Help-Need BT3 Collective Wisdom

[annunaki]

I made a wood combo shelf unit for a small 1/2 bath and stained with a water base. This was done outside. Now all of the modules are wall mounted and I realize that I should have sealed them outside-to avoid water rings/stains from shaving, tooth brush glass etc.
Too much involved to disassemble and take outside.

Now cometh the problem- My African Grey Parrot is in the next room and being a 100= yr old house I am fearful of fumes that could pose a health hazard for him.
I went to HD but all had warnings.

Is there anything that I can use that will not pose a problem?

Relocating Sasha is not a viable solution.

[cabinetman]

I made a wood combo shelf unit for a small 1/2 bath and stained with a water base. This was done outside. Now all of the modules are wall mounted and I realize that I should have sealed them outside-to avoid water rings/stains from shaving, tooth brush glass etc.
Too much involved to disassemble and take outside.

Now cometh the problem- My African Grey Parrot is in the next room and being a 100= yr old house I am fearful of fumes that could pose a health hazard for him.
I went to HD but all had warnings.

Is there anything that I can use that will not pose a problem?

Relocating Sasha is not a viable solution.

Use a waterbase polyurethane.


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[steve-norrell]

1. Does the 1/2 bath have an exhaust fan and is it strong enough to keep a slight negative air pressure in the room?

2. Can the combo shelf be unmounted and taken outside.

3. Water-based poly is almost odorless and stands up pretty well to normal use. Be sure to cover all surfaces of all shelves to completely seal the wood.

If it were me, I would probably take the combo shelf down and treat it with oil-based poly outside.

Regards, Steve.

[woodturner]

Is there anything that I can use that will not pose a problem?

Shellac is edible and does not have toxic fumes. However, it is slightly water susceptible - it will absorb some moisture and turn whitish, but will dry out. If you put on several coats, it should be fine.

I've used it for bar tops, probably the "worst case" application (since it is alcohol soluable) and it has held up OK in a retail bar for many years.

Everything else will give off some fumes, but many finishes are inert once they are fully dry. However, it takes 30 days or more for all of the fumes to outgas.

[cabinetman]

On a professional level, I wouldn't use or recommend shellac as a topcoat in projects where durability is a question. It's a popular finish with DIY'ers, amateurs, and hobbyists, as it's a fast finish. It's difficult to get a specific sheen, and will impart a color to a stained finish. A blond shellac would likely be the least to overcolor a stain, but it's not usually an off the shelf item. Flakes would be ordered, and then mixed to the cut desired.

There are waterbased polyurethanes durable enough for flooring, and other woodwork applications, that are sold in the box stores in different sheens. It has no discernible odor, dries fast, easy water cleanup, and will dry clear. Shellac, IMO, is too soft of a coating, and would not be suitable for flooring.

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[All Thumbs]

Agree w/ cabinetman. Get a good water-based poly. Some of them are almost as good as oil based, which is very very durable.

Do NOT use shellac.

[woodturner]

Get a good water-based poly.

The problem with all "chemical" finishes is that they contain toxic materials. If the OP is concerned only with fumes, these finishes will be fine, once they have fully cured in a month or so. If he is concerned about contact, such as for surfaces in contact with food, that type of finish will leach some chemicals into food. Whether the amount of chemicals leached into food is a concern is a personal decision.

Do NOT use shellac.

Every finish has it's pros and cons. The pros for shellac are that it's easy to apply, is safe for food use (it's safe to consume - it's used in cooking, to coat medicine such as pills, and candies such as M&Ms), it doesn't change the color of the stain or wood, it's easy to get the sheen desired, and it's durable and easy to repair (unlike poly's, which won't adhere to themselves after they have cured and therefore are difficult to repair). Shellac has been used for furniture, flooring, and many other applications for centuries and remains a first choice for many pros.

The primary con to shellac is that it is alcohol soluable - so if you use it for a bar top, for example, and spill a drink and let it sit for an hour, the finish will soften.

[cabinetman]

The problem with all "chemical" finishes is that they contain toxic materials. If the OP is concerned only with fumes, these finishes will be fine, once they have fully cured in a month or so.

Some finishes will take longer to cure than others. Oil base polyurethane is an example. Waterbase polyurethane doesn't offgas, after it's dry to the touch in about 20 minutes. It has no obvious odor. Shellac OTOH has a strong initial alcohol scent, and will for some time.

If he is concerned about contact, such as for surfaces in contact with food, that type of finish will leach some chemicals into food. Whether the amount of chemicals leached into food is a concern is a personal decision.

I doubt that food will be prepared on a freshly applied finish. All film finishes are food safe when cured.

Every finish has it's pros and cons. The pros for shellac are that it's easy to apply, is safe for food use (it's safe to consume - it's used in cooking, to coat medicine such as pills, and candies such as M&Ms)...

This is part of the description that Wikipedia lists and is likely the draw that hobbyists have for shellac.

... it doesn't change the color of the stain or wood, it's easy to get the sheen desired, and it's durable and easy to repair (unlike poly's, which won't adhere to themselves after they have cured and therefore are difficult to repair). Shellac has been used for furniture, flooring, and many other applications for centuries and remains a first choice for many pros.

It does change the color of wood or stain, as does oil base finishes. It's not alkaline resistant, and doesn't hold up to household chemicals like waterbase polyurethane. WB poly adheres to previous coats just fine. All applications could be done in one day.

The primary con to shellac is that it is alcohol soluable - so if you use it for a bar top, for example, and spill a drink and let it sit for an hour, the finish will soften.

That's correct. Another fault. It also will show scratches and mars very easily. It's much better to use a more predictable more durable product.

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[chopnhack]

Our winged friends require special care: the way parrots and other winged creatures breath through their lungs is different than we mammals. We breathe in and out through our lungs they do not. The air passes through their lungs in one direction - this allows fliers to have higher oxygen content in the air they breathe. Our air in contrast is mixed by the virtue of our bidirectional flow of air - in and out through the lungs. This makes birds particularly susceptible to foul air.

I have never seen soluable spelled that way - soluble to my knowledge has always been the accepted way to spell a substance that can dissolve into another.

The major solvent in the waterbase poly's is polyethylene glycol ethers or ethylene. They are of low concentration, but in a small room with poor ventilation you can reach the msds concentration quite easily....

Waterbase is your best bet in your situation, but being a beloved pet you may want to just watch how the project ages and then when you feel like taking it apart and tackling that project, complete the finish and repair at that point. HTH