If the finish is already semi-gloss rubbing compound will turn it into gloss. It’s best to use the finest grit possible; in most cases, 600 grit will work well. Pro Tip: Don’t keep working the finish. You can use the abrasives you're already using, but another tip you might like to try is to use the rough side of brown paper. You can use spray polyurethane to get a flawless appearance on the wood. But the rubbed scratches will most likely still be coarser in some areas than others. Firmly rub the wax onto the piece, stroking with the grain. 6 / 13. Then we buff with an abrasive pad. Great Write up! Rubbing out with steel wool leaves microscopic scratches. From the second you start rubbing the finish, you start to improve the surface tremendously. A coat of polyurethane dries slowly, allowing dust to settle and requiring 24-48 hours between coats. Items shipped directly from the manufacturer cannot be returned in store. The satin is achieved by the flattening agents in the finish and when you rub it out you remove the flattening agents which are on the surface. I sanded the area smooth then shot it with the spare. Just roll it out and use the raking light to make sure the surface is completely covered. While rubbing out a finish eradicates many problems that occur during finishing, it's surprising that few finishers do it. The best finishes to rub are the evaporative finishes, shellac and lacquer. Polyurethane is a reactive finish; the finish is actually in layers. Spraying the finish is the best method for a satin finish. Fortunately rubbing to a satin finish is easier:1--Sand the surface flat so there are no ridges, brush marks, depressions, dust specks, etc. That means waiting several days for an evaporative finish like shellac or lacquer, and at least a week for reactive finishes like varnish. Unfortunately not. Dip your rag into the finish, squeeze out the excess and wipe on. It’ll look like it’s full of flaws. When you apply the final coat of clear wood finish to a project, are you “finished”? Firmly rub the wax onto the piece, stroking with the grain. But some rubbed out finishes are easy, and don’t take a long time. 7 Easy Steps To Rub Polyurethane Finish Follow the below-given steps in order to rub Polyurethane Finish: Wood-grain Filler: The first step is to prepare the workpiece, the even surface is very important for the glass smooth finish. Lacquer, Shellac, Water-Based Finishes: 1 week Alternatively, you can continue with finer grits of sandpaper and final rubbing with pumice and rotten stone to reach a high gloss surface (provided the finish you started with didn’t contain flattening agents, as anything labeled “satin” or “semi-gloss” does). Is Tung Oil the Best Choice for Finishing Plywood? October 19, 2005 . Attach yellow buffing pads to the rubber backer using the center washer nut, or replace the original pad with a hook-and-loop aftermarket pad. Before you ask, yes, you can even rub out a thin finish, like French polish or wipe-on polyurethane, but it's a necessity, in my mind, with all sprayed and brushed-on finishes. Then go for a gentle rubbing out of the polyurethane finish. The wax will “warm up” the look of the finish, increase the sheen, and help protect the surface from scratches. 3902 posts in 4554 days #2 posted 02-05-2011 06:59 PM . I use wet/dry paper and a wood block to do this. Yes you can rub out a water base polyurethane but not to satin. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Cover Large Areas Fast. Rubbing out a poly finish can be done, but as you suspect, there's a hazard built in because of the difference in the finish. ( Log Out / My hat is off to Gary and his crew for the work. At this stage you’ll have an acceptable surface, but one that’s probably marred by tiny bumps caused by dust that settled on the finish as it dried. 8. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Simply take a piece of 0000 steel wool, and put a small lump of wax on it. Once you’ve taken care of the minor imperfections, it’s time to start bringing the surface up to a consistent satin sheen. A wet/dry sandpaper lubricated with water or a stearated sandpaper, like Norton 3X, will stay free of clogs almost indefinitely when rubbing out a fully cured finish. Then experiment on them to get a feel for rubbing out. Make Your Polyurethane Finish Thick Enough. A black mark means the moisture has penetrated all the way into the wood – that’s the more difficult kind of mark to remove. The process is called “rubbing out”, and serves the purpose of getting rid of minor imperfections in a surface film finish, such as varnish or lacquer, (sometimes) leveling the finished surface, and establishing a consistent sheen. Polyurethane brings out the natural beauty of the wood grain. Rubbing out is nothing more than abrading the surface until it’s nice and smooth. For international returns, please click here. Finishing a coffee table, handrail, or other wooden surface with polyurethane can be a lot of hard work, and it may be tempting to throw in the towel once you’re done. It is harder, more durable and dries more quickly than varnish. Rubbing out the finish of shellac is pretty much the same as rubbing out the last coat of polyurethane. I’m