I recently bought some shellac from Lee Valley, and the instructions mention that a heavier cut dries faster than a lighter one. This surprises me because I always thought a more diluted shellac would dry quicker since it has more solvent. Can someone clarify how the drying times really compare between different cuts of shellac?
2 Answers
Shellac dries by the evaporation of alcohol, so actually, a heavier cut has less alcohol. Which means it dries faster because there's simply less solvent to evaporate. It's kind of counterintuitive, but that's how it works!
Exactly, but remember, it's still alcohol. Even if you think it takes longer, both cuts dry pretty fast overall!
Good point! Unlike many other wood finishes that cure chemically, shellac just dries out as the alcohol evaporates. So, less solvent means quicker drying. With shellac, even the diluted versions are super quick to dry, so you won't really have to worry about it taking too long, regardless of the cut.
Totally! Plus, if you apply a second coat over the first, it dilutes that first layer too, so it still ends up behaving like one coat. Crazy how that works!