Post #460288 by Polynesiac on Mon, Jun 8, 2009 7:33 PM

On 2009-06-08 11:18, geedavee wrote:
The shellac I am using is called Zinsser Bulls Eye Clear Shellac.

I then follow up with 3 coats of either Marine Spar or Polyurethane.

I did seal the bottom of the tiki so any remaining water wouldn't have a place to drain.
Should I leave the bottom untreated?

These are indoor tikis so I started tacking neoprene to the bottom of them.

Here's my guesses - In your last picture you posted, the buildup does look pretty thick around the teeth. It may be that you are applying too much at once. It's always better to go light and do more coats. 3 coats are plenty, especially for indoor tikis when one coat or no coat is fine too. Indoor tikis don't generally have to be protected from the weather. I have carved tikis that I've never put polyurathane on and they look exactly the same as they did when I finished carving and staining them years ago.
Also, is there a reason why are you using so many different types of sealant on the same tiki? They may not be bonding correctly - even with light sanding between coats. I suggest sticking (HA!) to one type of sealant. They all work fine on their own.

YES still seal the bottom of your tiki, and put several coats on that. Not only does it help in drying, but it also helps keep critters out (termites and whatnot). Neoprene is fine to attach to the bottom of your tiki (I'm sure it makes it easier to slide around your house). I may suggest just checking under there every so often (until the tiki totally dries) for mold. It does happen occasionally.

Hopefully that helped. Let us know if you have any other questions! Have fun carving!

PS - I like that big mouth guy!!!! It looks like he has a lot to say (or eat!!!)

----EDIT----
as far as fixing it....you're probably going to have to sand it off. You may have to re-stain it as well, as the sanding will probably remove some of it.

Polynesiac - putting the "F" back in "ART"

[ Edited by: Polynesiac 2009-06-08 19:36 ]