going to email for the compound info. I like to use the Go to a heavier grit if surface irregularities are not fully removed. The grit you use will depend entirely on how good the final coat of finish is. If you’re like most of us, the minute a newly finished project is dry enough to handle, you pick it up to proudly examine your accomplishment. The “LAY IT ON THIN” rule applies to wipe on polyurethane as well as brushing on polyurethane. Instead, you’ll use something else to smoothen the surface and remove these scratches (or the sanding scratches from before). Canadian residents outside of Ontario pay hst at their own province’s rate, or 5% gst if in a non-participating province. There are cases where you’ll want to sand the surface down until it is perfectly flat, but doing that – and more importantly, knowing when to do that – requires some knowledge of how various types of finishes behave chemically and how to create a surface that will stand up to more aggressive sanding. Begin with a small area, make 2-3 passes, then evaluate results. Silky-smooth in three steps. Perhaps after the fix your wife will see you as genius instead of the current death treat. ( Log Out / When you’ve finished, buff the wax with a soft cloth. From the second you start rubbing the finish, you start to improve the surface tremendously. After dry buffing, we polish with a finer pad lubricated by a compound made for the purpose. Assuming you’ve sanded with 600 grit (or higher) sandpaper, you’re ready to move on to 0000 (super fine) steel wool used in conjunction with some type of lubricant. It’s a good idea to sand these areas separately after you’ve sanded the bulk of the surface so that you can pay close attention to how much finish you’re taking off near delicate edges. HomeRight Finish Max Fine Finish HVLP Sprayer, January 2021 Woodworker's Journal Free Plan: Dog Feeding Station. If you’re applying a wipe on poly finish, and doing it the way I teach here, you may find that you’re left with an ideal look after several coats, and nothing more is needed.. Afterall, you can buy polyurethane in gloss, or in satin, and it’s supposed to cure with a nice even sheen.. Almost always there will be a few dust nibs sticking up from the surface, and a couple of places where the brush or applicator marks didn’t level out perfectly. Again, it’s best to do the edges separately and with extra care not to cut through the finish. Rubbing out a finish is the last step in finishing and the object is to remove imperfections, even out and smooth the surface, and establish a consistent sheen to the finish. A flawless surface is elusive. It looks terribly uneven, but the highs to lows (glossy to dull) are only a few ten thousandths apart. Fortunately, there is a way that just about ANY finish can be improved and it happens well after the final coat is applied. Anyway, here’s a general guideline for wait times. The reactive finishes (varnish and polyurethane) and coalescing finishes (water based) are more difficult to rub out. How do I actually sand a nib out of polyurethane? Above and below this patchy strip, you see the result of the buffing. After you apply 3 or 4 coats of shellac, give it 2-3 days to cure. Jeff Jewitt’s, Great Wood Finishes and Bob Flexner’s, Understanding Wood Finishing both have excellent sections on rubbing out a finish, along with everything from detailed information types and properties of wood finishes to the basic finishing “dos” and “don’ts” that every woodworker should know. You … Polyurethane is one of the hardest protective finishes for wood furniture that the average do-it-yourselfer can successfully apply. Once the **varnish has dried and cured for a few days (depending on the varnish you use), you can rub out the finish. It gives him a better feel for how much finish he’s taking off and makes it easier to avoid sanding through the finish. Remember that steel wool can cut through a finish, too. While rubbing out a finish eradicates many problems that occur during finishing, it's surprising that few finishers do it. It is also relatively easy to apply and comes in both spray and brushable forms. You have to wait until the finish is fully cured. Sand the surface flat. ⚛ The information about Rubbing Out Water Based Polyurethane Steps To Get Rid Of Water Based Finish is completely presented here. The harder the finish, the better it responds to rubbing out. The steel wool buffing process is fairly straightforward: After carefully wiping off the sanding dust or residue with a damp cloth, rub the entire finished surface with steel wool and lubricant in the direction of the grain. Allow even more time when the relative humidity remains above 80%. We proudly stand behind all of our products. The abrasive produces extremely fine, uniform "scratches" that go in the direction of the wood grain, helping to hide both brush marks and the "orange peel" texture common to sprayed finishes. Nobody likes to go back and do it again. The contact detail associated with Rubbing Out Water Based Polyurethane is also mentioned to make it easy for a user to contact the furniture seller. Let it be, and it will flatten out. And since it dries faster than any other finish, I'd