Different types of finish + How they are removed..

Hi all,



I have asked a similar question once before but was curious to grow on my knowlege.



My understanding thus far... Poly is a great, fairly tough finish, dries clear if water based and is for lack of better analogy, like liquid plastic.



Stains can be incorporated with poly or done first then finished.



Oils are a nice natural finish that you can the gloss over with wax or the like for protection.



I have not yet had the chance o rmoney to use shellac, laquer or varnish..



I understand shellac come from crystals from a bug, mixed with ethanol which evaporates once applied. Not as tough as poly and am not sure if you need to put anything over it like wax or poly?



I also have not used laquer or varnish.



So what exactly is varnish... apparently poly is one of three types? Does it incorporate a stain?



I should mention I have been trying to learn woodwork with small boxes and furniture items. So Oils seem to work nicely, and from my reading shellac is a go-to finish for furniture? Would you ever use laquer? When would you choose to use Varnish?



I guess to sumarise this maze of questions... when is each most approporiate, what are your guys favorites? What exactly is laquer and varnish and when are they approporitate to use?



----



Thats one half of my question haha. I figured whilst I was here I would clarify on removal of each.



I have read you can use stripper--- which essentially redissolves the shellac etc to remove these coats?



Can every type of finish be sanded back without use of stripper...poly,shellac,varnish and laquer?



Have an old dining table at home that has seen much better days (thinking of doing a little refurb) and sanding it back and re-coating it. Ill start another thread on this when I get around to the project, but overall Im wondering if regardless of how its finished if I can sand it back or if Ill need to use stripper etc...?



Thanks everyone