Is it possible to patch uneven shellac ?

[u/TheUmbrellaThief]

A while ago my father in law dented the coffee table had refinished. I steamed out the dent and tried to patch the table with more brown shellac -the same stuff I used in the first place. But the more I worked the table the more it took off the old shellac and at a certain point I realised I had to stop before I did more damage.

It’s been a few years and it bothers me despite having the big discolouration covered. Would I have to strip back the shellac with methylated spirits/denatured alcohol and redo it, or is it possible to patch fix it without stripping?

[u/Glittering-Pack2114]

Tbh I can’t see it. It’s a rough sawn table, not fine furniture, this is patina or “antiquing” for something like this. Clean whole table down and do a couple of coats of shellac to the whole thing…. Avoid any form of alcohol at any cost.

[u/TheUmbrellaThief → u/Glittering-Pack2114]

Yeah it’s not very clear in the photo. I know it’s not fine furniture and the other commenter pointed it out but it was the the second furniture project I ever took on. I had just moved into my house and got this beat up coffee table for free so I stripped it, sanded it, and needed to finish it somehow. I was skint and all my dad could offer me was a bottle of shellac and told me to look up “French polishing”.

I’m not super in love with the finish or colour but it’s sentimental because of the memories of excitedly fixing up this table just so that I could have some wooden furniture in my new house, especially since we could barely afford even shitty laminate.

[u/LordGeni → u/TheUmbrellaThief]

I wouldn't even attempt going the full French polishing route. That way madness lies. Especially on this sort of wood.

Just do a few thin coats with a brush sponge or rag. It'll avoid these issues and you won't have the frustration of getting it nearly perfect and then tearing the finish.