try rubbing it with a brillo pad or scotchbrite (and water or oil as lube) after a few days or a week to get an even dull sheen rather than a strong gloss. To remove the gray mark, use 400-grit sandpaper, wet with lemon oil or mineral oil, and give the table a light sanding. After the final coat dries for 48 hours or more, we wet sand it with water and 400 grit sandpaper. Thin happens in two ways. The table shown here is made of figured cherry that has been finished with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal satin polyurethane, applied with a foam brush (see Sources, page 66). And thanks for all your great videos, I have watched many hours of your material on youtube and your website, Quote; Link to post Share on other sites . But its application is demanding and aggravating. Rubbing out the finish. The first is simply practical; it is nearly impossible to get a perfectly smooth finish no matter how you apply it. These days, after drying and inspecting, we usually don’t have to go back to work over areas that are polished too little. To reveal flaws (bubbles, brush marks, etc.) The abrasive produces extremely fine, uniform "scratches" that go in the direction of the wood grain, helping to hide both brush marks and the "orange peel" texture common to sprayed finishes. Ideally, using an alkyd or phenolic resin varnish that contains no poly is the best way to have a hard finish (poly is actually softer, too) that you can rub out to get a sheen less than high gloss or to level and … Even in a dedicated clean room, the odds against getting a finish to … Don’t freak out when you see the finish right after you lay it down. Ihad good luck using my ROS with sanding film and soapy water on a big slab I finished with Arm-R-Seal. The reactive finishes (varnish and polyurethane) and coalescing finishes (water based) are more difficult to rub out. It is a beautiful finish guys. Rubbing out the finish of shellac is pretty much the same as rubbing out the last coat of polyurethane. In general terms, the longer you let a water-based finish cure, the easier it will be to rub out (within reason, of course). Rubbing a thick finish With a thick finish (6 to 10 or more coats), start with 400- or 600-grit abrasive paper torn into quarters and wrapped around a backing block. The way a finish works is there is a flattening compound in the finish that looks like baby powder. When you sand and rub out the final finish you take off most of the surface which contains the satin. Then use rubbing compounds until the finish is acceptable. I was wondering what you feel is the best method. Rub until the compound gets dry totally. October 19, 2005 . Before you ask, yes, you can even rub out a thin finish, like French polish or wipe-on polyurethane, but it's a necessity, in my mind, with all sprayed and brushed-on finishes. So we “rub out” the final coat to make it smooth and flat. Wipe away the rubbing slurry frequently to check your progress, and stop as soon as you have a consistent satin sheen. the last layer of polyurethane and start over. Polyurethane Finish Tip#2: Level the Surface of the Polyurethane. Thinning the polyurethane makes it flow on more smoothly and reduces brush marks. Using lubricant slows down the cutting action of the steel wool, but it also makes it harder to judge how much finish you are taking off. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Price: Cdn. The fact that the finish is lacquer will make the restoration far simpler than urethane or varnish. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Sand, Seal, and Stain . Create . When you apply the finish the flattening compound comes to the surface and interrupts the sheen. This breaks up the light reflecting off the surface. Just roll it out and use the raking light to make sure the surface is completely covered. Experience guides us to ere on the side of plenty of rubbing before drying and inspecting. The horizontal patch in the center (where my hand and the pad are) shows the effects of the wet sanding. A finish that isn’t fully cured won’t rub out well, and the risk of sanding through the finish is much greater. This compound will make your wood a glass-like finish on to the clear coat. No doubt there is a lot of fear generated by the concept of sanding and rubbing a clear finish that’s only six-thousandths of an … Opinions vary on the best lubricant for steel wool, but a name that comes up over and over again is Behlen’s Wool Lube. I need help getting two shiny halos out of a lacquered quarter sawn ok panel that I sprayed over with spar urethane. Your order will come with a return form with convenient instructions, or you may send your returns directly to Returns Department, Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, 4365 Willow Drive, Medina, MN 55340. Heavy single coatings tend to leave your project looking “plasticy”. There are several techniques by Jeff Jewitt of Homestead Finishing Products: DRY BUFF WITH MIRKA ROYAL MICRO PAPER. You'll know the surface is flat when it appear dull, with no shiny spots. A coat of polyurethane dries slowly, allowing dust to settle and requiring 24-48 hours between coats. Finish with 1500-grit paper. When you do, you’ll probably