The Timeless Beauty Of Shellac (NAPSA)—Shellac—a classic wood finish for furniture and inte- rior woodwork—has been around for hundreds of years. Some of Europe’s finest museum pieces still retain their original shellac finish. Antonio Stradivari used it to finish his prized violins. Steinway used it to finish his pianos. American craftsman finished fur- niture and the interior woodwork and floors of most homes with shellac throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In the mid-20th century, shellac fell from favor, as consumers turned to synthetic materials, like polyurethane, for their wood finishing projects. Now, shellac is experiencing a renaissance. In fact, if it were introduced today, it would probably be heralded as revolutionary—the “wonder finish” of the 21st century. Here are someof the reasons: Shellac makes wood look beautiful. Shellac gives wood a rich warmth and tone with a depth and clarity that enhances its natural beauty like no synthetic finish ever can. Shellac has many otheruses. Shellac is not only a great finish for wood furniture, doors, floors, trim and toys; it literally has 1,001 other uses. Use shellac as a sealer-finish for art and craft projects such as dried flower arrangements, pastel drawings and statuary. It’s also handy for repairing scratches in furniture, sealing pruned tree branches and much more. It’s probably the most versatile finish in the world. Shellac is a great stain blocker/odor sealer. It forms a barrier that stains and odors cannot penetrate. Use shellac to seal in knots and sap from new wood, water stains on walls andceilings, Sq as off \ \ : RO ee cone FF Ros ’ Way yy } VENen iy TS musty odors from smoke, fire, mildew and old furniture—even pet odors. No other finish has the sealing powerof shellac. Shellac dries quickly. Unlike synthetic varnishes, which can take hours to dry and daysto cure, shellac is dry and ready to recoat or sand in 45 minutes. That means that most wood finishing jobs can be completed in a dayorless. Shellac is non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Produced by the tiny lac bug, an insect native to India and Thailand, shellac is an all-natural, renewable re- source. An environmentally friendly finish, shellac does not create the hazardous waste disposal problem associated with many synthetic finishes. Because it’s non-toxic when dry, it’s an excellent finish for cribs, high chairs, toys and other objects that require a child-safe finish. If you’d like to learn more about shellac, the “wonder finish” of the 21st century, visit, www.zinsser.com. Zinsser has been manufacturing Bulls Eye Shellac for more than 150 years and has lots of information to make your next project easy and beautiful. Or, call Zinsser at 732- 469-8100.
