# Will Zinsser Sealcoat (Dewaxed Shellac) seal tannins??



## Kaitlin53 (Aug 31, 2018)

Hi,

I'm still new to woodworking (roughly 2 years) and am now facing a problem. I make wooden signs and lately the farmhouse look has been a hit. (Think stained wood, with dry-brushed white latex paint on top, sanded to look worn.) I had never heard of tannins until recently when I researched why the beautiful sign I made my sister had a brown "stain" on it. I'm now at my wits end with these.

I tried the Zinsser BIN Shellac based and it still had a yellowish tint to the white paint.

Will the Zinsser Sealcoat seal in the tannins? It sounds like it should logically.

I don't really want to use white because I also use other colors, like a light gray. Is there anything on the market, clear-colored, that will seal in tannins on raw pine…before I lose my mind?

Thank you all for any help.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Shellac will seal in about anything in wood. I don't know about "tannins", but I know it will seal knots in pine paneling to keep the rosin from showing through. Great stuff shellac. I don't think it would do well outdoors though. It would have to have a good top coat like outdoor polyurethane for outdoor use.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

What wood are you using for the signs? If it is pine, you're getting the "sappy" bleed-through native to the specie.
Sealcoat will be a BIG improvement, and exterior paint (whatever color) is a must. Outdoor/marine poly is gonna give you a yellow cast to the finish. Water based poly won't.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

My answer would have been "yes, use the sealcoat". But if you used the BIN primer and it didn't work, I can't help but think the sealcoat won't work either. Regardless, as pointed out above it doesn't do well outdoors so it might not be the solution you need anyway. I think I would try an oil based primer and see if that solves your problem.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

What's wrong with bleed through on a farmhouse sign. 
Doesn't sound like it should be a problem.
If that's the folk art look anything goes:


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## Kaitlin53 (Aug 31, 2018)

I use pine and most of my signs are for outdoor use like for covered porches. Not directly in the sun or weather, etc.

I do use the Helmsman Spar Urethane to finish them, but the yellowing was occurring before I ever got to that point.

"Exterior paint is a must". I've been using either acrylic or indoor latex. Would the spar urethane not do its job in sealing acrylic or indoor latex? Honest question.


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## Kaitlin53 (Aug 31, 2018)

AJ, true. Haha. It's just not expected and looks like a stain, and not a 'cool' vintage thing going on.


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## Kaitlin53 (Aug 31, 2018)

What happens to the Sealcoat if it's used outdoors? Why doesn't it do well outdoors?


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I'm not sure what the breakdown is, but shellac has never been a very durable use in the outdoors, even under paint it will fail.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Some woodworker will build a table and say how do I stain this table to make it beautiful.
Other times someone will make something and say it has a stain how do I get rid of it to make it beautiful.

Maybe beauty is in the eye of the beholder and not the maker ???


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Maybe look into using KILZ Primers….?


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