April 24th Historic Wood Finishes – Oil, Shellac and Wax

April 24th Historic Wood Finishes – Oil, Shellac, and Wax

Instructor: Brian Coe

Date: 4/24/2026

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location: Winston-Salem

Cost: $40.00

Experience Level:  ALL                  

Max # of Students: 8

Tools/materials required: 

None.  Participants can bring their own sample boards of a preferred wood species or grain pattern if desired.  Otherwise, a sample board will be available for each person to experiment with.         

Class Description, Info, or Special Instructions: 

Natural materials have been used for centuries to finish wood-crafted items. Most of the historic furniture we admire in museums today was finished with natural materials such as oils, waxes, solvents, resins, earth pigments, and animal byproducts. This class will introduce woodworkers to the various natural materials used in finishes, explain how they are produced or harvested, and cover both historic and modern formulations. Participants will also have the opportunity to apply these finishes to sample boards for future reference. In particular, we will be showcasing linseed oil, tung oil, beeswax, and shop-made shellac for participants to experiment with on their sample boards.