No sanding required. Our 8-step approach shows you how to apply the varnish successfully. I'm not really a fan of poly, I find it dies too quickly. You can apply it and leave it (if you have a good dust free environment) this will leave you with the best sheen, or you may need to do a final buff out with very fine sandpaper 400 grit, then buff out with a rag, this will leave you with a very smooth “hand rubbed satin” finish. Just as you did with the initial coats, brush the polyurethane onto the surface, working systematically from one side of the project to the other. You really want that final layer of finish to be thick enough to withstand the rubbing out process. Thin coats will result in you burning through the top layer. Take 220 – grit paper to sand the wood. So we “rub out” the final coat to make it smooth and flat. With water-based polyurethane finishes, you generally don’t have to buff after each coat to achieve adhesion if it is applied within so many hours. There’s a running debate on whether or not you should apply your clear coat over your vinyl decals. This Site Might Help You. I waited 20 minutes between layers and then waited an entire day before spraying the final coat of spray paint to cover any discoloration. I used a gel stain for color and then I have applied 3 coats of Varathane polyurethane with a satin finish. So, the spots are too noticeable for this type of project. However, do not worry if you have applied polyurethane coats unevenly. After I stripped, sanded, and stained my solid-oak kitchen table, I brushed three coats of polyurethane on the underside. ; Start with 120-grit sandpaper on refinished pieces and 80-grit on new wood. But, you always have to buff it once. Any slight specs after the final coat will be rubbed out. Personally, I would do it but you’ve got to consider how your clear coat might effect the decal down the line. Is one coat of polyurethane enough? How do you get that hard smooth finish? Wood pieces that are not completely sealed with polyurethane can warp because moisture can enter the wood through the unsealed surface. Do You Sand the Final Coat of Polyurethane? However, you do not want to sand the final coat or you will end up with a … I am in the process of redoing a bureau. If this is your first time working with Varathane, there may be some uneven spots. Make sure that you have plenty of mineral spirits on hand to clean up your brushes and any type of mess that you create. If you do not sand the primer appropriately, you might have blotchy stains on the piece when you apply the final coat of paint. Unsanded wood is hard, bumpy, and often unpleasing to the eye. I like to use a green Scoth Brite pad. Intercoat abrasion with a multi-disc and 220 grit sandpaper Polyurethane wood floor finish tip: When you abrade your floors, make sure you buff out any dust, particles and bubbles, before cleaning and tacking. Remove all dust. How to Remove Brush Marks From a Polyurethane Finish . A gloss finish since it is free of flattening compounds is clearer. How do you make a matte finish with polyurethane? A little test of how well polyurethane works when there are 40 coats. Oil-based polyurethane varnish brings out wood's natural beauty and grain. 7. There are specific rules to be followed in applying any finish, whether oil or water based. If your kitchen table is made of oak or ash, take a wood grain filler and apply it before the poly. After the first coat, all you are trying to do is remove the bumps and scuff the surface for the next coat, so 220 is just too rough. You’ll get the best results from your topcoat if you remove any old paint, varnish or other finishes before polyurethane application. But large bubbles formed in the second coat about 10 minutes after I applied it. Apply a THIN coat of Minwax® Fast-Drying Polyurethane using a high-quality natural or foam brush. No, you are not supposed to sand the final coat. If you really want that mirror finish, spray the final coat. Getting a smooth, blemish-free finish with oil-based polyurethane is within your grasp if you follow the steps in this article. After final coat rub out with 0000 steel wool and wax with carnuba. RE: How do I smooth out uneven brush strokes in polyurethane? Step 13 Apply two sealer coats of polyurethane mixed with mineral spirits to the underside of the piece of furniture if it is made of traditional hardwood lumber. How to Sand Out Bubbles from your finish. If a second coat is needed (and I usually advise at least 2 coats for normal furniture and 3 coats for high traffic or areas around water), you will want to sand, vacuum and tack cloth the piece between coats. This step will remove any rough patches and give the piece a smooth finish. While it’s good practice to use fresh varnish, I recently used some that had been sitting around for 15 … So I sanded them out and brushed on a new coat. Any slight specs after the final coat will be rubbed out. I prefer the 320 grit between coats. How Long Do You Let Polyurethane Cure Before Wet Sanding?. Pop any bubbles you see by brushing back over the finish. Otherwise, it will show through on your next coat. Dip your brush gently and take your time painting the surface. You should ensure that you sand the previous coats so that you create a perfectly level and even base for your final coat. Do not sand the paint before applying poly. If you don't have a soft enough brush or it's too hot or you don't work it fast enough then you are left with a bunch of brush marks to contend with. Do not buff the final polyurethane finish coat. You can use a belt sander on larger projects, or sandpaper by hand on smaller wood items. Now that the coat is dry, you can lightly sand its entire surface. Try to get the "non-filling" type, like the waterproof or aluminium oxide. I personally prefer using a small foam roller and foam brush' Smooth finish, no brush marks. If third coat is desired, repeat step 5 before application. If you are going to brush it do it sometime when the temperature is under 90. Sanding removes the lines and ridges created by the … The paint and Polyurethane will mix and fill the layers, any holes, and printed flaws. However, there is a way to remedy these flaws without undoing a day's work. This ensures the protectant goes on smoothly and actually provides a finished look. The first coat on the top looked good too. Move in the direction of the wood grain. Oil-based polyurethanes are easy to apply but take too long to dry while water-based polyurethanes usually require multiple applications and have a whitish consistency upon application which disappears once dry.. Water-based polyurethane also tends to dry faster. Do this by sanding out the bubbles then apply a fresh coat of the product. Normally, the property of the floor surface also affects to the finish paint quality. Final Finish. When you sand and rub out the final finish you take off most of the surface which contains the satin. Apply a full-strength final coat. I didn’t shake the can, and the brush didn’t leave any bubbles behind. I am primarily doing this on decent sized flat surfaces, 5-6 sq/ft. If you notice significant bumps in the dried coat, use a razor blade to shave these off. Brush marks often show up on pieces of furniture treated with polyurethane finish, usually despite the best efforts of the craftsman. As for figured cherry, there should be no reason to pore-fill. The final one is the polishing coat: many users use PU to create the glossy surface for wood products. For the final coat, if I really want a smooth coat, I will use a spray can, just for the last coat. There seems to be a lot of controversy on a rough first coat of polyurethane and what to do about it. After the final coat dries for 48 hours or more, we wet sand it with water and 400 grit sandpaper.