I applied polycrylic over a dark walnut penetrating stain and allowed the stain to dry for several days. After applying my first coat of poly, I let it dry overnight and then sanded (#320) removed dust, now that there are cloudy, whitish spots in some areas. I’m afraid if I put a second coat of poly on I’ll seal in the white spots. Is the re a way to remove these, and what is causing this? I’ve refinished quite a few pieces using poly and never experienced this. Ambient temperature is 72° and humidity between 60 and 70%.
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Hi, welcome to StackExchange. We need pictures I think to get a better idea of what this might be. For starters the entire thing should really be clouded to a degree from the scratches that sanding/other abrasion introduce to the surface, so presumably the spots are much whiter. Also, which sheen version is this? Had a late thought that this might possibly be clumps of the matting agent if you're using any of the reduced-sheen versions (the matting agent is an ultra fine powder which settles to the bottom as a whitish layer, and very thorough mixing can be required to redistribute it evenly).– GraphusCommented Sep 6 at 7:00
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How do I add pictures? I tried copying & pasting but it didn’t work.– Denise DohertyCommented Sep 6 at 14:07
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1@DeniseDoherty see here: meta.stackexchange.com/questions/75491/…– stanchCommented Sep 6 at 16:01
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Select "Edit" to make changes to your post and then select the image icon (mountains). A box should appear in which you can drop your image– Ashlar ♦Commented Sep 6 at 19:03
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1 Answer
The cloudy spots are likely caused by moisture trapped in the polycrylic, which can happen with water-based finishes, especially in humid conditions. To fix it, try lightly sanding the affected areas with fine-grit sandpaper (#320 or higher) and wiping the surface clean. You can then apply a thin coat of polycrylic to those areas to see if it clears up. If the spots are deeper, you might need to sand down a bit more and reapply the finish. Lowering humidity or using a dehumidifier while applying the finish can help prevent this in the future.
