These forgotten finishing steps are why old furniture still looks better today.

For lacquer finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Shellac starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree branches by the tiny lac bug (Laccifer lacca), which ...

Traditional oil and wax finishes penetrate deep into wood fiber rather than sitting on the surface, making them far more resistant to cracking and peeling than modern coatings. Shellac — a finish used ...