Editing Shellac (section)

== Colours and availability ==
Shellac comes in many warm colours, ranging from a very light blonde ("platina") to a very dark brown ("garnet"), with many varieties of brown, yellow, orange and red in between. The colour is influenced by the sap of the tree the lac bug is living on and by the time of harvest. Historically, the most commonly sold shellac is called "orange shellac", and was used extensively as a combination stain and protectant for wood panelling and [[cabinetry]] in the 20th century.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}

Shellac was once very common anywhere paints or varnishes were sold (such as hardware stores). However, cheaper and more abrasion- and chemical-resistant finishes, such as [[polyurethane]], have almost completely replaced it in decorative residential wood finishing such as hardwood floors, wooden [[wainscoting]] plank panelling, and kitchen cabinets.  These alternative products, however, must be applied over a stain if the user wants the wood to be coloured; clear or blonde shellac may be applied over a stain without affecting the colour of the finished piece, as a protective topcoat. "Wax over shellac" (an application of buffed-on paste wax over several coats of shellac) is often regarded as a beautiful, if fragile, finish for hardwood floors. [[Luthier]]s still use shellac to ''[[French polish]]'' fine acoustic stringed instruments, but it has been replaced by synthetic plastic lacquers and varnishes in many workshops, especially high-volume production environments.<ref>[http://www.milburnguitars.com/fpbannerframes.html French polishing tutorial for guitars]</ref>

Shellac dissolved in alcohol, typically more dilute than as used in French polish, is now commonly sold as "sanding sealer" by several companies. It is used to seal wooden surfaces, often as preparation for a final more durable finish; it reduces the amount of final coating required by reducing its absorption into the wood.{{Cn|date=January 2021}}