stain comes out too dark or too light for your taste, adjust from there.


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