Showerthought: My hike in the woods led to a neat finish method

I found a sap that locals mix with ash for a hard seal. It works like shellac but is free if you know where to look.

3 comments

3 Comments

Wait, that sounds messy and kinda unreliable though. Free is cool but shellac isn't exactly breaking the bank for a small project. I'd worry about bugs or it getting sticky again later. Nature's cool but sometimes the old stuff from a store just works.

anna_stone4527d agoMost Upvoted

You mentioned worrying about bugs, and I get that. I made a beeswax and lemon oil mix for a bookshelf last year. Let it dry for a full week in a cool spot, and it never got sticky or had bug problems. Still looks good now.

cameron74727d ago

blakem13 said it sounds messy, but I read in an old bushcraft book that these natural sealants were the only option for a long time. The guide said the ash acts as a hardener and keeps bugs away. It's not unreliable if you follow the steps right, like drying it in the sun for a few days. I get that store stuff is easier, but learning this skill is pretty cool for DIY folks. My cousin used a pine sap mix on his canoe paddle and it's still solid after two years.