Caribbean finishes SAmericanPFM

[Jeff L Headley]

Fortress furniture finish! Oil and wax?  Bleed through in extreme heat with an extreme moisture exposure is my concern. If you were going to build fortress furniture in the Caribbean in the 1750's what finish would you want coating your wooden pieces?

[msiemsen]

Jeff,
With the temperature in Haiti having a record high of 100 degrees f and a record low of 63 degrees f and humidity high of 70% and low of 50% it really is pretty constant with a yearly range of 37 degrees f and 20%,  I would use good old shellac. Here in Minnesota with a record high of 104 degrees f and a record low of -38 degrees f and humidity range of 84% to 50%, a range of 142 degrees f and 34%, we use shellac. If there is a problem it is easy to fix.
Mike

[Jeff L Headley]

Mike, Thank you for your input. I am worried with a shellac finish. I know after the alcohol has evaporated shellac is a tough finish. I can tell my client until I am blue in the face to keep a top coat of wax but when they call me to adjust a period finish because of moisture bloutching they won't want to pay my fair to get there. 

[msiemsen]

Now we are talking about something different. Before it was the weather in the Caribbean and now it is modern customers and their fussiness. Polyurethane is probably a safe bet as is cab acrylic lacquer. Maybe just a little tag like you find on shirts that gives a disclaimer, " This furniture is finished with shellac, a natural product that when used improperly without blotters to protect it from moisture or heat will get white rings in it. These rings are not a defect in the finish but a sign of furniture abuse which can be easily remedied by a professionally trained restorer who charges mileage both ways, time and materials, to repair your mistake."
Mike