Martha - The Practical House Painting Guide

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Best finish over shellac for heavy use?

January 16, 2012

I have a table from the 60s with a shellac finish. I would like to make it water resistant, but don’t want to strip it and lose the current stain. I’m not a big fan of polyurethane, only because it chips over time and cannot be repaired. What do you

Oil Base Primer

March 21, 2011

I was priming walls that were previously painted to cover up some kids marks and after finishing I discovered the primer was oil based. I feel like the prior paint was latex. Do I need to sand the primed areas before painting the wall with latex?

Tacky Newly Stained and Sealed Deck

July 26, 2009

What causes the finish on my newly stained and sealed deck to be tacky after letting it dry for weeks? My deck needed to be treated after we moved in since the previous owners had ignored it. There was sealant where the eaves protected the surface but none where it