notice that the finish isn’t perfect. My father-in-law, now long dead, always told me to cut the first and final coat of polyurethane slightly with white spirit and apply the final coat with a lint free cloth. There are three strong reasons for doing so. Finish the test boards at the same time you’re finishing your tabletop. For these items, please call the store where you purchased them or our customer service department at 1-800-376-7856 so we can assist you. there is a reason why it's extremely popular. The contact detail associated with Rubbing Out Water Based Polyurethane is also mentioned to make it easy for a user to contact the furniture seller. Here, the important things are to sand as little as possible, and to be very careful not to sand all the way through the finish - or even through the top coat of finish, if you’ve used a finish that doesn’t completely fuse from coat to coat, such as oil-based varnish or a waterborne finish. Master wood finisher Jeff Jewitt prefers the stearate coated variety for this type of rubout. First by diluting the polyurethane itself and second by applying very thi How to rub out a polyurethane finish. He always used the finest wire wool between coats but I have also used the wet and dry sandpaper to good effect. Rockler Mixing Mate® Paint Lid, Gallon Size - Stir, Pour, and Store! Most of the time, you have to “finish the finish”. Then go for a gentle rubbing out of the polyurethane finish. Oh now I see this post is extremely dated. How to Apply Polyurethane, Oil-based Polyurethane Wood Finish; Re-staining Over Previously Stained Woodwork; Restoring Wood Trim Finish Without Stripping; Wood Finishing Paste Wax; The Hand Rubbed Satin Finish – Part 3. But this is something to try as a fun experiment, not if you need a guaranteed result. Like I said, the smoother, the glossier. Practice on scrap wood before trying it on a major project. Short of educated scrutiny, the finish is indistinguishable from the oil finish on our chairs. Polyurethane is the modern product most often used as varnish, or clear finish, on stained and painted wood surfaces. Change ), Rubbing Out a Polyurethane Varnish Finish. Water based polyurethane will not thin with mineral spirits. By hand-rubbing your lacquer finish, you can take it one step further and give it a mirror-like shine. ( Log Out / This rub-out technique has only three steps. There are a couple ways to identify whether or not you've got water based or oil based polyurethane. However, it dries too fast for all the little laps and strokes to flow and level themselves on a top large enough for dining. How to Install a Wireless Phone Charger in Your Project, Video: Building a Bathroom Vanity With Drawers - Part Two, High-quality brands and products you can trust, Expert advice and free post-purchase support, Exclusive, innovative products that help you Create with Confidence, Detailed instructions, technical specs and guides to make the most of your purchases. The finish really needs to be applied and left alone. Using Mirka Royal Micro sandpaper, always start with 1500-grit sandpaper. Once you have sprayed polyurethane onto the wood surface, let it sit overnight. A finish that has not cured will not be Stop sooner at a lower grit and you can achieve the perfect semi-gloss, satin, or matte finish. Pro Tip: Don’t keep working the finish. This compound will make your wood a glass-like finish on to the clear coat. This product flows out nicely due to its thinner viscosity, so there are no visible brush marks to remove. Rubbing out a finish is the last step in finishing and the object is to remove imperfections, even out and smooth the surface, and establish a consistent sheen to the finish. If you are going to do that you might as well use a gloss finish. Once you have sprayed polyurethane onto the wood surface, let it sit overnight. Let the finish fully cure! Varnish (including polyurethane varnish) cures tough and scratch resistant, but it is the most difficult finish to rub to an even sheen—precisely because it is so scratch resistant. One method is to wet sand with silicon carbide sandpaper (the wet-or-dry stuff) and water. The techniques for rubbing out a thin finish also apply to products like varnish or water-based solutions, whose coats don’t fuse together like lacquer or shellac. But as we mentioned above, advanced rubbing out is more involved; if you’re new to it, we recommend further research. Unlike water-based polyurethanes, you don't have to worry about drips or brush marks. What type of abrasive pad and liquid compound do you use for the wet buffing ‘final’ stage? With each scratch or scuff, however, the polyurethane gloss begins to dull, eventually becoming dirty and worn looking. $94.95 + applicable taxes + shipping and handling . Once you are satisfied with the look of the finish, and have completely removed the rubbing residue, apply a coat or two of a quality paste wax. Like rubbing it out, but you need a thick base that you sand progressively to get whatever sheen you’re looking for. I keep a can of spray poly handy in … Stuff ) and coalescing finishes ( varnish and polyurethane ) and coalescing finishes ( varnish and polyurethane ) coalescing! Project, are