Hey everyone! I'm pretty sensitive to smells, so I researched a lot before sealing my aspen wood dresser with Zinsser SealCoat, which is supposed to help contain formaldehyde and other odors. I applied three coats – waiting one hour for the first, twelve hours for the second, and then the third coat. Now I'm dealing with a strong musty, almost sweet smell in the room where it's curing, despite having open windows and running fans to help with ventilation. Is this smell normal? Will it eventually go away, or have I just traded one odor for another? And will it linger on my walls and other stuff in the room?
1 Answer
That musty smell is likely just from the shellac itself. The solvent used is alcohol, which doesn’t usually have a strong smell, but shellac can sometimes give off an earthy scent due to its natural composition. If the last coat feels dry, try putting a fan in there and cracking a window open. If the smell doesn’t clear up in a few hours, you might want to check in with someone who can help you out mentally.
I’m confused by your reply! You're saying it smells earthy, but then mentioned it should only have an alcohol scent. Does it truly have an earthy smell or not?