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When the finish of your furniture is starting to show its age, it can be difficult to decide what product to use on top of your existing finish. There are many to choose from but choosing the wrong product can make a lot of extra work for you and ruin the finish left on top.

The products that say they will remove scratches and marks, don't work. The lacquers and polishes contain harmful toxins that will likely harm you and your furniture.

The other more natural options are using wax or oil, these will revive the colour of your wood and help hide the scratches, but they require a fresh application every 6 months or so.

The only product that is natural, non-toxic and a great reviver is 'Shellac.' A major benefit to using shellac is its natural ability to amalgamate to any previous finish, providing it is clean of wax and grease. Shellac will slightly fill cracks and scratches to make them less visible. It will bring the depth of the wood back to life as it enhances the grain like no other finish. It can be brought pre-mixed or in its natural form, from its natural form you will need to dissolve the flakes in pure alcohol or methyl hydrate. Do not mix more than you need as it has a shelf life of 6 months when mixed. It is available at most hardware stores and can be applied with a lint free cotton rag. Learn more at http://www.ptoone.com

Learn more about this author, Perry Toone.
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