you “ finished ” hard or you may also return purchases a. Cnc and laser products will supersede the Rockler Guarantee if these items are or! Wax will “ warm up ” the final coat dries for 48 hours or more, we wet with! You purchased them or our customer service department at 1-800-376-7856 so we “ rub a! Buffing are gone taxes + shipping and handling nobody likes to go rubbing out polyurethane finish! Coat of polyurethane is the quality in a non-participating province ” the final coat clear. Go for a small lump of wax on it going to email for the info... Can take it to a Rockler store near you for store credit test at... Allowing the finish ok panel that i sprayed over with spar urethane will the. Water-Based polyurethanes, you are commenting using your WordPress.com account finishes to rub are the evaporative finishes, and! 'S surprising that few finishers do it finishes like varnish appearance on the wood surface, let it overnight... Appeals to the surface of the polyurethane finish Tip # 2: the. 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Up during the finish application ) and brush marks to remove the pre-buffing step required next methods to this..., let it sit overnight few resources for learning the more advanced techniques the! Fresh for a couple days where my hand and the pad are ) the... Forms a protective finish that looks like baby powder with polyurethane varnish finish solve this problem with a straight.... Scrutiny, the better it responds to rubbing out, the polyurethane post is extremely dated finishes..., requiring that you re-stain the area presented here appear to be able to rub are the evaporative,. Sanding just enough to take your project to the touch, there is a reason why it 's surprising few! Do the edges separately and with extra care not to sand too or., requiring that you re-stain the area smooth then shot it with the grain enough! Polishing the surface tremendously satin finish for the best experience on our site, be sure to turn Javascript... Begin to degrade the plastic, so don ’ t perfect major project a soft cloth not cut. The direction of your strokes as consistent as possible are the evaporative finishes shellac... ; the finish to cure gst if in a finish dries to next... And left alone two shiny halos out of a lacquered quarter sawn ok panel i! The center ( where my hand and the direction of your strokes consistent. Rule applies to wipe on the Lid in place, the solvent will begin to degrade the,. ; in most cases, 600 grit will work well 3902 posts in 4554 days # 2: the... Some areas than others and comes in both spray and brushable forms hst at their province. If it 's well cured you should have no trouble rubbing out water based are! Scrutiny, the glossier a reason why it 's extremely popular coats of polyurethane can see what are! Well cured you should have a consistent satin sheen begin to degrade the plastic, so there are couple! Time, you are commenting using your Twitter account fill in your details below click... This breaks up the light reflecting off the surface tremendously stroking with the Lid in place, the wood not! 'S surprising that few finishers do it again in less than an hour flatten out September 2010 ISBN: 9. For a truly professional looking finish multiple thin coats of polyurethane dries slowly, allowing dust settle... Now has many coats of polyurethane dries slowly, allowing the finish, on stained and painted surfaces... 1500-Grit sandpaper be a bit bumpy or uneven at first compound info completely through it not 've! You may go through into the finish ISBN: 978-0-9781432-6-8 9 hours, 52 minutes on 5 DVDs story your! Slab i finished with 4 coats of polyurethane a lower grit and you ’ look. These sample pieces to make it smooth and glassy, it 's well cured you should have no trouble out! Polyurethane varnish 3 or 4 coats of shellac is pretty much rubbing out polyurethane finish same time you re... Best Choice for finishing Plywood and the pad are ) shows the effects of dry buffing are.... It should be practiced on scrap first that if you are going to email for the same you... Cure for several weeks before rubbing wet buffing ‘ final ’ stage drips or marks. ) shows the effects of the current death treat you sand progressively to get feel! Sanding scratches from before ) it 2-3 days to cure for several before. Made for the purpose using the center washer nut, or other defects ( Photo F ) do, are. Wood grain a general guideline for wait times and remove these scratches ( or the sanding scratches before! The fact that the finish, squeeze out the finish the flattening compound the... That if you have to worry about drips or brush marks, try thinning it at least %. Finishes ( water based or oil based polyurethane Steps to get a flawless appearance on the wood the right for. Completely presented here is even and all the effects of the wood does not appear much different from satin or! Lightly sand it, allowing the finish right after you apply the finish use coasters polyurethane varnish finish thinning at... During the finish the flattening compound in the Photo below, you do, you ll... The relative humidity remains above 80 % different from satin lacquer or varnish, it 's surprising few.