These century-old floor finishing tricks still outperform what's on store shelves today.

Old methods endure: Pre-war oil, shellac, and wax finishes can last over a century, resisting wear better than many modern coatings. Prep and patience: Hand-scraping and thin, slow-applied coats ...

For shellac finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Even those familiar with shellac may not know that it starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree ...

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 ...