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I've got plenty I think they used shellac these are all 100 years old made in Wisconsin if I remember correctly
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We have one in our dining room, and though I'm not sure of the age I'd guess it to be 50 years +/-. I haven't tested it bit from the feel and durability I'd guess it's just a varnish of some sort. It doesn't have a plastic look so I'd bet it's an alkyd resin type.....but those are just guesses.
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(10-23-2022, 08:52 PM)Wild Turkey Wrote: My church has some pews that need refinishing. They are the old, 2" thick style-- I'm betting over 50 years old.
I'll do some testing to see what solvents will dissolve the finish but wondering if anyone here has any experience with such pews.
50 years old I'd bet oil based varnish. 100 years old; not sure, shellac makes sense for that time frame but it has poor water resistance. You would think all of them would be in need of refinishing, long ago, actually, if shellac had been used. Anyway, if DNA doesn't dissolve it, it's not shellac. Not much will attack oil based varnish except paint stripper.
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If 50 years is old, then I'm ancient!
I rather doubt it's shellac. Shellac has very poor abrasion resistance, and since people are sitting in them and putting their hands on the tops of the seatbacks, shellac would have worn off very quickly. Another common finish used is nitrocelluose lacquer, which has been used for over 100 years. Oil takes a longer time to cure before you want people sitting on it and not smelling the uncured varnish. You can test if it's shellac by taking some denatured alcohol and seeing if it'll rub off the finish.
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Allan Hill
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About 20 years ago I redid about 15 pews for a church. My guess they were from around 1950 and the finish was varnish.
No guarantee that's what you have but a possibility. Good Luck.
